Deadly Manor (1990)

My personal motivation to watch "Deadly Manor" sooner or later (although now I wish it had been much, much later) solely was because the guy in the director's chair was the Spanish-born José Ramón Larraz. Larraz made some really brilliant and atmospheric Gothic horror flicks back in the 70's (like "Vampyras" and "Symptoms") and even the partly American- produced horror junk he forged during the 80's (like "Edge of the Axe" and "Rest in Pieces") rank very high on my list of guilty pleasures. "Deadly Manor" was Larraz' last horror accomplishment, but perhaps he should have retired just one film earlier. It's an extremely mundane and painfully boring cinematic ordeal. Apart from an already dead body during the opening credits, absolutely nothing happens throughout more than an hour of running time! Moreover, the screenplay never at one point indicates where it might be heading towards. The film naturally takes place in a large ominous manor, but there's nothing even remotely suggesting that either the place is haunted or that there's a maniacal killing prowling around the estate, or anything. All we know is that there's a wrecked old-timer car in the garden and that the suspicious hitch-hiker is on the lam for the police. The six teenagers spending the night at the mansion (because it was too late at night and they couldn't find their camping site) are literally waiting to get massacred in patience. I only watched this movie yesterday and already I can't recall any of the death sequences, so that can only mean they weren't memorable and definitely not gory. One thing I do vividly remember is that "Deadly Manor" does not contain any gratuitous sleaze or sickly undertones. Only boredom, boredom, boredom… The end-twist, as in: the clarification of the manor's history; is reasonably original and effective, but it comes far too late. The last ten minutes form a worthwhile swan song to Larraz' career, but we best not mention the first eighty ever again.

There is no lust of savage proportions on display here! Six couples and a hitchhiker seek refuge in a creepy old house because, well, they just don't feel like driving for two more hours. Obviously, since it is a creepy old house, there are lots of bizarre things like a room plastered with photos of a beautiful young girl and a shrine complete with smashed up Oldsmoblie (!) in the front yard. Of course, one by one our hapless teens get killed. Filmed in upstate New York, this Jose Ramon Larraz slasher flick is another bust. The film takes an hour to get the killing going with loads of boring talk. The only surprise is who ends up being "The Final Girl" because she is the actress shown the least. Well, that and the deformed killer actually getting arrested instead of blown away by the cops. Take that homicidal maniac!

"Deadly Manor" is a strange slasher flick directed by Larraz. Other Larraz films I've seen took place either in England or in Spain ("Deviation", "Vampyres" "The coming of sin" and "Black candles") and featured sophisticated and ambiguous characters, but "Deadly Manor" was filmed in the USA and its characters are a bunch of stereotyped American teenagers.The story runs like this: A group of teenagers are heading for a place situated by a lake with a strange name, but they don't know its exact location. On their way they pick up a hitcher that seems to know the area. But the lake they are going to is still hours away and they take refuge in a seemingly abandoned old mansion.This mansion has something sinister - by dusk it looms there menacingly. They decide to remain there for the night. And then....I think that "Deadly Manor" was made with an eye for the American market, but it still has that distinctive Larraz touch - It has that zen feel that pervades all his films. The sex has been toned down and there's not much gore to speak of, and the film may feel kind of slow for the usual slasher film fans, but the strange atmosphere, the beautiful and minimalistic soundtrack, may turn some of them on.Those that like Larraz films should give this one a try. Even if the characters may seem shallow when compared to those of his other films, "Deadly Manor" is still interesting if you like films for their atmosphere.

Contains Spoiler I took a chance on this one and bought it anyway. It turned out to be really quite good, despite the plot being old and predictable and some of the acting just a bit dodgy.There are some quite nice touches:the smashed up car as a memorial, naked pictures of Jennifer Delora all over the house (and well worth seeing!), the hitch hiker who turns out to be a red herring.Also your stock 'stupid teenagers' who aren't at all put off spending the night in this 'abandoned ' house (with no broken windows) by coffins in the cellar, bottled scalps in the cupboard, yesterday's paper in a chair and lights left burning.Nevertheless quite an entertaining, cheap film and far better than many that cost much more to make. Worth a look.