The Beyond

Another gore masterpiece from Italian horror director Lucio Fulci! In 1983, Fulci returned to the silver screen with a familiar formula of horror. Released in a slightly tamer version in U.S. under the title “Seven Doors of Death”, “The Beyond ” is the unedited version complete with everything a horror fan could want. With a largely incoherent plot, true fans of horror and of Fulci specifically, will bare the terrible acting to see this splatter-fest! According to Fulci himself, “This is a plot less film, with no logic to it, just a succession of images".

The story begins in 1927 with a warlock trying to stop a curse on a small Louisiana town. The locals don’t buy it and assault him. During his lynching, he warns he's the only person keeping the town from falling under the curse. He is brutally crucified and buried in the cellar of an old hotel. Here is a great way to introduce Fulci's style, you just gotta have a crucifiction to start things off right!

Forward to 1981, where a young woman inherits the hotel along with some strange happenings. Somewhere along the way one of the lead characters discovers an ancient Book of Eibon and a hint of the truth is revealed “Woe be unto him who opens one of the seven gateways to hell, because through the gateway, evil will invade the world.” Add in a blind visionary, a creepy hotel handyman, some befuddled cops, and a plucky pair of heroes desperately fleeing the horde of hungry undead and Voila!!! The madness ensues. Again, this is not a movie to be nominated for academy awards in acting, but Fulci does not disappoint with oozing blood and pus, in this 90-minute tale of zombies from hell invading Earth.

Fulci does a masterful job of extending some of the most basic scenes to get some chilling suspense, shocking cut scenes and eruptions of grotesque violence. You will see eyes gouged out, fantastic zombies by the hospital full, bodies slowly eaten away by acid, and even vicious flesh eating spiders ! There is even a great head explosion that is surely a badge of honor for Fulci fans everywhere. Fabio Frizzi is part of the Fulci formula that works so well in this cult classic. He continues his awesome musical techniques as he did in the score for “Zombie” this time adding in some painfully eerie piano chords. This music is so bad, I had to get the soundtrack!! Giannetto De Rossi (who also worked on “Zombie”) returns to make the special effects of Fulci’s dreams come to vivid reality on screen once more.

This is not a movie for the average peruser of horror. Although there is actually a plot, it is not well developed and not engaging enough to truly fill the space between gore scenes. As a horror fan, the biggest complaint that I can make about what Fulci presents in “The Beyond” is it does not have a sequel!!

• Today's Cure song is Jumping Someone Else's Train from the Boys Don't Cry CD -(1979) This is the first song from their first CD released in the U.S. A rhythmic tune that clacks along sounding like just like a train. It is about people who join fads and have to be in the latest style even if they have no originality for themselves.
  

"If you pick up on it quick
You can say you were there
Again and again and again
You're jumping someone else's train"

CJ