15. Ocular Mayhem - The Beyond (1981)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY56yfrH-hQ The Beyond is a Fulci favourite. It has a fluid plot that concerns the doors to Hell being opened in a hotel basement. Fulci has been called 'The Master of Ocular Mayhem' in part due to the following nerve shredding sequence: A horrible zombie called Joe rises from black goo in the bath. He grabs Martha by the face and throws her against the wall piercing the back of her skull on a nail. Her eyeball pops out with a horrible squishy sound and lies winking on the floor. Viewers feel queasy and shocked. Fulci managed to create more ocular mayhem in Zombie Flesh Eaters where a poor woman gets a wooden spike through the eye courtesy of a friendly zombie. This scene was censored for decades but we can now enjoy the spike entering the woman's eye in graphic detail courtesy of the BBFC. I don't think we needed to see the spike go into her eye (although the special effects are great). The power of suggestion - will it happen/not happen? is more effective when it comes to pants wetting thrills.
Clare Simpson
Contributor
My first film watched was Carrie aged 2 on my dad's knee. Educated at The University of St Andrews and Trinity College Dublin. Fan of Arthouse, Exploitation, Horror, Euro Trash, Giallo, New French Extremism. Weaned at the bosom of a Russ Meyer starlet. The bleaker, artier or sleazier the better!
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Clare