Dallas-based religion professor Alan Whitmore (Roland Wybenga) is sent over to Hungary when Prof. Roth mysteriously stops contact after reporting he founds some sacred tablets. Whitmore arrives in a strange little town, only to have the paranoid Roth hand him a secret black book and shoo him away. Hours later Roth is found hanging by his neck and covered in a giant spider web. This event sends Whitmore on a quest to find out what is going on, despite the warning from the local "you're doomed" crazy man (William Berger) to leave town. This is an interesting little Italian horror film with definite shades of THE WICKER MAN (1973). Debuting director Gianfranco Giagni creates some nice horror and suspense scenes with some stylistic nods to Argento. The plot is a bit flimsy when you really think about it (INVASION OF THE SPIDER PEOPLE?), but it sure looks nice. It also benefits from some atmospheric locations in Hungary, including an underground stone bath and creepy caverns.
Review of The Spider Labyrinth
