malabimba

THE FLICKS: One of the few downsides of watching movies in the digital age is the absence of that taboo-busting sense of “naughtiness” that came with popping in a VHS tape of questionable artistic value. Housed in oversized boxes with lurid or lascivious cover art, these video nasties stood sentinel amongst a sea of more legitimate releases. No one seemed to rent them – at least in the light of day - but the torn and tattered packaging suggested otherwise. And the tag lines seemed to suggest that if one only had the courage to carry one of these titles to the front counter, take it home and watch the contents under the dim half-light of a 25-inch wood-paneled Zenith you’re life would never be the same again. Of course, it was all a tease. Most of those films were atrociously dubbed, ineptly produced overseas exploitation quickies...about 75-percent of which were made by Jess Franco. But the memory of that experience was enough to inspire several companies in the DVD era to specialize in recreating that down-and-dirty vibe. Blue Underground and Severin Films are two of the best in the game today, but even most of their releases promise far more than they ever deliver. All that changes with Malabimba, The Malacious Whore. Essentially a raunchy remake of The Exorcist without the pea-soup and special effects, this is a movie that just makes you feel dirty. Incest, sacrilege and sexual abuse of stuffed animals are the highlights in director Andrea Bianchi’s tale of a young woman possessed by the spirit of a degenerate distant relative who uses her new body to provoke family discord. From French-kissing her father to performing fellatio on her elderly quadriplegic uncle, ‘Bimba leaves a path of unholy pleasure in her wake. Like his equally amusing Strip Nude for Your Killer, Bianchi doesn’t waste time on dialogue. If his characters have to talk, they’re most likely in some state of undress while doing so. Malabimba is like watching most other EuroSleaze films on fast-forward, it’s nothing but good parts; and quite well-made to boot, sporting a very classy shooting-style and better-than-average acting by all involved. From the Evil Dead camera POV shots to the sexy basement striptease, ‘Bimba is all the more shocking because it was made by people who knew what they were doing...and probably should have known better! But their moral failings are the world’s gain, gracing us the first true “video nasty” experience of the digital age courtesy of Severin Films, who are also releasing the film’s unofficial sequel, Satan’s Baby Doll on the same day and date. Much more impressively titled by not a fraction as effective, this Mario Bianchi version is of the same story is so poorly executed one is better off ogling the imaginative cover art for 73-minutes, the films brief but agonizing running time. THE FEATURES: Malabimba in presented in its theatrical form and the Integral Version, with several deleted scenes cut back into the film. This recovered footage is about the same quality as the Zapruder film – scratched, speckled and spit on – but only serves to make the original stuff look even better. And at least Severin made the effort. Malimba Uncovered features interviews with actress Mariangela Giordano (the film’s “naughty nun”) and cinematographer Franco Villa, who provides some great background on the hardcore inserts shot without the filmmaker’s knowledge, a common practice in ‘70s Italy. This is the X-rated version of the film, by the way, so be prepared! Satan’s Baby Doll includes its own 20-minute conversation with director Mario Bianchi who still finds the film “pretty hot.” If you say so, Mario. Both films are presented in their original widescreen aspect ratios and sport their theatrical trailers.