PAURA: LUCIO FULCI REMEMBERED Volume 1

Plagiarist, misogynist, to some he was a pioneer in exploitation cinema, to others he was a talentless hack.  Whatever your thoughts on Lucio Fulci, there is no denying the legacy the man has left behind.  Having already received the retrospective treatment with the extensive and entertaining book Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci, many fans may already be familiar with the life and work of one of Italy's most infamous directors, yet Lucio Fulci Remembered Volume 1, a limited edition documentary that features extensive interviews with various collaborators and admirers, explores the filmmaker in even more detail.  Fulci was perhaps best known for his controversial zombie movies in the late '70's and early '80's (including Zombi 2, aka Zombie Flesh Eaters) and his notorious slasher The New York Ripper, a movie that became controversial when all copies were ordered to be seized and exported by the British government during the 'video nasty' witch-hunt of the mid-'80's.

The film focuses more on him as an artist and a person than on the work itself (sadly no footage from his movies are shown), with friends revealing a side of the director that the public didn't see.  Unfortunately this lets the feature down a little, as those not familiar with the movie or scene that the interviewee is referencing may have difficulty understanding the various anecdotes, though some prove to be humorous and entertaining without the visual aid.  The other flaw to the documentary is the way in which it is laid out, with each interview a separate segment instead of pieced together as one feature.  This sometimes spoils the flow a little, and the interlude music can get a little irritating, though this is only a minor issue for those eager to hear tales of the legendary filmmaker.

Whilst only available as a limited release (the back cover states that only 2500 are available) the DVD is impressive, this has obviously been a labour of love for director Mike Baronas and it shows, each contributor is given ample time to regail with recollections of their long-departed friend (who passed away in 1996).  This is certainly a curious piece, by dispensing with the traditional documentary structure the feature will entertain some while confuse others, depending on the viewer's knowledge of Fulci's work (though it is unlikely a casual fan would seek this out).  But despite the lack of movie footage, Lucio Fulci Remembered Volume 1 is an impressive tribute to one of the most misunderstood filmmakers in recent cinema, and Baronas is a documentarian with a promising future.