Film Analysis of the 1966 film Kill Baby, Kill

Analysis

In this film festival is celebrated and remembered the talent now recognized as one of the Italian directors admired around the world: Mario Bava (1914-1980).

The cast involves Giacomo Rossi-Stuart, Erika Blanc, Micaela Esdra, Piero Lulli, Giana Vivaldi, Fabienne Dali, and Valeria.

Light, as the French critics who had the merit to re-discover it after his death, was an innovator, a master of light and shadows, has established genres, trends, and special effects film with little means a lot of imagination and of only the ingenuity of a prodigious technique. (Acerbo, 40)

After seeing the sorcery performed, Dr. Eswai becomes obsessed with bringing logic and reason to a town he believes is merely being crippled by poverty, ignorance and superstition. Meanwhile, the inspector has gone missing after taking a trip to Villa Graps, and Dr. Eswai follows in his footsteps to the crumbling mansion. It is there that he crosses paths with Melissa, a little blonde girl who seems to disappear before his very eyes. When he once again returns to the village, the story about the little girl is finally revealed. And as the night slowly slips by, with death floating through the foggy air, Dr. Eswai soon discovers that not all things can be explained with science and reason.

Rossi-Stuart generates no romantic sparks with Erica Blanc's nervous heroine. It leaves the mystery of the movie. In the hands of 3 other females: The compelling sorceress Ruth, the vindictive Baroness and the creepy blonde child with the white ball. The actual plot consists of Dr. Eswai's endless walks from one locale to another, always too late to take action. (Acerbo, 40)

The baroness has been performing these duties for the ghost of her murdered daughter, who wants to claim the villagers' souls. The Baroness Has Been Performing These Duties Murdered for the ghost of her daughter, who wants to claim the villagers' souls. (Acerbo, 40)

After the death of a young woman in an isolated village in the early 20th Century, coroner Dr. Eswai is brought in by the inspector to do an autopsy to try and determine if the death was suicide, accident, or homicide. Circumstantial evidence rules out suicide, but the townsfolk are terrified to speak about what has happened. The town's burgomaster intones that the supernatural is involved, and that there is a conspiracy surrounded the local Villa Graps. After Dr. Eswai performs his autopsy, much to the town's disapproval, he returns to the inn he is staying at and witnesses a magical protection ritual performed on a young woman, who claims to have seen the ghost of the dead girl that haunts the village.

For those unfamiliar with Bava's work, KILL BABY KILL may be an ill-advised place to start. Despite the title, there is very little killing in the film, and despite the fantastic and grisly opening murder, almost no gore. Bava's more accessible BAY OF BLOOD or BLOOD AND BLACK LACE would be a good place to start, before returning ...