HUMAN BEASTS

Paul Naschy is one of the few living character actors whose archetypical portrayals of monsters and madmen are worthy of being referred to as iconic. An actor, writer, and director, Naschy's work both behind and in front of camera are at once cosmic and intimate, evoking intense feeling because it appeals to universal instincts while prodding individual conscience. From his many incarnations as the tragic wolfman to the love struck hunchback, this thespian specializes as the misunderstood outsider. His characters are haunted and hunted, victim and victimizer. This duality makes them complex and much richer than the average cinematic monster. The conflict between instinct and morality invites believability and thought. While his role as Bruno in Human Beasts is cast in a similar template, it is the differences that make him so unique. Shedding much of the sympathy that lent humaneness to his other monsters, Naschy's portrayal of Bruno is all too human. A stark, cynical, ultimately worthless cold blooded killer, this character -- and the increasingly degraded actions of the plot -- embody a different value system, a new way of looking at the world for the star. Similar to the murderous handyman in Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll, Bruno is a jaded personification of Naschy's disenchantment with humankind. This, coupled with a plot seeped in betrayal and mindless cruelty, marks Human Beasts as a significant stepping stone in Naschy's development as an artist. Harrowing and unapologetically nihilistic, this is a more mature and painful vision of existence, wrapped in layers of twisted sex, bloodshed, and debauchery. BCI brings this deeply personal (and troubled) vision of torture and cannibalism to US home video for the first time, completely re-mastered and enhanced.

Also known as Pigs and Carnival of the Beasts, this Japanese co-production marked an energetic new period in Naschy's life and career after a dark period of creative stagnation. Different in tone and theme to his other Japanese effort The Beast and the Magic Sword, this stew of rage and savagery was written and directed by Naschy, who was proud enough of the results to sign off with Jacinto Molina, his real name. Whereas the later film featured the return of his trademark pity-inducing werewolf, there are no characters worthy of redemption in Beasts. Neither is their hope or salvation. Love is a trap. In the end, there is only suffering and punishment, butchery and heartache. Co-produced by Masurao Takeda, the film is a web of sub plots and renewed genre staples. Bruno is a gun for hire who betrays the woman he 'loves' -- an Asian connected to the mob -- when they pull off a jewel heist. Killing mercilessly, Naschy steals the diamonds and leaves his girl behind. Pursued through the wilderness by the crime family, Bruno is wounded by an ambush that leaves him near dead near a private, self sufficient estate. He wakes to find himself the guest of a mysterious patriarch and two horny daughters. As they treat his wounds (and visit his bed), Bruno's vengeful ex-fiancé bribes a local swindler to see if any strangers are staying in town, which kicks off an explosion of vicious Giallo-style slayings. Trapped in his guilty past, Bruno sinks into a new romance and struggles for redemption . . . too late. If his jaded ex-partner doesn't kill him, he will still need to avoid the 'ghost' wandering the estate as well as the faceless killer who strikes from the shadows with a cold heart and sharp razor.

A frigid and soul crushing air of coldness and cruelty permeates. Sharing the deeply troubled and intimate tone of Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll, as well as a similar anti-hero, Human Beasts is aptly named, taking a good hard look at the selfishness, apathy, and chilling violence of the human being. There are no love-lorn werewolves here, no misunderstood morgue attendants or brooding vampires. No, here Naschy seems to be saying: "You want monsters? Here ya go! Get a good look!" Man, the worst monster of all, the one who shares your bed and lives next door, is revealed. Trading something of the dark romance and macabre beauty of his gothic work, here Naschy throws the audience into the abyss of his own perception. And as Mirek Lipinski points out in his excellent liner notes: "The perceptions were not positive." There is no supernatural escapism to cling to here. In fact, one of the chief themes appears to be the impossibility of redemption -- not only for Bruno but all of mankind. Several stand out set pieces of copious blood letting, sadistic sex, and steely eyed betrayal reinforce this. Perhaps the most potent and disturbing scene is that of the pigs kept by the patriarch feasting on a crying man. This scene, along with a wonderful scene featuring a hoggish 'human' feast, best embodies Naschy's major theme: humanity is no better, perhaps worse, than the other animals. They are pigs indeed. It is difficult to evoke a picture of humanity with any dignity or redemptive qualities once you have seen this superb scene of society's 'elite' eating, speaking, and fighting exactly as what they are. And it remains these two images -- pigs and people -- that summarize the movie. An empathetically acted and carefully directed picture, the end may be a let down in terms of plot development (more akin to an EC comic than Naschy at his best), but even that bit of miscalculation can't diminishes its power. A horrific hybrid of the crime thriller and psycho-tragedy, Beasts also evokes a delicious gothic atmosphere, with the rolling hallways and labyrinthine corridors of the mansion a perfect symbol of Naschy's troubled mind (as well as indicative of the demented family he's fallen in with). The Gialli is also often referenced as we get a faceless killer stalking victims and intense, inspired violence. Fresh and cynical as hell, this is a worthwhile addition to the horror DVD shelf, satisfying as pure entertainment and as a stepping stone in Naschy's evolvement.

Human Beasts looks splendid, especially considering the rough shape and cut scenes that have disgraced grey market VHS and foreign label versions. Re-mastered in high definition from the original negative, the film is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1), unrated, with the juicer scenes intact. Colors are fresh and vibrant, and blacks solid. Skin tones are realistic, and no grain or significant picture flaws disrupts you viewing pleasure. Audio is in Spanish with optional English subtitles that are well written and nicely capture the natural sounding dialogue. Sound levels are well balanced.

Extras for this disc would be reason alone to merit a purchase. An embarrassing wealth of context defining supplements enrich this DVD, including a splendid Theatrical Trailer and Photo Gallery, with several rare stills, ads, and photographs. The Introduction by Paul Naschy is a bit of a spoiler but fun, with the star displaying that evocative mix of self mockery and dignity, seriousness and humour, that very few thespians can achieve. Mirek Lipinski provides carefully researched and well written Liner Notes that detail the mind frame of Naschy at the time, his personal life, and the particulars of making the film. The most significant extra is the expressionistic The Vampyre, a short film directed by Alejandro Balesteros and Antonio Curado. Based on the short story by Dr. John Paledori, written during that famous ghost story contest that also resulted in Shelly's Frankenstein. This short film captures the menacing evil atmosphere of the written text without any of the ponderousness of the original text. Cutting to the lean, this adaptation restructures the original story by telling only key scenes, establishing character and theme through well placed moments of tension. Aubrey, a young lad from a good family, becomes infatuated with Lord Ruthaven, and follows him across the European countryside as he seduces, ruins, and -- to Aubrey's astonishment -- kills attractive young women. When the vampire finally dies, Aubrey finds love himself, only to have the resurrected monster take her as well. When Aubrey returns to his home to find Ruthaven seducing his beloved sister, he goes mad. The story, if uneven and filled with unexplainable coincidences, is beautifully photographed, capturing lurking shadows, raw sexuality, and the fascination with evil that the original story emphasized with less class or effectiveness. All in all, this is a gorgeous package sure to drive Naschy-philes wild with delight.

Review by William P. Simmons