This is one of those psychological chillers which gradually creeps up on you, starting off slowly and later turning into something very strong indeed. It's an ultra-rare obscurity which has one of the most sinister children ever to appear on film - forget those young uns from VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED, this kid is the real thing, the spawn of the devil. Or is he?
It's one of those films which doesn't feel the need to tie up loose ends - instead much is left unexplained and to your imagination. We never positively know whether the child is evil or not, only that he perhaps might be. The pacing is deceptively slow to begin with but soon builds up as more and more disturbing events begin to appear. And we've got it all in this film - voyeurism, incest - all involving the young 12 year old boy. This may sound a bit sick to you, but instead it's a decently handled film which uses the themes for the purposes of disturbing the viewer rather than disgusting him or her. In fact, there is no violence or nudity - instead, this is pure psychological horror, with little in the way of visual menace.
This film scores on many levels. Filmed in Spain, there is some lovely sun-drenched scenery to look at. The camera-work is involving and rarely are there any conventional shots - all scenes are shot to show the increasing madness of the situation. The acting is top notch - from Mark Lester, excelling in the pivotal role - to Britt Ekland, who is actually VERY good as the woman who may be discovering the truth or alternatively losing her mind. Harry Andrews also pops up in a commanding cameo while Hardy Kruger lends a masculine, powerful figure to the film.
This is somewhat unforgettable, dealing with adult themes which few others have dared to touch over the years. It breaks many boundaries and thereby becomes much more frightening than the conventional Hammer films of this period. It may be a little confusing towards the end, but it's a film that isn't afraid to take chances or underestimate the viewer and should be lauded for doing so. Once seen, always remembered.
It's one of those films which doesn't feel the need to tie up loose ends - instead much is left unexplained and to your imagination. We never positively know whether the child is evil or not, only that he perhaps might be. The pacing is deceptively slow to begin with but soon builds up as more and more disturbing events begin to appear. And we've got it all in this film - voyeurism, incest - all involving the young 12 year old boy. This may sound a bit sick to you, but instead it's a decently handled film which uses the themes for the purposes of disturbing the viewer rather than disgusting him or her. In fact, there is no violence or nudity - instead, this is pure psychological horror, with little in the way of visual menace.
This film scores on many levels. Filmed in Spain, there is some lovely sun-drenched scenery to look at. The camera-work is involving and rarely are there any conventional shots - all scenes are shot to show the increasing madness of the situation. The acting is top notch - from Mark Lester, excelling in the pivotal role - to Britt Ekland, who is actually VERY good as the woman who may be discovering the truth or alternatively losing her mind. Harry Andrews also pops up in a commanding cameo while Hardy Kruger lends a masculine, powerful figure to the film.
This is somewhat unforgettable, dealing with adult themes which few others have dared to touch over the years. It breaks many boundaries and thereby becomes much more frightening than the conventional Hammer films of this period. It may be a little confusing towards the end, but it's a film that isn't afraid to take chances or underestimate the viewer and should be lauded for doing so. Once seen, always remembered.