By Melissa Antoinette Garza
RING OF DARKNESS (1979) also known as SATAN’S WIFE is a trippy 1979 low-budget Italian sexploitation that is equal parts hilarious and odd.
It’s a bit like THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK (1987) on crack. It follows a group of women who when much younger gave themselves over to the devil out of lust and the desire of power. They became his brides and now thirteen years later, trouble is brewing.
One of the women, Carlotta (Anne Heywood)narrates the tale.She is worried about the odd behavior her daughter Daria (Lara Wendel) has been exhibiting. It’s clear that Satan is her real father and that she is following in her father’s footsteps. Still, Carlotta tries to instill values. She is going thru a divorce and Daria’s stepfather Peter (West Buchanan) is ready to get the hell out dodge.
When Daria steals a doll and her mother inquires about it the evil child responds, “You ask too many questions, mother.” It’s a creepy little scene that is well done.
Another of the brides, Raffaella (Irene Papas) is a prostitute so she can try to get her kicks somehow, but every John she gets with is spooked when Lucifer shows up (Ezio Miani) in a white scarf and black shirt. He pulls the same bullshit when Carlotta tries to steal some sexy time with a professor (Ian Bannen).
I gotta say, he doesn’t do it for me. He’s not quite bad or naughty enough. He’s too David Cassidy whereas I like my devils more Viggo Mortensen from THE PROPHECY (1995).
Elena Merrill (Valentina Cortese) is Daria’s teacher and one of the women within Lucifer’s control and grasp In school, Merrill gets a tongue-lashing from Daria for lying.
Carlotta calls the women together in a black mass and informs them that Satan has a hold on Daria and that she knows more about the occult than they do. It takes a bit but the women come around when the evil deeds of Daria’s get worse and expresses zero guilt. The women track down a priest (John Phillip Law) to exorcise the evil out of Daria. At first, he’s hesitant as he’s about to leave the church, but bound by the duties of the cloth he relents.
RING OF DARKNESS is a late 70s hybrid of THE OMEN (1976) and THE EXORCIST (1973). I give the ripoffs of the 70s far more forgiveness and leeway than the carbon-copy $2.00 copycats routinely put out today. The difference is heart. You don’t find recent movies like ABBY (1974) and BEYOND THE DOOR (1974). All of them are just cash-grabs. I don’t mind have a formulaic, low-budget thriller as long as it attempt to be good. RING OF DARKNESS does just that.
Despite the low budget, the wonky dialogue, the unintentional humor and nonsensical moments, this movie still tries. The actors are fantastic. The plot, though somewhat all over the place, is compelling enough. Most of the acting is good. Wendel can be a bit stilted and her lines are sometimes forced, but considering the themes, her age and how insane some of the things her character had to do was, she did a fine job.
In the end, she was downright disturbing. In fact, the final scenes are quite unsettling for several reasons. Nonetheless, I recommend this one.
It’s not as raw as the first few moments would have you believe, but there are certain bizarre and, for lack of a better word, fucked directions that the film takes. That isn’t to say it’s well-paced. It’s not. There are a few things that go nowhere and a few things taken way too far. It’s a very strange flick in that you’re either a bit bored or completely fascinated.
This is going free on YOUTUBE in both English and Italian with English subtitles. Otherwise, seek out rental or purchase on any streaming sites.
Scared Stiff Rating: 5.5/10
