manhattan baby

Produced just as the exploitation market was winding down, Manhattan Baby (1982) also finds director Lucio Fulci at the tail end of his collaboration with writer / producer combo, Dardano Sacchetti and Fabrizio De Angelis, the same team was responsible for a string of gore-heavy Fulci classics like The Beyond and House by the Cemetery. But here the pendulum swings towards ancient mysticism and optical effects, bypassing the usual blood and guts in favor of exotic curses and Egyptian tombs. It might be a bit of an adjustment for Fulci's more rabid fans, but the execution still bears all the marks of his indelible cinematic signature.

Archeologist George Hacker (Christopher Connelly) and his family return from Egypt with a deadly curse in tow. George himself has been blinded by a sacred amulet - the very same one that has now taken possession of his daughter's soul - causing several deadly accidents to those who attempt to dispose of it. The victims are sent into parallel dimensions, which defy logic, but tantalize the occult community. Desperate to save their family, George and his wife allow a mysterious antiques dealer (Cosimo Cinieri) into their home who may or may not have their best interests in mind.

Like much Italian horror, Manhattan Baby isn't suited to a quick synopsis. The supernatural rules are extremely flexible, characterization is minimal and the plot segues from one illogical dream state to another. All in the best possible way, of course! Fulci's eye for composition is firmly in place, especially in the opening scenes set against some stunning Egyptian ruins. And the pulsing score by Fabio Frizzi repeats an obscenely catchy theme that enhances everything on screen.

But Manhattan Baby feels unsure of itself, twisting in a breeze of classic and current horror references (The Exorcist and Poltergeist are two of the most obvious) while failing to deliver the gory goods Fulci aficionados have come to expect until the overstuffed finale. The film's best moments are its most subtle like the carpet of sand left behind after one well-intentioned character's inter-dimensional journey. In their attempt to evolve past their Gothic tendencies, Fulci and company wound up staring at a metaphysical cul-de-sac.

Still, viewing the film is the equivalent of horror-fan comfort food thanks to the director's familiar visual style and Frizzi's equally familiar score, parts of which popped up in other Fulci films. And looking for an upgrade from the old 2001 DVD will have their minds properly blown by Blue Underground's 3-disc limited edition which includes a new 2K hi-def transfer, DVD copy and original motion picture soundtrack CD!

The transfer is a pristine as soft, Italian photography can get (which is wonderful, besides a few distracting hairs in the camera gate), and buoyed by some blistering use of color and a 5.1 DTS score. Extras include a previous interview with Dardano Sacchetti and a whole new slate of special features, including more sit-downs with co-star Cosimo Cinieri, make-up effects artist Maurizio Trani, and film historian Stephen Thrower. But the bulk of the attention goes to composer Fabio Frizzi, who takes part in a one-hour documentary about his career as well as a live studio performance of the Manhattan Baby Suite. Trailers, stills and a great set of liner notes from Troy Howarth make this one a comprehensive shelf-filler...even if it's not likely to come down too often afterwards.