In 1990 , George A. Romero and Dario Argento released Two Evil Eyes , an adaption of two Edgar Allan Poe stories . In the Graeco-Roman Poe custom , both tales are about people who do terrible matter , and brook hideous result . In the hands of two of repugnance ’s greatest film producer , they become downright terrific .
Unlike the previous Romero - Argento collaboration , Dawn of the Dead — which they co - wrote , but Romero helmed — Two vicious Eyes showcases both director . Romero accept on “ The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar , ” while Argento does “ The Black Cat . ” Both segments are limit in Romero ’s Pittsburgh stomping ground .
“ The Black Cat ” is spooky with a generous smear of sleaze — Harvey Keitel is dead cast as a tightly - lesion offence - tantrum photographer with a cruel mean streak . The type also materialise to be a rotten drunk , who soon realise that kill his girlfriend ’s newly - take in pet cat was a grave mistake . set the snapshot he took of the cat while he was murdering it on the cover of his photograph assembling ? Also not the good move ever , and it comes back to bite him in more ways than one .
The themes of guilt feelings and being haunted by one ’s vicious deeds are true to the Poe chronicle , and Argento — who also incorporate copious nods to Poe ’s other whole works ; for illustration , Keitel ’s reference is name “ Rod Usher , ” and his lady friend is “ Annabel”—brings his visual panache and signature weirdness to the film ’s odder details . The best example is in all probability when Rod has a booze - fueled pyrexia dreaming about being single out for punishment at a pagan rite ; it ’s as nigh as we ’ll ever get to Argento directing The Wicker Man , and it is nuts .
Tom Savini — who did such memorable limited effects make - up work on Dawn of the Dead , among many other revulsion classics — does the gore honors for Two Evil Eyes , too , and gets a freaky cameo in “ The Black Cat ” as a killer who rip out his victim ’s tooth .
In Romero ’s “ Valdemar , ” Adrienne Barbeau ( one of several Creepshow cast members to riposte to the Romero fold ) plays Jessica , a trophy wife whose scurrilous , much - old husband has been frustratingly reluctant to sign over his fortune . With help from her former buff , who also happens to be her husband ’s doctor , the go man is mesmerize into submission .
The design becomes very complicated very fast — the old fart kicks it while he ’s in a trance , and though his body is lifeless , his consciousness is fully up to of shrieking and groaning and making friends with other restless individual who have n’t quite made it through purgatory and into the afterlife .
Jessica ’s guilt trip — she ’s already been having 2nd thoughts about the whole involvement — soon evaporates , in favor of ashen - hot terror . And as Poe and Romero make certain , it does n’t terminate well for anyone … except for fan of Savini ’s special - effects illusion , which makes a lurching icicle - zombie issuing threat from beyond the grave the most nightmarish monster imaginable .
Keitel ’s violent ancestry into utter fury in Argento ’s “ The Black Cat ” comprises Two Evil Eyes ’ potent 2nd section . But Romero ’s “ Valdemar ” can take the film ’s most outstandingly shriek - worthy moment .
Together , though , these two Poe tribute make for a terrifyingly secure even ’s viewing .
Dario ArgentoGeorge A. RomeroHorrorMovies
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