Horror-A-Day: Devil's Kiss

As October temperatures begin to finally settle in and colored leaves are starting to dot the trees, I am keeping up my movie diet. A steady stream of old school horror and exploitation titles is flowing out of my Netflix queue, for better or worse. Fortunately it is usually for the better. Still, even when the ones that are bad still add something to the tapestry of my movie watching experience. Unfortunately, this latest movie is not one I think I will feel the need to revisit. It has is moments, but overall, you would not be missing much.



The movie is a 1976 Spanish production from writer/director Jordi Gigo called Devil's Kiss. It is a goofy exploitation/supernatural horror movie that just goes along its merry way without really thinking about story or character and when the ending arrives, you are left scratching your head about what just happened and why.

Devil's Kiss stars Silvia Solar as Claire Grandier, a psychic. Her and her friend and professor of telekinetics, Professor Gruber (Oliver Matthau), get themselves invited to a arty being thrown by the Duke de Haussemont (Jose Nieto). It is important hat they be there, as Claire blames the Duke for the death of her husband and has plans for revenge.

What the plans are are never quite clear, and I kept wondering why the Duke did not recognize her. Granted, no ones relationships are ever quite clear. Now, after getting into the Duke's place they, for some reason, are invited to stay. They do and they use the basement to conduct occult experiments. I guess this was their plan all along.

The odd couple of psychic and telekinetic professor dig up a body and reanimate him as a blue skinned zombie. The lank eyed zombie wanders around the place strangling people. Until the end comes and, well, the zombie gets shot by police ad the credits roll. Sure, she gets her revenge, but at what cost? The movie doesn't go anywhere.

Devil's Kiss has some sleazy moments, such as the sex scenes that involve an inordinate amount of licking. There is also the inexplicable fashion show with the models in body suits shimmying to 70's beats. I don't know, save for a couple of odd moments like that, there is not a whole lot to get into.

There are plenty of weird elements and a sort of anything goes sort of feel, but nothing lands. It isn't quite sleazy enough, the zombie isn't scary enough, the end game and relationships are not well defined, and the list goes on. Fortunately, there is always another, better movie waiting around the corner.

Not Recommended.