Starring - Renaud Verley (Summer of Love, The Suspects), Viveca Lindfors (Stargate, Creepshow), and Alfred Mayo (The Hunt, Voodoo Black Exorcists)
Release Date - 1973
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Who will escape the terror?"
Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
I grew up on on 80s and 90s horror and felt that films from these two decades were superior to all others. However, that has started to change in recent years after watching and reviewing several horror titles from the 70s. I've always liked the 70s Hammer horror releases but it wasn't until I started reviewing some of these gothic horror titles from boutique labels like Vinegar Syndrome and Severin that I truly appreciated these genre films from that decade. Some of my favorite films in recent years are from the 70s and I'm damn sure I will find more! A few weeks ago my friends over at Severin Films sent me the Exorcismo set featuring several films from the 70s and early 80s Spain for review. The set starts with two documentaries before getting to the 1973 horror title Bell from Hell.
The film follows a young man who is released from an asylum. He was falsely put there by so she could have control of his family's wealth. Now, he is a free and immediately uses his time to deflower his female cousins before turning his sights on his disabled aunt.
I went into Bell from Hell like I will most of the films in this set and that is completely blind. I know absolutely nothing about these films aside from what little bit of information can be obtained from the releases' box art. I'm glad I went into this one blind because the story is paper thin while still delivering some great atmosphere. Honestly, while the story is predictable, the atmosphere and locations made the film worth it in my opinion. The acting in this not the best I've seen but it's far from the worst. What we have is inconsistent acting from scene to scene. I don't know the story behind the film but it's almost as if the actors didn't care of the direction was more laid back during some of these scenes. As I Said, it's not bad but the cast just doesn't seem to care in some of the scenes. The story for this one is very reminiscent of the gothic horror tales from the 60s. We follow a wealthy individual who has a "loved" one conspire against them because their is a large fortune involved. I've seen a few films with similar stories and I'm almost certain two of them starred Barbara Steele in on both sides of the ruse. It's not that original but it does come with a Tales from the Crypt style twist ending that I really enjoyed. Finally, it's not a gruesome or gory flick. However, it has some great tension and atmosphere that has made me really appreciate these horror tales from the 70s. Their focus on on sets, locations, and tension really makes these films so enjoyable. Overall, Bell from Hell isn't a bloody genre title with amazing effects and memorable deaths. Instead, it's a rather slow burn that relies heavily on atmosphere and suspense to get to the viewer. It's another film worth your time from the Exorcismo set from Severin Films. Check it out.
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