Kill Baby Kill (aka Operazione Paura)

MAY 2, 2007

GENRE: GHOST, ITALIAN
SOURCE: DVD (BORROWED)

Most of the Italian horror films I have seen are either zombie or giallo movies, so it was about goddamn time I took in something like Kill Baby Kill (in which no one kills a baby nor does a baby kill anyone). I was beginning to stereotype Italians as murder and cannibal obsessed psychotics, instead of pizza making mobsters.

Much like The Wolf Man, this is a film that has been so “homaged” over the years it held little excitement for me, since it felt like I had already seen it. But it’s still a very good film, and beautifully shot at that (save for the zoom shots – ugh). I would have liked to have seen the ghost girl at least assist with some of the murders, rather than stand in front of a window or whatever and just watch as the character on the receiving end of her wrath kills themselves solo. But you can’t always get what you want, and the ending sort of explains why the ghost wouldn’t do that (but come on, it’s an Italian film, I don’t want any of that goddamned “logic”).

Sadly the only audio track on the DVD is an English dub. Not that it’s a bad dub job, but I would like to have the option of hearing it in Italian. Instead, the only other option for audio is a commentary by Tim Lucas, who recites trivia and bios for everyone on screen and occasionally mentions behind the scenes type things (“this was shot in the same place as so and so”), though other times he realizes he’s not saying anything and just randomly inserts nonsense like “now they are locked inside”. If you wish to be a walking IMDb, this is a good track, otherwise it’s very boring (Lucas’ monotone voice doesn’t help – even when he is talking about what the film personally means to him he sounds like he’s reading cereal ingredients).

It's certainly better than the only other Mario Bava film I have seen: Diabolik. I know, it's a shame. Someone buy me the new Bava box set!

What say you?