An effective, underrated Italian horror film which recalls the work of Argento and the Bavas (both Mario and Lamberto) in a good way. As we all know, the Italian film industry was dying out in the late '80s, with the classics few and far between (as opposed to having at least a couple of great movies every year like back in the '60s/'70s/early '80s). I'm happy to say that SPIDER LABYRINTH is indeed one of those classics, a rare film which plays out like a typical giallo for the first three-quarters before moving into full-blooded - and bloody - horror in the final quarter.
The direction from Gianfranco Giagni is actually very good, and working hard he manages to build up a fair amount of suspense and tension as mystery surrounds the lead character. This is where the film resembles Argento the most; and is packed with bizarre characters, fine camera-work, a lot of Italian style to enjoy, and with mystery brimming off the screen. Take for example the standout yet subtle moment where the teacher takes a meal with his girlfriend. The pair are unknowingly being watched by most of the staff and other guests, which effectively builds up the paranoia and tension to fever pitch, as you expect something terrible to happen (and it soon does).
Interspersed are plenty of shock scenes which work, like the old "object being thrown through a window" scare which actually makes you jump here. There are plenty of minor clues and mysteries which are cleverly explained at the end, like the appearance of weird black balls which turn out to be spider eggs! The film has its fair share of grue, with a bloody knife murder of an innocent servant girl in a white-sheeted corridor being the highlight; coupled with the stylish photography and disorientating music, you could be forgiven for thinking that you're watching Argento. Other scenes to watch out for include a walk through a corpse-strewn cavern which is very spooky and atmospheric, and the final confrontation between the lead (didn't note the name) and the perpetrator of the crimes, a hideous vampire-like witch woman who stabs with a knife. The bizarrity culminates in a weird religious ritual in which the lead is himself attacked by an incredible "spider baby" and he himself becomes one of the followers, destined to kill and infect others. The ending is thus suitably downbeat and violent.
The acting is generally spot-on, with lots of actors and actresses playing weird or imposing minor characters well. Old-timer William Berger lends solid support and the leading actor is fine. Some very icky makeup by effects ace Sergio Stivaletti (responsible for the DEMONS films) compliments things nicely, with the blood flowing quite thickly at moments and the vampire witch woman's appearance being very similar to those of the monsters in DEMONS. The highlight is the "spider baby" itself, a yellow-eyed creature of evil which proceeds to gruesomely transform into a giant spider - great stuff! One thing I did hugely appreciate was the use of stop-motion to animate the various evil arachnids, a rare occurrence in an Italian movie which is an extra bonus. So, with equal parts conspiracy and paranoia and old-fashioned gory supernatural horror, SPIDER LABYRINTH is a big success. It's kind of like an unpredictable, stylish variant of the INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS theme and is just as good. I recommend that you check it out!
The direction from Gianfranco Giagni is actually very good, and working hard he manages to build up a fair amount of suspense and tension as mystery surrounds the lead character. This is where the film resembles Argento the most; and is packed with bizarre characters, fine camera-work, a lot of Italian style to enjoy, and with mystery brimming off the screen. Take for example the standout yet subtle moment where the teacher takes a meal with his girlfriend. The pair are unknowingly being watched by most of the staff and other guests, which effectively builds up the paranoia and tension to fever pitch, as you expect something terrible to happen (and it soon does).
Interspersed are plenty of shock scenes which work, like the old "object being thrown through a window" scare which actually makes you jump here. There are plenty of minor clues and mysteries which are cleverly explained at the end, like the appearance of weird black balls which turn out to be spider eggs! The film has its fair share of grue, with a bloody knife murder of an innocent servant girl in a white-sheeted corridor being the highlight; coupled with the stylish photography and disorientating music, you could be forgiven for thinking that you're watching Argento. Other scenes to watch out for include a walk through a corpse-strewn cavern which is very spooky and atmospheric, and the final confrontation between the lead (didn't note the name) and the perpetrator of the crimes, a hideous vampire-like witch woman who stabs with a knife. The bizarrity culminates in a weird religious ritual in which the lead is himself attacked by an incredible "spider baby" and he himself becomes one of the followers, destined to kill and infect others. The ending is thus suitably downbeat and violent.
The acting is generally spot-on, with lots of actors and actresses playing weird or imposing minor characters well. Old-timer William Berger lends solid support and the leading actor is fine. Some very icky makeup by effects ace Sergio Stivaletti (responsible for the DEMONS films) compliments things nicely, with the blood flowing quite thickly at moments and the vampire witch woman's appearance being very similar to those of the monsters in DEMONS. The highlight is the "spider baby" itself, a yellow-eyed creature of evil which proceeds to gruesomely transform into a giant spider - great stuff! One thing I did hugely appreciate was the use of stop-motion to animate the various evil arachnids, a rare occurrence in an Italian movie which is an extra bonus. So, with equal parts conspiracy and paranoia and old-fashioned gory supernatural horror, SPIDER LABYRINTH is a big success. It's kind of like an unpredictable, stylish variant of the INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS theme and is just as good. I recommend that you check it out!