Just watched this last night after seeing it recommended for fans of obscure 70's horror. It's a shame really that this is one is little known, because it's certainly one of the finest, most disturbing Euro art-horrors I've ever seen. Renaud Verley does his best Malcom McDowell impersonation as a young man who is put in an insane asylum by his aunt and her daughters, in order to steal his inheritance. He comes back after a few years, with horrible plans for those who wronged him. Deliberately slow paced, it all builds up to an intense and unforgettable finale. This truly unsettling tale of revenge is brilliantly enhanced by the gloomy and oppressive atmosphere, and brilliant cinematography, filled with strange angles and a gorgeous color palette, as well as a particularly bizarre soundtrack. The film also counts with great performances by Viveca Lindfords as the vicious Aunt, as well as Maribel Martin (who also starred in two of my favorite Spanish horrors "The House That Screamed" and "Blood Spattered Bride"), Nuria Gimeno and Christina Blanc as the protagonist's equally disturbed cousins. It's really sad that the director Claudio Gerin died on a tragic accident on the last day of shooting. He was a real craftsman and one could only dream of what would've his career been like, as he could've become a master of European horror cinema, and I think I can actually consider him one judging by this masterpiece alone. Overall, 10/10.
Review of Bell from Hell
