Beyond the Darkness (AKA Buio Omega) is possibly the best-known and finest of director Joe D’Amato’s vast catalog of diverse films, right up there with the infamous Anthropophagus: The Beast. This guy may have more pseudonyms than any filmmaker in history, so you probably have seen others without even realizing it. Although D’Amato stuck primarily to pornography films in his later years, his horror pictures will be the ones which will endure long into the future, and which fans will most likely remember him by.

This is his first foray into the gore genre, and is definitely a sick and frequently disturbing little number – one that somehow snuck under the radar of the video-nasty censors of the time. The film has all the trademark D’Amato touches - extreme gore, over-the-top sleaze, and, of course, a heap of nudity - so fans of any of his work won’t be disappointed. It truly is a pillar of bad taste and shamelessness, and to this day remains poignant in both these respects.

The story centers on Frank (Canter), a rich taxidermist whose girlfriend Anna (Monreale) dies suddenly from an illness – a sickness somewhat bolstered by the voodoo meddlings of his deranged and jealous housekeeper, Iris (Stoppi). Frank is so heartbroken and lost without Anna that he decides to dig up her body, stuff her and keep her for himself! Soon enough though, the seemingly innocent Frank is luring unsuspecting women to his mansion who he hopes will replace his forlorn love. When none of the candidates fit the bill, however, he and his new sidekick Iris find themselves dispatching of the various women in grotesque and disturbing ways.

So there you have it – love, voodoo, taxidermy and necrophilia all neatly packaged up in one gory bundle! While Beyond the Darkness is a pretty good staple of 70’s Italian-sleaze cinema, it’s far from the best. About the only thing really going for it are the ample amounts of gore and it’s admittedly potent shock value. The director pulls no punches here folks, and we have numerous ingenious and blood-spattered scenes of violence and depravity. Admittedly, the story and execution of these scenes are questionable, yet it is effective in its own peculiar way.

Perhaps even more horrific than the shock sequences, however, are the awful acting and those damn eyebrows on Iris. Yikes. As with all other European horror films of the time, the English dubbing is terrible as well, further enhancing the all-around poor acting of the cast. You know you’ve got problems when the best performance is Cinzia Monreale as the corpse! While this aspect certainly won’t bother you vets of the horror genre, it’s definitely bad enough to warrant a remark here. Pretty-boy Keiran Canter is a stand-out in this department, and is reminiscent of the blond-haired air-headedness of Star Wars’ Mark Hamill.

The relationship between Frank and Iris is also a point worth mentioning. Iris is strangely matriarchal towards him, and there is even one scene showing Frank breast-feeding. It is bizarre to say the least! This, coupled with Iris’ near-incestual jealousy towards Frank and the corpse Anna, further adds to the aforementioned bad taste of the film. It seems D’Amato is intent on pushing the boundaries in every possible way and he certainly exhausts all the possibilities I can think of with this effort.

Providing the score is the ever-prolific Goblin, who delivers their usual round of pounding rhythms and synth-driven beats. While it’s not as impressive or as in-your-face as their other works (Suspiria or Dawn of the Dead for instance), it is effective, and they always add a unique element of suspense to the films they’re involved with.

Those familiar with the sub-genre will no doubt like this film more than the less-seasoned viewers. It’s got all the hallmarks of Italian shock cinema, which I found actually added to my experience and was well within my usual comfort zone. It’s no Oscar-worthy film or anything, but Beyond the Darkness will no doubt haunt DVD shelves for years to come. If you are looking for a good example of Euro-shock cinema, and more specifically the works of the infamous Joe D’Amato, this film is a pretty good introduction. If, however, you are already familiar with the director, then you know what you’re in for! Recommended for fans of Italian shock horrors, or those simply seeking some reprieve from their standard DVD collection.