Originally written 3/15/16
Blood and Black Lace is the granddaddy of slasher
movies. For better or for worse, this is the template that most slashers have
abided in the ensuing years. And as with all slashers, they must be addressed
on their own terms. They are the lovable dimwit of the horror family and as
such cannot be compared to other Big Kid Serious horror movies because they
operate on their idiot logic.
The dubbing in Blood and Black Lace is astoundingly
bad. Not just Godzilla movie actors-keep-talking-even-though-their-mouths-are-closed
bad. There is a scene at the end where the villain is screaming at her partner
in crime, but the dubbing actress is completely monotone. I am easily amused by
crap like that, and it is enough to hold the film afloat during the duller
parts.
The strong suit of Blood and Black Lace is its
visuals. I love Mario Bava's fantastical lighting schemes. It makes no sense
for lights to be where they are or to be the colors they are, but it is a treat
to look at. I wish more horror movies went for crazy EC comics color schemes
like this. The tradeoff is that the plot is thinner than tissue paper. The plot
is a cheap excuse for scantily clad women and violence. (Which is the only
element future slashers would consistently borrorw). The killers' motivations
are nonsensical, and their reasons for axing their victims are even more
ridiculous. Their costume is neat, though. It looks like The Question from the
Batman comics.
Blood and Black Lace is sleazy and silly, but if you
are a diehard horror fan, this is definitely worth looking into. It is also an
interesting artifact of horror movie history, especially in the context of the
numerous slasher films it inspired, directly or indirectly. The excellent
visuals and campy laughs make this a decent flick.
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