Black Sabbath (1963)

 This is an Italian horror film from 1963, directed by Mario Bava, and stars Boris Karloff. In three segments, the first is "A Drop of Water", then "The Telephone" and "The Wurdulak."

Depending on the version, some have rearranged segments. "A Drop of Water" is about a nurse taken to see the dead body of her former employer, who died of natural causes in her sleep. The corpse doesn't stop her greediness. After getting home, she experiences creepy goings on. "The Telephone" was a nuisance caller that the victim knows and supernatural forces allow the creep to torment her. "The Wurdulak" is about a vampire.

I only watched it a few nights ago and can barely remember most of it apart from the gothic gentleman presence of Boris Karloff introducing each film segment. The only segment I can most fully remember was "A Drop of Water", a ghost story, which to me was scary. I rate this a 5/10 for sending me to sleep halfway. 

What I liked was all the the cute cats in "Drop of Water." 

What I didn't like was "The Telephone" story being cut up and edited all because of the sixties not liking the lesbian storyline. What was left of it was ribbons. That chopped story confused me and I nodded off! HISSSSSSSSSSSS!

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Wait Till Helen Comes

 This 2016 Canadian TV supernatural thriller was directed by Dominic James, starring Maria Bello and sisters Sophie Nelisse and Isabelle Nelisse. Other cast members including Liam Dickinson. Its based on the novel of the same name by Mary Downing Hahn. The film is also known as "Little Girl's Secret." 

A teenager named Molly has had her life turned upside down when her widowed mother takes her and her younger brother Michael to move into a new place with stepfather. The location is rural and pretty isolated beside the woods, and the house used to be a church. They pick up their younger stepsister Heather from a psychiatric hospital where she was living after suffering trauma. 

Molly is unnerved by Heather's strange behaviour such as talking to someone who isn't there. It gets freakier when she can see a ghost of a girl forming near Heather. No one believes her, and Heather says the ghost is "Helen" and "doesn't like it" that Molly can see her. Helen wants something from Heather and Molly is trying to find out if it's connected by missing children in the area.

This is a good, creepy and sad story with interesting photography. A theme of moths and flames appear a lot as symbolism. This is set in the year 1982 just in case you wondered why nobody is using a mobile phone. The author of the original story this film is based on appears briefly as the town librarian. The stepsister Molly and Heather are played by actresses who are real sisters. The actresses playing ghost Helen and one of the missing girls are sisters in real life. The stepfather's job is an author in the film, but in the book he works in pottery. I rate this a decent 10/10 for an awesome haunting story and good film to watch on a rainy night.

What I liked about this film is the nice bedroom of the girls with unique windows.

What I didn't like about it was how the parents didn't believe Molly.

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V. C. Andrews "Dawn" (episode four)

 

This is a 2023 drama TV series based on the "Cutler" books by Virginia Andrews. There are four episodes in total, named "Dawn," "Secrets of the Morning," "Twilight's Child" and "Midnight Whispers". This episode was directed by Jacquie Gould and it stars Brec Bassinger, Megan Best and Khobe Clarke. 

Some years have passed and tragedy happens. Both Dawn and James die together in a fire, caused by evil uncle Phillip and his wife "aunt Bet". They take custody of children Christie and Jefferson whose lives become very miserable. Christie has had enough of her vile uncle so she takes her brother and they run away to New York. I'm not going to spoil the rest!

I rate this episode 9/10. I've never read the books although I feel inspired to now. The books will include a lot more details that the tv series didn't.

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V. C. Andrews "Dawn" (episode three)

This is a 2023 Lifetime TV drama based on the "Cutler" books by Virginia Andrews. There are four feature long episodes, and the first is called "Dawn," second is "Secrets of the Morning" and the third is called "Twilight's Child". Directed by Jacqui Gould and stars Brec Bassinger, Khobe Clarke and Joey McIntyre. 

The end of the previous episode saw Dawn sent away to live with abusive Emily, the sister of grandmother Lillian and aunt Charlotte. Dawn has her baby daughter named Christie who then mysteriously disappears. Soon Dawn's adopted brother James rescues her from the miserable house. 

After Dawn gets Christie back, we discover more. After Lilian died, it's revealed that Dawn is the true born daughter of William Cutler who left a Will making Dawn the main proprietor of the estate and running of the business. Dawn and James marry, then they reunite with Fern. They meet Gavin Longchamp, the half brother of James and Fern. Despite the fairy-tale Happily Ever After, it's not all sunshine and roses!

This episode was full of twists so I rate is a good 10/10. Ignore the youthfulness of the same actors playing characters who've become older!

What I liked was the surprise gift from Dawn's father. 

What I disliked about it was evil Clara. 

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