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Friday, October 27, 2006

5. DEMENTIA

5. DEMENTIA
(1955)
Directed by John Parker

The 1950's, a decade where a long list of cool exploits and advances rumbled this square planet, was a period that was surprisingly lean on truly great horror flicks. Sure, there was no shortage of creature features and B-movie lunacies to be had at the local drive-in that undeniably have their charms, but seriously troubling and inventive flicks were hard to find. Here's one worth digging up. Singular, shadowy, unsettling, bizarre- "Dementia" is a surreal low budget bit of genius that unfolds on a hallucinatory noir dreamscape complete with deserted late night city streets of blowing trash, a graveyard and a smoky bohemian jazz club. The movie follows a troubled young woman as she wanders a weird night filled with madness, blood and ghosts. It's safe to say that there is no other movie quite like this one. Originally shot in 1953 it's easy to see why this little slice of black and white nightmare had distribution problems what with it's unrelenting mood of revulsion and sexual menace, not to mention one memorably manic dismemberment scene. "Dementia" was re-released as "Daughter of Horror" with an oddball voiceover but watching the "silent" version is recommended. We are very lucky that this morbid little pearl has survived and is still available. Get decked out in black, indulge in your choice of poison and get looped by this weirdness. Crazy, man, crazy.

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