Notable Cast:
Franco Nero, Gioia Pascal, Erika Blanc, Olga Solbelli, Marina Morgan, Gara
Granda, Richard Hillock, Luciano Foti
Arrow Video has delivered another one of those classic
box sets they are known for unleashing with their latest: Gothic Fantastico:
Four Italian Tales of Terror. Pulling together four films under a common
thematic and stylistic aspect, this set contains some 1960s cult cinema finds
with brand new 2K restorations, gorgeous packaging, and enough new
commentaries, essays, and interviews to impress any movie collector.
When Franco Nero’s name pops up at the beginning of a film,
it’s hard not to get somewhat excited. Not that he’s always great (or is always
cast in great movies), but he easily brings a kind of pop that can sway the
tides of a film toward the positive.
Yet, despite the relatively strong word of mouth online in
places like Letterboxd, The Third Eye is a substantially mixed
experience - even within the films contained in this Gothic Fantastico
box set. The first act is cheesy melodrama through and through and while the
film does strengthen as it goes, it’s a film that needs a lot of forgiveness to
buy into its style and story. For those willing to give in to its over-the-top
elements, it’s a decent killer thriller with a third act that helps punch
through some of its more mundane scripting aspects.