By Melissa Antoinette Garza
Third Grade Me in Class Giving A Report of Something I Enjoy: “BEYOND THE DARKNESS is something I enjoy. It’s about a taxidermist who loves his fiance so much that he brings her dead body back home….”
That was all I was able to get out! Mrs. Foy took my paper away and my mom got a call home about letting me watch inappropriate movies. God, the teach had such a big mouth! I almost lost the cable box because of that one!
Since I can remember, I was always getting in trouble for being awesome. Three years before that kerfuffle, my mom got a call when I was in kinder-garden because I sang FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY for show-and-tell. I won’t even bore you with details of The ChocoMilkGate Scandal of ‘85 (I probably actually will at some point, just not today).
The point is that I was an odd kid and I definitely did not understand fairy-tale romance. I was never fond of CINDERELLA (1950), SNOW WHITE (1937) or SLEEPING BEAUTY (1959). I found love stories in different places. My favorite Biblical couple was Eve and The Serpent. I was genuinely upset that they didn’t end up together. Between that and my affection for Cain, I was not welcomed at many churches.
To me, romance was having Animal from THE MUPPET SHOW (1976) chase a gal around and call her “Woman!” Also, I still love that and I love my warped since of romance. Still, my affection for BEYOND THE DARKNESS is something entirely different and it confuses even me. I like it. I know I like it, but I don’t necessarily feel good about liking it. It’s one of those movies that is sinfully enjoyed, but not discussed. So of course, I’m doing the rational thing and announcing my adoration for it via the internet!
Oh well, I’m a little odd. I couldn’t hide that if I tried. Judge away!
This bizarre film opens with Frank Wyler (Kieran Canter) who adores his fiance Anna (Cinzia Monreale). Anna is ill in a hospital and dies when their gypsy maid Iris (Franca Stoppi) uses a voodoo doll. Frank is devastated by the loss, but isn’t aware of Iris’s involvement.
The morning of the funeral, Iris comes to comfort him. She says that as both his mother and fiance are gone, she’ll remain to forever be there. She revs him up sexually and then proceeds to essentially breastfeed him. I told you it’s a fucked up movie. You had plenty of time to turn back. Now, we’re in. Buckle up!
At Anna’s funeral he injects her with some desiccants to preserve the body. He returns later and gets the corpse from her coffin. He is practically caught and to avoid suspicion allows Jan, a hitchhiker (Lucia D’Elia), to ride with him.
As Jan sleeps in the van outside, Frank goes into his office. Anna’s naked body is worked over by him as he carefully slices her skin open. With great precision and care he removes her organs and then artistically puts her back together. He slips her eyeballs in with great caution. It’s a bloody, gory mess that in a bizarre way is a testimonial of love. He also takes a bite out of her heart. The boy is smitten! He probably needs a bit of counseling, but you can’t deny the love.
Jan awakes and begins screaming. Now, she’s an idiot, who signs her own death warrant by attacking him. He tortures and then suffocates her. I’m willing to admit, the boy isn’t well, but Jan was pretty annoying. She didn’t deserve to die, but I wasn’t shedding any tears. My main focus is on the love story unfolding.
Odd, old, kinky Iris catches Frank with the body. Rather than freaking out, she helps him dress Anna and even paint her nails. I like this scene. I don’t even know why. I just do. Something about it speaks to me. Director Joe D’Amato tapped into some part of my psyche. To this day, if I think about this film that’s the scene that comes to mind.
Now, say what you want about the sex crazed gypsy, she’s loyal to Frank! Though, she is the one who killed Anne. I guess that goes under the “it’s complicated” relationship status.
Iris being a ride-or-die type of dame jumps in and starts hacking away at Frank’s victims. She’s a pro at it too. She has a little cleaver and an apron. She doesn’t even flinch when blood gets splattered in her face. She’s cooler about it than Frank-ie. As badass femme fatales go, Iris is on par with the best of them.
When Frank watches Anna’s body in bed, Iris gets him hot again and then takes him home. The next day, Frank is still feeling frisky when he comes across a jogger (Anna Cardini) who hurt her ankle. He rubs lotion on her injury because…..maybe her hands hurt? The runner is game for some fun with Frank and he brings her into the bedroom. She doesn’t see Anna right away, but he is staring at the corpse as he sexes up Miss Marathon. When she does see the body, she is not as laid back as Iris. She freaks out and once again the horny housekeeper comes to help out Frankie-boy.
Iris tries to convince Frank to put Anna in the crematorium, but he refuses. He offers to do anything else including marrying her. Wanting to be the mistress of the house, she tells him to keep his baby doll. She’s a bit sick, but oh so compelling!
BEYOND THE DARKNESS is a guilty pleasure with so much substance! The Oedipal complex mixed with the necrophiliac love affair weaves a tale expertly done. It’s raw and wrong and disturbing, but I love every moment of it.
The last scene is as twisted as everything before it. I almost wonder if the film PIECES (1982) was inspired by this as there are a few striking similarities.
The cast is spectacular! Canter shines in the lead. Even when Frank is doing awful things, Canter has a naive boyish approach to the character that makes you feel for him. He never lets the love Frank has for Anna shift from focus.
Franca Stoppi is just amazing. Her bravado and unbridled passion pours off the screen. The way in which she conveys Iris’s manipulation is brilliant. Iris takes full advantage of every weakness Frank has. Her selfishness, strength and seductive wickedness just makes her one of the best villains in horror film history.
This is intelligent perversion. It’s intellectual sexploitation. At least, that’s the way I justify enjoying this as much as I do.
Currently, this full film is on YOUTUBE so enjoy it before the copyright cops pull it down.
Scared Stiff Rating: 8.5/10
