One of the few movies by the late German auteur Ulli Lommel that’s of any worth, and it’s not even that good. THE BOOGEY MAN (1980) was a success, though, and might make for ideal viewing on a slow night.
It was the first of many horror/exploitation films made by Lommel, a former associate of the legendary Rainer Werner Fassbinder (under whose auspices Lommel made 1973’s widely acclaimed TENDERNESS OF THE WOLVES) and Andy Warhol (who appeared in Lommel’s films COCAINE COWBOYS and THE BLANK GENERATION). It can be viewed as the start of Lommel’s decline as a filmmaker, as he subsequently turned out a succession of low budgeters that ranged from mediocre (BRAINWAVES, THE DEVONSVILLE TERROR) to downright god-awful (STRANGERS IN PARADISE and the inevitable BOOGEY MAN II, which was composed largely of flashbacks from its predecessor).
THE BOOGEY MAN is also notable for an early acting turn by Lommel’s ex-wife Suzanna Love, who in addition to starring in the film co-wrote the script and put up a portion of the $25,000 budget. In addition, Love was largely responsible for securing the Maryland farmhouse (owned by her aunt) where much of the pic was lensed, and for the casting of her brother Nicholas as the male lead.
As children, Willy and Lacey watch their hot-to-trot mother and her asshole BF canoodling on the family couch one night. The severely traumatized boy ends up stabbing his ma’s mate to death.
Years the later Willy (who’s become mute) and Lacey, now young adults, live in a secluded farmhouse owned by Lacey’s in-laws. Lacey’s hubbie takes her back to the house where she grew up in an effort to purge her of her memories. The abode, under new ownership, doesn’t appear to harbor any ghosts…until Lacey catches a glimpse of her mom’s hated BF in a mirror and smashes it.
The broken mirror is pieced back together, but shards of glass periodically fall out, and wherever they shine murder and mayhem occur. A woman, under the mirror’s malevolent influence, gouges her throat with scissors, then kid gets his head caught in a closing window, a farmer is gored with a pitchfork and a horny young couple get stuck in permanent lip lock by a spear through their heads. Eventually a piece of the mirror becomes stuck to Lacey’s left eye, causing her to become possessed. Luckily there’s a priest on hand to exorcise the mirror’s evil spirit—or at least try to.
This film is rather staid overall, but contains flashes of brilliance. The opening sequence is a stunner, with a gorgeous Mario Bava-esque color scheme and highly deliberate, subtly unnerving camerawork. Unfortunately the script isn’t up to the same standard (conceptually speaking the sequence in question is a bit too similar to the opening of HALLOWEEN), which is the film’s main problem.
The mirror business is never adequately explained (why is it that the shards cause people to be killed when it’s portended that the mirror possesses a far greater power?) and the protagonists act amazingly nonchalant about the fact that their loved ones are being killed off in horrific fashion. Nor are the performances in any way memorable; Suzanna Love has real screen presence but her acting here is subpar, and even John Carradine, as the shrink who sets the drama in motion, is uninspired.
There’s real filmmaking talent on display, but not enough to make this film a worthwhile endeavor. If things had gone differently for Ulli Lommel—i.e. if he’d gone on to make better movies—THE BOOGEY MAN might now be viewed as a warm-up to a distinguished career. But they didn’t and it’s not.
Vital Statistics
THE BOOGEY MAN
The Jerry Gross Organization
Director/Producer: Ulli Lommel
Screenplay: Ulli Lommel, David Herschel, Suzanna Love
Cinematography: Jochen Breitenstein, David Sperling
Editing: Terrell Tannen
Cast: Suzanna Love, Ron James, Nicholas Love, John Carradine, Raymond Boyden, Felicite Morgan, Bill Rayburn, Llewelyn Thomas, Jay Wright, Natasha Schiano, Gillian Gordon, Howard Grant, Jane Pratt