Baba Yaga

Director - Corrado Farina (They Have Changed Their Face, Fumettophobia)

Starring - Carroll Baker (Baby Doll, Kindergarten Cop), George Eastman (Antropophagus, Erotic Nights of the Living Dead), and Isabelle De Funes (Pont Dormant, Esprits de Famille)

Release Date - 1973

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The psychedelic shocker based on the erotic comics of Guido Crepax"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (Out of 5):

     I was really looking forward to this set when I received it for review.  Not only was Terror-Creatures from the Grave a movie, at the time, I had always wanted to watch but never had the chance but because it featured the 1973 film Baba Yaga.  Baba Yaga is one that I had seen pop up in so many horror groups and message boards but I never had the chance to check it out.  This just happened to be the last film in the set and I had high hopes that I would be ending it with a bang.  

     The film follows a photographer who is almost hit by a car driven by a strange woman named Baba Yaga.  She soon finds herself in the middle of strange occurrences.  Her camera seems to be cursed anytime she tries to take pictures of a living subject, a weird doll given to her by Baba Yaga is doing strange things, and everyone around her seems to be pushed further and further away.  She starts to suspect that Baba is a witch and is using her powers to alienate the young photographer so she can seduce or possess her.

     I went into this one only knowing that it starred Carroll Baker and had very little to do with the Baba Yaga folklore.  With that being said, this slow burn film didn't really give me that Italian gothic vibe nor did it feel like I was watching a horror title.  I seriously wanted to like it but this was one that had me absolutely bored to tears.  The acting in this one is great even from a cheesy mid-70s campy aspect.  The entire cast, aside from Baker, delivers what I would consider a reasonably grounded performance that works very well for a more modern horror title.  With that being said, Baker is extremely theatrical in her performance and stands out in every scene she is in.  I loved her performance but I feel that she was underutilized.  The story for this one is not enough to hold the viewer's attention over the full runtime of the film.  A photographer finding the most important aspect of her job becoming cursed and her entire life being pushed away as a witch forces her way into her life is a pretty solid story but the way it was shot leaves a lot of room for pointless scenes and a lot of dull dialogue.  This is one of those films that I find myself watching the clock more than I do the film.  We don't have enough going on to hold your attention.  Finally, if you want a bloody flick then you will be disappointed.  The movie is character driven instead of blood, gore, and atmosphere.  Overall, Baba Yaga is nothing like I expected.  It feels more like a supernatural drama rather than a horror tale.  I seriously wanted to like this one but it bored me to tears.  Skip it.