DVD

Average customer rating:

Great horror anthology from Romero and Argento.
Two Evil Eyes
Romero fumbles, but Argento scores
Soooo worth it for the Argento part
"Life here has become ugly..."

Two Evil Eyes
Starring: Adrienne Barbeau , Ramy Zada , Bingo O'Malley , Jeff Howell , and E.G. Marshall
Director: Dario Argento , and George A. Romero
Manufacturer: Blue Underground
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

The Cat o' Nine Tails
The Stendhal Syndrome
Opera
Trauma
Inferno

ASIN: B00008WJD9
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Amazon.com

Legendary horror directors George Romero and Dario Argento team up to direct a pair of short films inspired by the writing of Edgar Allen Poe. In Romero's story, a woman (Adrienne Barbeau) and her lover hypnotize her ailing, older husband into signing over his riches. But when he dies while still under their command, his soul haunts them, seeking to be freed from their hypnotic spell. In Argento's tale, a crime-scene photographer (Harvey Keitel) kills his live-in girlfriend in a fit of jealous rage, but her black cat continues to torment him after her death. While Romero's piece toys with horror conventions and Argento's plays out in his typically elongated fashion, their dramatic story lines, unexpectedly gruesome imagery, and ironic endings shock some life into the movie. It is rumored that this was originally meant to be a quartet of horror tales with contributions from Wes Craven and John Carpenter, but at least we got these two. --Bryan Reesman

Description

The masters of modern horror - George Romero and Dario Argento - bring you an unprecedented pair of shockers inspired by the tales of Edgar Allan Poe.

In Romero's The Facts In The Case Of Mr. Valdemar, a conniving wife (Adrienne Barbeau of THE FOG) and her lover use a hypnotic trance to embezzle a fortune from her dying husband, only to receive some chilling surprises from beyond the grave. Then in Argento's The Black Cat, a deranged crime scene photographer (Harvey Keitel of RESERVOIR DOGS) is driven to brutal acts of madness and murder by his girlfriend's new pet. But will this cunning feline deliver a final sickening twist of its own?

Customer Reviews:

Great horror anthology from Romero and Argento........2007-03-20

A collection of two stories inspired by Edgar Allen Poe, the first tale "The Facts of the Case of Mr. Valamar" has a woman (Andrienne Barbabeu) who's married to an old rich man, she decides to take his money as her secret lover hypnotizes him then literally freeze him so they can kill him. They both hear his voice to find out that he's not all dead as later he returns from beyond the grave to seek revenge. Next is "The Black Cat" which tells the story of a crime scene photographer (Harvey Keitel) who's girlfriend brought a stray cat in that seems to drive him mad to the brink of insanity.

A winning horror anthology from George A. Romero and famed Italian horror master Dario Argento that delivers scares, splatter and thrills. Both stories have the macabre and dark feel of Edgar Allen Poe's works for Tom Savini's gruesome make-up effects really make the movie and there's amusing appearences by Tom Atkins and E.G. Marshall.

This 2-Disc DVD has great picture and sound quality with nifty extras like poster-and-still gallery, trailer, talent bios, interviews and featurettes.

Two Evil Eyes.......2007-01-15

This is an interesting adapation of two E.A. Poe short stories. The one chosen by Argento is the classic "The Black Cat". The one chosen by Romero is the lesser known "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar". In my opinion, Argento's part is the superior one, full of innovative and inventive camera shots and a good performance by Keitel. The Romero part of it is not bad, but not nearly the usual inspired and creative level of his work.

Romero fumbles, but Argento scores.......2006-08-28

Two Evil Eyes threatened to be another disappointment from Dario Argento, especially since the first half of this modernized Edgar Allen Poe double-header, The Facts in the Case of Mr Valdemar, directed by George A. Romero, felt like a competent but uninspired network TV compilation episode. So it's a real surprise just how much dark fun Argento has with The Black Cat, playfully riffing both on Poe's other short stories and classic movies (there's even a subtle Psycho moment where Martin Balsam's nosey neighbor finds himself at the foot of another staircase looking for another missing woman) as Harvey Keitel's crime photographer - first seen photographing the aftermath of a Pit and the Pendulum incident - finds his life going to Hell when he gets rid of the girlfriend's cat. It's not prime Argento, but compared to his stale going-through-the-motions later efforts like Phantom of the Opera, The Card Player and Phenomena, it'll remind you why you liked him in the first place.

Soooo worth it for the Argento part.......2006-03-29

Edgar Allen Poe stories modernized by George A. Romero and Dario Argento. Sounds like it can't miss, right?

The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar is George Romero's part. At only an hour the film somehow seems overlong. It looks like Romero's on a sedative here, the pacing is way too slow and in the end nothing much happens. There's one decent zombie scene near the end and the finale is quite horrific but I'm sure Mr. Romero could have spiced things up somewhat. It looks like his heart wasn't all together in this project.

Dario Argento's The Black Cat is way better than Romero's film. Loosely adapting Poe's original story and splicing in numerous references from other Poe stories, The Black Cat has moody and creepy atmosphere to spare along with some solid suspense. Harvey Keitel gives a good performance in the lead, Tom Savini serves up some great gore effects and Dario, fresh from his insane camera-acrobatics in 1987's ultra violent Opera, is in top form with some great stylistic touches left and right.

