The Fear

Director - Kostas Manoussakis (Prodosia, Love in the Sand Dunes)

Starring - Elli Fotiou (One-Penny Youth, The Seventh Day of Creation), Anestis Vlahos (Raw Trip, Death Steps in the Dark), and Spyros Fokas (Rambo III, The Serpent of Death)

Release Date - 1966

Genre - Crime/Drama

Tagline - "For the most mature of audiences - the most realistic of motion pictures"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     My annual October horror binge is in full swing. I typically try to watch at least one movie a day throughout the year but during October I try to at least double or triple those numbers with all horror titles. While most of the year is horror mixed with sci-fi and exploitation, my October watches are always horror unless they are Halloween centered. While I was planning my month long list of films to watch I tossed in the 1966 Greek film The Fear that was recently released on blu by Mondo Macabro. The title, along with the quote at the top of the release, painted the film as a horror release. After I finished the first season of The Last of Us and an indie short I decided it was time to toss this one in. I want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending it over. 

      The film follows the beautiful Anna who is returning home from Athens. The picturesque countryside that she left is not longer visible. In it’s place is a bleak and bitter place with everyone in low spirits. Her parents are drifting apart and no longer in love. Her half brother is extremely angry and hostile towards everyone. When a friend goes missing she suspects that her brother is the one responsible. As she starts to look into her disappearance she becomes worried that her brother is on to her which makes her fear for her life. She turns to an older man in the village for protection and eventually the two fall in love. 

      I went into this one thinking it was going to be a wild 1960’s horror film. Instead, I was given a beautifully shot drama that may have a little touch of suspense but not enough to truly stand out. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed The Fear but it was not a title I was wanting to watch and review during my October horror binge. The title and quote used on the blu release was very misleading. The acting in this one was very well done. The characters have a lot of personality and they are very bold with their emotions. I loved their mannerisms, expressions, and how they hold themselves in front of the camera. When you mix that with the characters and the dialogue you get some great performances from the entire cast. The story for this one is actually a beautifully put together and shot drama that does a great job at holding your attention. The film doesn’t really have an overarching story but more like a series of events and we watch as it unfolds. Honestly, I didn’t mind it and I could see myself revisiting it if I was looking for something out of the horror genre. It has great pacing blended with beautiful shots of the countryside which gives the viewer a lot to enjoy. Finally, this is not a bloody flick so those of you looking for something with a body count will be very disappointed. Instead, the film’s focus is on the protagonist and how life has changed so much for her family while she was away and how she handles these changes. Overall, The Fear was not what I was expecting but I can see why the title is fitting. It’s an enjoyable family drama with some of the best cinematography I’ve seen. I highly recommend this release from Mondo Macabro.