Starring - Andre Stryi (Beyond the Limits, Black Past), Christopher Stacey (Legion of the Dead), and Ella Wellmann
Release Date - 1997
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
When horror fans mention splatter films I immediately think of German filmmaker Olaf Ittenbach. Ittenbach has built a career around delivering some of the bloodiest and goriest horror films to genre fans since the late 80s. When he's not directing he's working on practical effects for bigger budget filmns. He's dedicated his life to bring gore to horror fans and his films always deliver in that aspect. A few months ago Unearthed Films announced the release of Ittenbach's 1997 splatter masterpiece Premutos: The Fallen Angel on blu. I had never seen this one so I reached out to my friends over at MVD and they were kind enough to send over a copy for me to review. I want to thank MVD and Unearthed for always supporting Horror Society and myself!
The film follows a young man who has "visions" of living through different centuries until he discovers that he is the son of Premutos, the first fallen angel. Through the centuries he was apart of vicious and bloody violence that all stems from his father. After his flashbacks he finds himself in modern times attending a party when zombies attack.
I get a lot of movies in for review and most of them are movies I had never seen before. With that being said, it's rare that I get one that makes me say "what the fuck" a loud. Premutos: The Fallen Angel is one of those films. This may be Ittenbach's goriest film but the story is so chaotic and difficult to follow. If the story was a little more uniform it would have been an unforgettable film. It's still an enjoyable film with some unforgettable death scenes but the difficult story prevents it from being the horror film to end all horror films. The acting in this one is extremely stiff and awkward but the cast dives head first into their roles. The characters a basic, one dimensional, but their dedication to their roles is unquestionable. If the writing in this one was a little more in depth and some attention spent on the characters then the cast would have had more to work with. Most of the cast is fairly inexperienced but they have heart. The story for this one has the potential to be the most epic horror movie to ever be filmed. However, the bouncing back and forth between flashbacks and modern day makes it extremely difficult to follow. Have the story a little more linear would have made it so much more enjoyable especially when you consider how much time the viewer spends watching the great gore. I know how focused on gore Ittenbach is but if he was a little more conscience of the story he would have created something truly unforgettable. Finally, this is the film if you want to see blood and unforgettable gore. Almost each and every scene is overflowing with some of the wildest practical effects I have ever seen. A handful of the deaths are a little dull but the remainder, dozens and dozens, of deaths are extremely imaginative and fucking fantastic to watch. Overall, Premutos: The Fallen Angel is an experience more than it is a movie. The gore is fucking fantastic but the story needs some work. Regardless, I still recommend this wild ride and the blu from Unearth is a nice addition to any collector's collection.
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