This Blue-Underground 2 Disc Special Edition is really the only way to go, some great extras included here. An interesting documentary with intetviews with both Argento and Romero and some very entertaining behind the scenes footage, along with Blue-Underground's usual high standard in terms of audio and visual quality.

In short; Two Evil Eyes is well worth purchasing; terrific Argento segment and good extras. What's not to like?

"Life here has become ugly...".......2006-02-06

So what happens when you draw two masters of cinematic horror together to each provide their own, particular take on a couple of Edgar Allen Poe stories? Two great tastes that taste great together? Not exactly...but it is kind of fun. Originally titled Due occhi diabolici (1990), and then later called Two Evil Eyes (1991) for the American release, is comprised of two hour long segments. The first, titled "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar", was adapted and directed by George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead, Martin), and features Adrienne Barbeau (Swamp Thing, Creepshow), Ramy Zada (After Midnight), Bingo O'Malley (Knightriders, Creepshow), and E.G. Marshall (12 Angry Men, Tora! Tora! Tora!). The second, titled "The Black Cat", adapted and directed by Dario `Visconti of Violence' Argento (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Suspiria), features Harvey Keitel (Reservoir Dogs, The Piano), Madeleine Potter (Slaves of New York), Sally Kirkland (Fatal Games), Martin Balsam (12 Angry Men, Psycho), and John Amos (The Beastmaster, Die Hard 2), probably best known to 1970s television fans as the no nonsense patriarchal figure James Evans, Sr. from the series "Good Times".

The movie starts with a short dedication to Poe, including a shot of his grave (or, at least a reasonable facsimile), just so we, the audience, are aware the material featured in this film was stolen...er, I mean, adapted from the works of Edgar Allen Poe. After this we kick into the tale titled "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar". Adrienne Barbeau plays Jessica Valdemar, an older, still highly attractive woman who is currently scheming with her sickly husband's physician, Dr. Robert Hoffman (Ramy), to bilk the her dying husband Ernest (O'Malley) out of as much money as they can, by using hypnosis to get him to sign important documents and such. Well, things go slightly awry after the old codger croaks sooner than expected, so the pair put him in cold storage, namely the freezer in the basement (who's up for some ice cream?) until they can see their plans all the way through. Only thing is, the geezer died while still under hypnosis...so what? Well, it also seems now, besides being a Popsicle, he's stuck between two worlds, that of the living and that of the dead. After Ernest starts vocalizing his predicament and freaking everyone out, Jessica decides to take matters into her own hands, which raises the question how can you kill what's already dead? The next story, titled "The Black Cat", features Harvey Keitel as Roderick Usher, a photographer who specializes in still life, often working with the local police documenting gristly crime scenes. Anyway, one day his live-in, witchy woman girlfriend Annabel, played by Potter, brings home a black cat. Well, turns out Roderick and the cat don't get along, as the cat has an unnerving habit of sitting and staring at Roderick. Soon the cat goes missing, Annabel is inconsolable, and Roderick is less than sympathetic. After a bizarre medieval dream sequence, one in which Roderick is punished with a sharpened pole inserted into a very uncomfortable place, the couple's relationship deteriorates quickly, not helped by Roderick's love for the drink, eventually leading to Annabel deciding to split...and split she does when Roderick comes home with a snootful and takes to her with a meat cleaver. After a bit of creative dry walling, Roderick conceals his crime, but the cat, which has since returned, sees all, and remembers even more...

Of the two tales featured here, I enjoyed Argento's more...both include better than expected production values, strong performers, and solid source material, but where Romero's piece seems a little tired and, well, trite, Argento's piece is a bit more substantial, flowing, and visually entertaining (not to mention visceral). I can't help but wonder if perhaps Ms. Barbeau taking one for the team by popping her top would have helped Romero's story...it couldn't have hurt...as far as the story itself, it's sort of similar to that segment titled "Something to Tide You Over", featuring Leslie Nielsen and Ted Danson, from the 1982 film Creepshow, as both included a re-animated corpse slumping around, seeking vengeance from those who wronging it prior to it becoming a corpse. The effects are excellent, but the adaptation lacks the punch I was expecting. There did seem a half-hearted effort to create something meaningful between the two main characters, specifically in terms of the pair seeing each other at their worst, and the subsequent effect this had on their relationship (murder's always been a turn off for me), but it never really developed into anything noteworthy. Seems like George had a couple of novel ideas, ones that he then filled in the rest of the story around. The bit at the end was definitely fresh, with the apparitions and the lighting, but not worth the price of admission. E.G. Marshall and Tom Atkins make limited appearances as a lawyer and a police detective, respectively. Argento's piece, on the other hand, comes across a bit stronger, despite the fact it includes an outlandish dream sequence, a tactic I generally despise, as it usually comes off as an effort to pad out the running time or introduce some crucial aspect to the story in a ridiculous manner. This one's set during medieval times, as we see a lot of people running around in ratty clothes, bad hair, and even worse teeth...oh, and look, there's a little person (is that the correct term nowadays? I'd say dwarf, but I need no blowback from the various midget/dwarf support organizations out there). Everyone knows a dream sequence just isn't a dream sequence without a little person, clad in strange garb, running around and cackling like a little a-hole...if you feel this way you should see the film Living in Oblivion (1995), but I digress...one of the reason's Argento's piece comes across as well as it does is because his eye towards hideous detail, his focus on vivid imagery, and his willingness to draw the audience's attention towards nasty, unpleasant things we might normally steer away from...overall the performances are solid, but I had a hard time swallowing Keitel's stereotypical beret wearing, pretentious, jazz listening, booze swilling, bohemian artist type character. The funniest bits for me were after the fact, as he tries to explain the subsequent absence of his girlfriend to the neighbors and her friends (apparently she was well-liked). Keitel's character was about the worst liar I've ever seen. The story flowed along nicely, and ended with a few, gruesome and welcomed twists.

