CheerupSilver Very Cool!!!

Softwing Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

BroadcastChic Excellent, a Must See

Rio Hayward All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The_Void It's a shame that this film has been lumbered with the title 'The Changeling 2' (those Italians!), as it's actually not bad at all and far better than the cash-in title suggests. The film is nothing like Peter Medak's 1980 horror, and actually owes more to the popular Italian Giallo imports, as well as the American film noir movement. The film that this one takes most of its influence from is undoubtedly the 1946 masterpiece The Postman Always Rings Twice (which coincidently (or not) was remade six years before this film), and this is shown by the central plot and characters; all of which are clearly reminiscent of the earlier film. However, this is an Italian movie - so you can count on a few over the top surprises! The plot focuses on a man and a woman who decide to murder the woman's husband. This isn't the sort of behaviour that goes unnoticed by the law, and the man becomes paranoid about what the couple have done. Eight years on, a mysterious drifter arrives at their bed and breakfast and he seems to know a lot about the crime the couple committed years earlier...This film was made for Italian TV, and it does have a rather cheap feel to it; but it's adequately glossed over by a distinctly Italian style, and the film features some brilliantly atmospheric music along with a quality cast of actors, most of which have worked with big names such as Lucio Fulci and Dario Argento. The film is directed by Lamberto Bava; son of the great Mario Bava, and a director who has a varied career full of hits and misses. The Changeling 2 is actually one of Lamberto's better films and isn't too far off the quality of some of his somewhat acclaimed Giallo's such as Macabre and A Blade in the Dark. The Giallo influence can be seen throughout the film as Bava keeps the focus on the murder, and the mystery surrounding the drifter who enters the couple's lives. It has to be said that the ending is rather poor and I'd have preferred the film if Bava didn't go for the ill-advised schlock twist. But even so, this is an assured and fun little film that is a lot better than the TV roots and the cash-in title would suggest it is. Recommended to the cult fan!

Tikkin I have this on VHS as Changeling 2, obviously it's another of those Italian films advertised as a sequel that isn't really a sequel. It's interesting to see one of the actors from Stage Fright in this, and there are a few good moments, but it's mostly dull and boring. The music is good (some of it taken from Stage Fright) and so is the atmosphere, but there is little much else of interest. The story itself was interesting - it was just done in a boring way. The ending is rather confusing and silly. This is more of a drama than a horror, so I wouldn't recommend it to horror fans. If you love Italian films however, you may want to see it.

Coventry Inconspicuous but nevertheless stylish Lamberto Bava thriller with a couple of remotely suspenseful sequences and an attractive Italian cast. The plot sounds very familiar but, although Bava doesn't really pretend to be original, he still manages to make his film look innovating and compelling at times. The beautiful Linda and her virulent lover Carlo just killed Luca, Linda's fatuous husband, and they continue running the hotel/restaurant near a popular fishing-lake. Eight years later, however, a hitch-hiker shows up and he seems to know alarmingly many details about Linda's first marriage. Linda and Carlo start to distrust each other and even her little son Alex begins to suffer from nightmares about a murdered man that comes crawling out of the muddy ground... Indeed, the plot resembles a lot like "The Postman Always Rings Twice" but - since it's Bava - the killings are nastier and the characters are more deranged. When it comes to atmosphere and horrific mood-setting, this definitely is one of Lamberto Bava's best accomplishments. The music is also good and the acting is far above Italian standards, with Gioia Scola (Lucio Fulci's "Conquest), Urbano Barberini (Dario Argento's "Opera") and especially David Brandon, the mean-looking actor from "Delirium" and "Caligola – the Untold Story". Recommended!

Ron Altman Interesting variation of THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE about Brandon (AQUARIUS) and Scola, who murdered Scola's husband six years ago and must now contend with her son's nightmares and the arrival of a stranger (Barberini, OPERA) who might know something about the case. Bava expectedly adds horror elements, although this is one of his more subtle works – and one of his best. Slightly overlong, not consistently good, but a must for fans of obscure movies.