SUKKUBUS (1989)
Region Code: A
Rating: Unrated
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 80 Minutes
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.66:1)
Audio: German DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo with Optional English Subtitles
Director: Georg Tressler
Cast: Peter Simonischek, Giovanni Früh, Andy Voß, Pamela Prati
The German folk-horror entry Sukkubus (1989) opens with a text blurb that tells of a Swiss legend wherein three hormy herdsmen inadvertently invoked the forces of evil and were punished terribly for it. This film tells that story and of the herdsmen's sacrilege and their punishment, set in the summer three herdsmen, two adults and a young apprentice, guide their cattle through treacherous Swiss Alps in search of greener pastures. After a hard days labor they find themselves holed up in their stone hut around a fire with little to do. They men take part in daily rituals meant to ward of evil, seasoning the grass with milk, and broadcasting prayers into the air, but inevitably their thoughts turn to more impure endeavors like drinking and sex.
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.66:1)
Audio: German DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo with Optional English Subtitles
Director: Georg Tressler
Cast: Peter Simonischek, Giovanni Früh, Andy Voß, Pamela Prati
The German folk-horror entry Sukkubus (1989) opens with a text blurb that tells of a Swiss legend wherein three hormy herdsmen inadvertently invoked the forces of evil and were punished terribly for it. This film tells that story and of the herdsmen's sacrilege and their punishment, set in the summer three herdsmen, two adults and a young apprentice, guide their cattle through treacherous Swiss Alps in search of greener pastures. After a hard days labor they find themselves holed up in their stone hut around a fire with little to do. They men take part in daily rituals meant to ward of evil, seasoning the grass with milk, and broadcasting prayers into the air, but inevitably their thoughts turn to more impure endeavors like drinking and sex.
While the senior herdsmen Senn (Peter Simonischek, Biest) seems like a decent guy the other adult Hirt (Giovanni Früh) is less pure and well-intentioned, and even tries to get the their younger male apprentice Bub (Andy Voss) to give him a late-night hand-job against his will; until he is reprimanded and put in his place by the Senn.
The longer their on the mountain the more lustful the men become, even Senn must throw himself under a ice cold waterfall after seening the cattle fornicate, and young Bub even temps a steer to lick him with some well-placed bait! Later Bub finds a peculiar tree root in the rough shape of a face while exploring a cave, which he brings back to the hut. One night after breaking the seal on a jug of wine the men fashion a kind of wig for it made out of straw and then using old straw and bedding, a red stocking, more straw and a pronged piece of wood with a vaginal sort of opening in the crux and shape in into the form of a weird sex-doll of sorts.
They baptize their creation with liquor and a bit of food. To their shock, the doll comes to life in the form of a beautiful woman (Pamela Prati, Ironmaster) after horny Hirt spills his seed on it, and that’s when their nightmare really starts. The newly summoned spirit seems displeased by their abuse of her body, and for the remainder of the film the men are tempted, taunted and torn apart by the demonic spirit, now in the super-erotic image of a woman.
I found it to be quite spellbinding, it felt more like a 70's slice of folk-horror than a late-80s entry. Because of the gorgeous mountaintop locations and the stone huts and period clothing if I had not known it was shot in the later part of 80s I would never had known otherwise. Its got great Alpine scenery for days, its exquisitely shot, and has plenty of isolated atmosphere. Long before the white-eyed succubus shows up something smells rotten already, but once they start fucking the wicker man-esque sex doll its on a whole other level.
While the three men are solid tbroughout its the presence of Pamela Prati as the sex idol incarnate that steals every scene. A curvy vixen with eerie white eyes that menaces the men who have summoned her, and her brand of skin-flaying torment is quite memorable.
Audio/Video: Sukkubus (1989) arrives on Blu-ray from Mondo Macabro in 1080p HD framed in 1.66:1 widescreen. The source is in immaculate shape with nary a blemish, offering a lush grain field with terrific depth, clarity and fine detail in the close-ups. Colors look accurate throughout with vibrant greens and reds and crisp whites. The black levels are deep with excellent shadow detail - this look like a much more recent film at first glance, truly a wonderful image. The sole audio option is a clear German DTS-HD MA 2.0 stereo with optional English subtitles like the video the sound elements are well-preserved and sound terrific.
Extras are on the slim side but appreciated, we get a half-hour Interview with actor Peter Simonischek who discusses his early career as a stage actor, not wanting to be a dentist like his father, being cast in this and thinking it would be filmed in black and white in the style of something like The Seventh Seal. He touches on initial issues with actress Pamela Prati who was not onboard fully till her boyfriend arrived on set and showed the fillmakers how to get a peak performance from her! We also get a 3-min Theatrical Trailer and the 14-min Mondo Macabro Promo Reel.
Special Features:
- Brand new 4k transfer from film negative, digitally restored
- Interview with actor Peter Simonischek (29 min)
- Original Trailer (3 min)
- New Cover Art from Justin Coffee
- Mondo Macabro Previews
If you're a fan of folk-horror don't let this isolated mountaintop entry elude you, its a terrific watch and a true gem - probably destined to be one of my favorite film discoveries of 2022!
Screenshots from the Mondo Macabro Blu-ray:
