I had high hopes for EUROPA REPORT after viewing the trailer. I thought it might be a successful mix of close to scientifically accurate sci-fi and fantastic horror unlike the ridiculous and silly film of several years ago APOLLO 18.
It’s
partly successful. The first 2/3’s, told
slightly out of chronological order, showing the space journey to Jupiter's moon Europa by a privately
funded expedition and the pitfalls they encounter on the way and their landing
on Europa are painstakingly crafted and very realistic. It did feel like the documentary it was pretending to be.
However,
after that they land, the film gradually switches gears into a found footage
horror film. This is where it breaks
down. The tense scenes showing a couple
of the astronauts stalked by a glowing something under the ice are well handled
but short.
It
all culminates in a disappointing ending in which extraterrestrial life is
revealed to be a tired, cheap cliché.
Too bad….I guess it was like APOLLO 18 after all.
THE
BUTTERFLY ROOM functions as a showcase for horror queen Barbara Steele. She dominates the film as the character and
as a vessel of horror movie acting gravitas.
But
there is more to this complex, intelligent tribute to 70’s pre- Giallo Euro
horror. It is full of unusual characters
(one-legged prostitute) and really creepy scenes. It’s not particularly gory but the violence
when it does happen (almost all of it perpetrated by Steele) is shocking and
savage.
There are
not a lot of surprises. It’s easy to
guess what’s going on and what’s going to happen but that is part of the
fun. Takes place in Los Angeles but
feels like a European film due to the atmosphere of decadence and cruelty.
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