Plot: What’s it about?
Giorgio Mainardi (Duilio Del Prete) was a rich businessman with a large family, but he has passed on and left all his wealth behind. But his death is shadowed in suspicion, as Giorgio died of an internal hemorrhage and of course, some people stand to make a lot of cash thanks to his last will & testament. He was not a well liked man and most of those who knew him are not sad to see him gone, but his daughter Rosy (Karina Huff) misses him to no end. She and her father haven’t been as close as they used to be, but she misses him and as she is kind & innocent, he chooses her as his vessel in the realm of the living. You see, Giorgio might be dead and all, but his spirit is convinced his death was no accident and as such, he haunts his daughter and prods her to look into the issues, to uncover the truth. A lot of people wanted Giorgio out of the picture and many people gained a lot by his death, so it won’t be easy to unravel the mysteries. As she delves deeper into the death, she soon finds her own life in danger at times, but can she track down evidence, piece the clues together, and escape with her life?
ááááááááAs much as I would like to say that Voices from Beyond is a great movie, it simply isn’t the truth and I doubt many would argue that it deserves to be known as one. It has some moments and is well worth a look, but I think horror movie buffs and fans of Lucio Fulci will be let down here, if just because this isn’t up to his usual standards. The suspense is present and the atmosphere is in full effect, but this is more of a murder mystery, as opposed to a supernatural bloodbath, though some supernatural connections are included. Fulci loads up on visual impact, with countless memorable scenes and compositions, but they never weave together enough, at least not in my opinion. In addition, Fulci’s trademark gore is quite minimal here and while it is seen in a few instances, don’t expect a blood soaked epic with Voices from Beyond. But the film is by no means a total loss, as it features some terrific cinematography & visuals, ample atmosphere, nice plot movement, and of course, Fulci’s masterful direction. If you’re a fan of his work or just want to see a decent supernatural murder mystery, then give this one a shot.
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áI have said it before countless times, but for the sake of this review, I’ll repeat that I am a total fanboy when it comes to director Lucio Fulci. I have enjoyed most of his films and while most have been horror, I’ve also liked his westerns and more traditional thrillers. While Voices from Beyond has a supernatural twinge and some horror elements, it often plays like a more traditional suspense movie. I don’t think this is bad per se, but since most newcomers will likely expect a horror themed picture, this could taint their experience with the movie. Fulci’s direction is on the mark however, with memorable visuals and great atmosphere, all enhanced by a wonderful musical score that drives it all home. This is not even close to his finest work, but fans should find enough positives to add this to their collections, I think. Other films directed by Fulci include The Beyond, Zombie, Aenigma, Slashdance, The New York Ripper, and Manhattan Baby. á
Video: How does it look?
Voices from Beyond is presented in a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This visual effort has some flaws, but turns out to be much better than expected. As this was a low budget project, it shows some grain and softness, but not too much and in some scenes, the print looks very clean. Of course, some scenes look better than others, but on the whole, the material looks as good as can be expected. The colors look natural and don’t falter much, while contrast is stark and well balanced, though a little light at times. All in all, a solid looking visual transfer that should please fans, without a doubt.
Audio: How does it sound?
Not a lot to report on here, as the included mono option is adequate, but offers little reason to praise the mix. The dialogue is clean enough, though the methods used to render it cause some slight synch errors, though that is unavoidable in this case. The sound effects and music also come through well, with as much punch as mono allows, which isn’t too much. So the audio here is more than decent, but the mono format and budget of the picture never allow it to soar, which isn’t too big of a deal here.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains no bonus materials.
