口中花

I saw this under the title The Masters on video in the UK. I've seen a lot of Italian movies from this time and if you allow for the limitations of dubbing and budget this film is actually pretty special. The idea of one man manipulating a whole population of a small town is brilliantly handled, and acted by James Mason. Franco Nero and Jennifer O Neal both give decent performances as pawns in a much larger conspiracy. It also has some great inexplicable moments, the frozen bodies on the motorbike, the revelation of what James Mason keeps in his backgarden, the superstitions of the townspeople. This all adds to the intrigue of this fascinating film. Somewhere between exploitation and art this film represents just what I personally look for in Italian movies from the 70's. Recommended, but not for everyone.