Well what can I say, this is a love/hate film if there ever was one and more softcore porn than horror. After the death of her brother, a woman named Carol ventures to England to pay her respects to her lost brother. Her partner Robert has also come on this excursion, so at least she… More
Well what can I say, this is a love/hate film if there ever was one and more softcore porn than horror. After the death of her brother, a woman named Carol ventures to England to pay her respects to her lost brother. Her partner Robert has also come on this excursion, so at least she isn't alone in this tragic situation. The death of her brother came as quite a shock, since it was sudden and totally unexpected. In fact, there is still some mystery around the exact cause of his passing, though Carol doubts foul play was involved. The two stay with Carol's sister-in-law, who owns a large mansion in an isolated stretch of English countryside. The house is an old and eerie one, made all the creepier by the presence of numerous occult artifacts. A lot of these items she can recognize, but some are so bizarre and strange, she has no idea what they could be used for, even in some kind of sick ritual or what not. The locals are not the kind, wholesome countryfolk she expected either, which leaves her in a state of paranoia and nervousness. Her companion Robert is intrigued by all the cult presence however, unaware of just how deep it all runs. Of course, all this strange atmosphere makes Carol want to know more about her brother's death. As she does some detective work, she stumbles across the truth and she is mortified at the result. Can she escape what seems to be a sadistic Satanic cult of total chaos?
Also known as Hot Fantasies, this movie has all the right elements for a cult picture and I mean cult as in cult. Jose Ramon Larraz (The Coming of Sin, Vampyres) has directed a wild one in Black Candles, a film which covers all the branches of deviant sexual practices. You'll see tons of naked flesh, both male and female, and softcore sex scenes, but the real spin comes when the sex gets a little taboo. Black Candles deals with forced drug use before sex, anal sex, incestual mating, massive orgies, and yes, even goat love. I know these elements are certain to offend most folks, but come on, how many movies out there go to these lengths? This is a movie about a cult of sex fiends, so you have to see a lot of sex, including some bizarre sequences that I will say you won't forget. Black Candles is also bathed in darkness and has Satanic elements around every turn. Larraz has created some great visuals here, cloaked in shadow and teeming with atmosphere. I didn't find Black Candles to be a great film, but for fans of obscure grindhouse sleaze, it is well worth a look.
