Supelice Dreadfully Boring

Merolliv I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Corpus_Vile Lila Lee (Cheryl Smith) is an angelic 14-year-old girl, in the care of the local church after her vicious gangster father goes on the lam, after he commits a double murder.One day, Lila receives a letter from the mysterious Lemora (Leslie Taplin) telling her that her father is gravely ill and that she may see him, but only on the condition that she tells no- one. So begins a dreamy, garishly coloured and magical journey for our innocent protagonist to reach her mysterious destination. However, it turns out that Lemora is not who she appears to be and has her own special plans for Lila, that will change her forever...Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural is a film that I had on my "Film to see" list for quite some time now and when I finally watched it, I gotta say I was absolutely kicking myself, I'd neglected to see it for so long as it really is a gem. Set in 1920s/30s America, it veritably drips atmosphere and has a languid, dreamy (or nightmarish if you like) tone, reminiscent of Let's Scare Jessica to Death, (1971) or perhaps more pertinently Messiah of Evil (1973) in terms of visual style and in fact, due to its visual overall look, I can't help wondering if a certain Mr Argento seen Lemora back in the day,and whether it influences his Suspiria, as both films have an undeniable similarity in style, visually. Cheryl Lee gives a very effective performance as the lost and innocent Lila, with her expression consistently exuding fragility and vulnerability, and Leslie Taplin is great as the mysterious,alluring and subtly sinister Lemora. For a (U.S.) PG-13 film it's surprisingly dark in tone, with certain touching upon sexuality themes that I'm not sure would be passed today in a PG-13 film and emerges as a decidedly adult fairy tale and an intelligent one at that.Any horror fan who liked the aforementioned films should check this one out immediately. While I see threads on the film on the IMDb horror occasionally and know it has a place in the hearts of several regular posters there, I'm still somewhat surprised it apparently doesn't seem to get its proper dues as it truly deserves its place in the annals of classic/iconic horrors, as it's one of the best I've seen of its decade, and this is coming from a decade of absolute quality in regards to horror cinema.8.5/10, a highly recommended gem that puts an innovative and intriguing spin on an established horror sub genre, it should be sought out by any self respecting horror fan.

zetes Creepy, haunting near-masterpiece made by a one-time director, Richard Blackburn. In that way and in a few others, it reminds me of Herk Harvey's Carnival of Souls. There are a few other films that it reminds me of, too, like Let's Scare Jessica to Death, Black Moon and Valerie and Her Week of Wonders, but, really, it's entirely its own. Lila (Cheryl Smith) is a 13 year-old girl, a beautiful, moral, church-going girl whose long unseen father is a murdering gangster. One day Lila receives a letter telling her that her father is on his death bed in a secret location and that he wants to see her one last time. She embarks to the location on a creepy, empty bus, and it takes her to a forest full of murderous monsters. A strange woman named Lemora (Lesley Gilb), who claims to have been taking care of her father before he ran away in a delirium, offers Lila protection from the monsters outside. It doesn't take Lila long before she realizes Lemora might be every bit as dangerous. There is a surprising and disturbing strain of eroticism underlying the film. It's never exploitative, though, and there are metaphorical meanings to the film revealed (albeit confusingly) at the end of the film that I believe justify that particular theme.

lady_de_shallot The first time I saw this film, I could not have been nine years old. There use to be a show that would come on at Midnight on Friday and Saturday broadcast out of channel four in Indianapolis. The show was called Sammy Terry and he was this ghoulish guy who showed scary movies. I recently acquired a copy of the film for my personal collection because it made such an impression on me when I was a child. I actually should not have been watching it, but I also probably should not have been up so late. However I have always been a night owl. Anyway. I digress. This movie is laced with innuendos of a sexual nature. So much so that I really don't feel comfortable specifically commenting on it.For some reason, there isn't a neighbor within many miles of Lamora's dark estate which is at the end of long dark stretch of an obsolete road. What awaits you at the end of the road is as darkly magical and bewildering as your wildest imagination. It certainly left a huge impression on me.

Falconeer Cult starlet Cheryl Smith is absolutely mesmerizing in her role as the young and sheltered daughter of the town minister, who runs away from home in search of her lost father. 'Lemora' has all the qualities necessary for it to be the cult classic that it is; It is surreal, strange, and perversely erotic. And it is one of Cheryl Smith's earliest screen appearances. If you have seen "Caged Heat" than you are familiar with this actress. And while not being the greatest actress ever, Smith possesses an undeniable and powerful screen presence, which is recognizable here. As "Lila" travels through the dark, foreboding forest after receiving a strange letter, stating that her criminal father is ill and needs to see her, she encounters and endless stream of sinister men, and later, some zombie-like children in one terrifying sequence. Lila doesn't yet realize that she has been summoned by Lemora, a sinister woman who lives in a great old house, that is filled with strange children. Laced with erotic symbolism "Lemora" is inevitably about the loss of innocence. Hypnotic, dreamlike, and filled with beautiful Gothic imagery, and appears as a kind of fairytale for adults, as I imagine children would be absolutely terrified by this! This unique film would be perfect but for a couple of sequences near the end, the first when Lila escapes her captor and is running through the woods, and than through a creepy, abandoned building. These scenes of Smith walking around in the shadows really are dragged out for too long. Also the "Battle sequence" at the films climax is very sloppy, and some tedious slow motion effects don't work. This is sad because the film is so hypnotic, really trance-inducing, until you get to these sloppy scenes, and the illusion is temporarily interrupted. I believe with just a little re-editing of those scenes this film could be truly exquisite. Fortunately it all redeems itself at the end, when the Reverand finds his much-changed daughter. Anyway do not let this slight imperfection dissuade you from seeing this wonderful, beautiful cult film. The restoration that Synapse has done for the new DVD is pristine, and this is well worth the price. Not much here for the gore hounds, but for fans of classic, Gothic horror, "Lemora" is essential viewing.