Where to begin with a film as effortlessly enigmatic as Lucio Fulci's latter day masterpiece The Beyond? Well, I should start by saying I'm more than just a little bit biased when it comes to his films, as this and House By The Cemetery are in my humble opinion some of the greatest moments in horror cinema history. Full stop.
The Beyond is a highly unforgettable experience and one that works on more levels than may be perceived upon first viewing. As with many films of its kind, I think The Beyond simply gets better with each visit.
New Yorker Liza (played by Fulci regular Katherine MacColl)inherits a hotel among the swamps of New Orleans and sets about refurbishing the place. As we learn from the spectacularly spooky sepia prelude, one of the hotels guests - an artist simply known as Schweik - has been accused of being a warlock and must suffer at the hands of the town's lynch mob. Schweik's death then proceeds to open one of the seven gates of hell, thus allowing the dead to cross over into the land of the living. Of course.
This being a Fulci film, the above opening sequence is insanely gory and terrifying enough to have most sane viewers running for the door.
The Beyond is awash with Fulci's trademark otherworldly feel and surreal use of over-the-top zoom cinematography. As with his other gothic undead films of this era, The Beyond has several almost unnervingly timed set pieces. Some are laughably executed, such as the infamous tarantula attack in which, despite being extremely gruelling stuff, it is clear half the creatures are very fake. Other gore highlights include the Suspiria-inspired blind dog/owner's throat attack on Emily, the town's blind pianist (who is somehow connected to Schweik and narrates the film's memorable opening passage) along with numerous other zombie attacks and eyeball atrocities.
Anyhow, what makes The Beyond such a compelling experience not just in the Euro horror scene of the 70s/80s but also cinema in general is its incredible final five minutes in which Liza, accompanied by heroic local Doctor McCabe (played by the handsome Dave Warbeck who did the audio commentary to the DVD of this film on his deathbed! Now THAT'S dedication for you) flees from the cadaver-infested local hospital only to realise the morgue staircase leads directly to the basement of the hotel... or hell, as we soon find out. This sequence alone proves how incredibly gifted Fulci had become as a director by this point and stands alone as one of the scariest endings I have ever seen. Throughout the film, Fulci Soundtrack regular Fabio Frizzi provides what may be his finest film contribution and the poetic end piece lingers in the mind long after the film has finished. It's achingly beautiful. In fact, there's very little that could be improved upon when it comes to any Fulci soundtrack. I just wish they were more easily available.
The Beyond is a difficult film to assess in a few paragraphs. It's excessively grotesque, it has some uncomfortably stilted acting and at times it makes little or no sense, but once you come to terms with Fulci's chaotic Lovecraft-inspired parallel universe you may agree it belongs alongside the Texas Chainsaw Massacres and Exorcists of this world. More Fulci to follow.
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