Malpertuis
1971 Directed by Harry Kümel
Synopsis
Malpertuis is the name of an old, rambling mansion which is in reality a labyrinth where characters from Greek mythology are imprisoned by the bedridden Cassavius (Welles). He manages to keep them (as well as his nephew and niece) prisoners even after his death, through a binding testament. As Jan, the nephew, (Carrière) unravels the mystery, he discovers that he cannot escape the house because Malpertuis is far more significant than he was led to believe.
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This is an odd one.
Directed by Harry Kumel (Daughters of Darkness), and based on the Jean Ray novel of the same name, this is billed as a horror but feels more like a twisted Rivette movie instead. The film stars Orson Welles as a strange dying patriarch who has an unknown power over his friends and servants that all despise him. As part of his will he demands everybody who wants a piece of his fortune must stay in his mansion (Malpertuis) until two are left and they will then marry. The set-up implies that this will lead to members of the household bumping each other off to claim the fortune but instead we get something far stranger. The…
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La primera vez que vi Malpertuis quedé completamente hipnotizado desde el primer plano sin saber a ciencia cierta qué demonios estaba viendo. Fue por casualidad que, haciendo zapping una aburrida tarde de sábado, pasara por el Canal 7 (sí, el de Frade) y me topara con esta extraña y cautivadora historia. Como ya estaba empezada y tenía la necesidad vital de ponerle nombre y apellidos, me mantuve atento hasta los créditos finales. Cuál fue mi sorpresa que al acabar la película pasaron directamente a emitir alguna bazofia producida por Jose Luis Moreno o similar. Por lo que me quedé sin saber el nombre del director o el año de producción. Así que apunté en mi cuaderno sobre películas la única información que pude sacar: Malpertuis, Orson Welles. Puedes leer la crítica al completo en el enlace que hay a continuación.
http://filmbunker.net/criticas/malpertuis
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This is an odd one.
Directed by Harry Kumel (Daughters of Darkness), and based on the Jean Ray novel of the same name, this is billed as a horror but feels more like a twisted Rivette movie instead. The film stars Orson Welles as a strange dying patriarch who has an unknown power over his friends and servants that all despise him. As part of his will he demands everybody who wants a piece of his fortune must stay in his mansion (Malpertuis) until two are left and they will then marry. The set-up implies that this will lead to members of the household bumping each other off to claim the fortune but instead we get something far stranger. The…