The picture quality, presented in widescreen (1.85:1) anamorphic, on this Blue Underground DVD release, is very sharp, and the audio excellent. There are a few different audio tracks to choose from, including Dolby Digital Surround EX, 6.1 DTS - ES, and Dolby Digital Surround 2.0. As far as extras, it depends which version you purchase (there are two). If you buy the single disc version you'll get a theatrical trailer, a poster and still gallery, and biographies for the directors. If you get the double disc version, you'll get what I've already mentioned plus four featurettes. The first is titled `Two Masters' Eyes', and it's basically series of interviews strung together, lasting about a half hour, followed by a bit about Savini's effects (12 mins), At Home with Tom Savini (16 mins), and lastly Adrienne Barbeau talking about George Romero (5 mins). There's some interesting stuff in the two disc version, but not interesting enough for me to recommend to someone to pony up the extra cost over the single disc version...at the end of the day both versions feature the exact, same film.

Cookieman108

Average customer rating:

Great horror anthology from Romero and Argento.
Two Evil Eyes
Romero fumbles, but Argento scores
Soooo worth it for the Argento part
"Life here has become ugly..."

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Blue Underground | Cult Movies | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Cat o' Nine Tails
The Stendhal Syndrome
Opera
Trauma
Inferno

ASIN: B000A2V8T0
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Amazon.com

Description

A Double Dose of Terror from the Directors of DAWN OF THE DEAD and SUSPIRIA!

The masters of modern horror - George Romero and Dario Argento - bring you an unprecedented pair of shockers inspired by the tales of Edgar Allan Poe.

In Romero's "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar," a conniving wife (Adrienne Barbeau of THE FOG) and her lover use a hypnotic trance to embezzle a fortune from her dying husband, only to receive some chilling surprises from beyond the grave. Then in Argento's "The Black Cat," a deranged crime scene photographer (Harvey Keitel of RESERVOIR DOGS) is driven to brutal acts of madness and murder by his girlfriend's new pet. But will this cunning feline deliver a final sickening twist of its own?

Martin Balsam (PSYCHO) and Tom Atkins (MANIAC COP) co-star in this wild horror hit that also features grisly effects by gore master Tom Savini (DAWN OF THE DEAD, THE PROWLER). Blue Underground is proud to present TWO EVIL EYES newly transferred from an original vault negative and loaded with exclusive Extras.

Customer Reviews:

Great horror anthology from Romero and Argento........2007-03-20

Two Evil Eyes.......2007-01-15

Romero fumbles, but Argento scores.......2006-08-28

Soooo worth it for the Argento part.......2006-03-29

"Life here has become ugly...".......2006-02-06

Extreme Horror Two-fer - Dead & Buried / Two Evil Eyes

Average customer rating:

Two for the Price of One

Extreme Horror Two-fer - Dead & Buried / Two Evil Eyes
Starring: Extreme Horror
Manufacturer: Blue Underground
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Street Trash
The Larry Cohen Collection: Q-The Winged Serpent/God Told Me To/Bone
Fulci Lives Two Fer (Conquest / Contraband)
Demons
Django (2-Disc Limited Edition)

ASIN: B0009HMTUS
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Customer Reviews:

Two for the Price of One.......2007-01-18

I originally bought this because I was looking for "Two Evil Eyes" but figured I'd buy it this way since it's like getting "Dead & Buried" for free. As a Dario Argento fan I really was looking forward to Blue Underground's release of "Two Evil Eyes". I wasn't disappointed. Blue Underground has succeeded in putting out another great DVD set. I had never seen "Dead & Buried" before but i quite enjoyed it. It was deiniftely a nice bonus at no cost. I ended up enjoying "Dead & Buried" more than I did the release if "Two Evil Eyes". This set is definitely the way to go if you are looking for either one of these films.

Average customer rating:

Great horror anthology from Romero and Argento.
Two Evil Eyes
Romero fumbles, but Argento scores
Soooo worth it for the Argento part
"Life here has become ugly..."

Two Evil Eyes [Region 2]
Starring: Adrienne Barbeau , Ramy Zada , Bingo O'Malley , Jeff Howell , and E.G. Marshall
Director: Dario Argento , and George A. Romero
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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