Directed by Riccardo Freda
Distributed by Dark Sky Films
Ducking out of a summer storm, four hippies take refuge in the seemingly abandoned Villa Alexander, unaware that their hosts are staging a satanic sacrifice. When the ceremony ends in a blood-soaked orgy of violence, the hippies flee the villa, only to find themselves accused of committing a Manson-style massacre.
Tragic Ceremony is an odd movie. The gore is excellent and the nudity is pleasing, but the story is so fragmented and rushed that even the most devoted Italian horror fan may come out of the experience unsatisfied. During this review we’ll take a look to see what kept this lost film from being a triumph.
Each time we think these two plot points will play into story they are quickly brushed aside. It is almost like there are huge sections of the film that were chopped out. At a run time of 87 minutes it is a likely guess that there must have been more. Too bad the one special feature on this disc didn’t expand on this theory. Even the little info we get about the evil necklace is confusing and under-explained during the film’s wacky climax.
Oh what a climax it was! The Satanists of Villa Alexander want to sacrifice the one female hippy during a black mass. Good thing the other three free-loaders get there just in time to stop the ritual. This causes all of the worshipers to go bat shit insane. I am not kidding either. Instead of trying to recapture their prey, the Satanists start killing each other! Why? No clue! But why is the female hippy acting so strange?!
Ah, that little bit of information is explained right before the credits roll. All the events of the film are explained in a very long bit of expostition that no one but the main characters and Satanists should have known. For reasons unknown, a doctor at above mentioned hospital knows everything and is kind enough to explain the ins-and-outs of body switching via Satan worship. Good lord! If you think the review is confusing, just watch the movie. What could have been a pretty simple tale just jumped around way too much with too many ideas.
What did work for this film was one FX shot. Yup, that’s the only thing positive … one really well made head that gets cut in half. Oh, and one of the hippies does turn all smurf blue and falls out of a closet. How he died is totally unknown, but his death left his body with the amazing ability to still blink and breath. Good thing Dark Sky Films always puts in good special features.
Tragic Ceremony has a few good moments, but not enough to make it a classic. But, if you’re like many of us who only had this film on an old VHS or bootleg, then make the jump to the official DVD to experience damn good video quality and the brilliant colors Italian horror films are known for.
Special Features