Lemora a Childs Tale of the Supernatural Review Youtube
Poetic and beautiful coming of age horror movie
This highlight of seventies horror movie theater is a vibrant and lush Gothic fairytale story of a immature girl'southward odyssey as she searches for her begetter in a world of vampires and demons that wont hesitate to take her innocence at any opportunity that they get. Richard Blackburn'south motion-picture show takes influence from a number of sources beyond both film and literature, but in spite of this; the author-director has managed to mould together a tale that is both haunting and original. The story follows Lila Lee, the girl of a notorious gangster who, after finding his wife in bed with another man, proceeds in bravado both her and her lover to bits. Shortly after her father had fled the town to avoid the law, Lila Lee receives a letter telling her that her father is on his deathbed and wants her to come and encounter him. Only thing is, this letter is signed 'Lemora'. The moving-picture show plays out like an offbeat coming of age drama, with the innocent young Lila Lee learning that all is not equally information technology seems, and that danger lurks around every corner. The supernatural elements serve brilliantly as a metaphor for the like dangers in real life.
The acting in Lemora conspicuously isn't the most important aspect of the film, just in that location are yet some notable performances on display. Cheryl Smith takes the lead part as the angelic Lila Lee, and completely looks the part as a bewildered immature daughter in the centre of a globe she knows nothing about. The title part of 'Lemora' is taken by Lesley Gilb. This actress doesn't have a flick credit to her name later on this film, and it'southward not really surprising as despite looking the part; her operation is wooden in the extreme. Writer-manager Richard Blackburn is surprisingly effective in his small role equally a reverend. He completely convinces as the odd god fearing preacher. Actually, though, information technology'southward the more artful elements of the film that dominion; and the atmosphere and the make-upward are admittedly excellent. The nighttime filming helps to create a sense of danger at every turn, and brilliantly compliments the fearfulness that the child at the heart of the story is feeling. The make-up is finer washed, but not overdone; which makes the monsters feel very real despite their otherwise otherworldly appearance. Lemora, despite it's low budget and inexperienced coiffure, is a surprisingly professionally done film. While most films released at this betoken in fourth dimension relied on high body counts and gore levels to draw audiences; Richard Blackburn has put the focus on story and atmosphere, and that is why Lemora is the indelible, albeit lost, archetype that it is today.
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Haunting and Sadly Poetic Vampire Archetype
Modern audiences may be a little put off past this picture at first glance - only on account of its fairly low production values - but information technology's definitely superior to most films of its kind, although information technology'due south such a unique oddity information technology'south hard to compare information technology with annihilation else. Lemora plays more like a nighttime fairy tale than a horror movie and I actually plant it to exist thoughtful and moving when I watched information technology through to the end. Temper, a great story, and a likable and sympathetic protagonist are what brand this flick piece of work.
Lemora has got a southern Gothic setting, and it takes identify in the 1930'south, which gives the film something of the feel of the weird fiction lurid magazines that were prevalent during that time. However, in dissimilarity to near of those tales, the principal graphic symbol in Lemora is a thirteen-yr old girl, which gives the motion picture a sexual/lost innocence subtext in addition to the 'aboriginal horror' themes that are typical of that tradition.
Lila Lee is an celestial-looking church building singer, who we larn is likewise the daughter of a murdering gangster. Upon receiving a letter from her estranged male parent (who is now apparently very sick), she sets out on a journey to reunite with him. Every male person graphic symbol she encounters comes beyond as a leering predator, with the exception of her guardian, the Reverend, who is a good man struggling with his desires to possess the young girl.
Once she leaves for Asteroth, there is no turning back for Lila, as information technology becomes more and more clear that no thing what should befall her on her journeying, she volition never exist the same singing angel that she in one case was. And her future looks pretty grim. Stranded in a horrific swampland, she is pursued by its gruesome inhabitants - men who have degenerated into a pack of diseased and squealing brutes - into the domain of a mysterious vampire and her grouping of immortal warlocks. Cheryl Smith was perfect for this as Lila - her looks and expression throughout conveying Lila's fright and confusion and innocent organized religion and her longing for someone she can trust; if yous can't believe in her, or Leslie Glib as the night title character, the picture fails, merely they pull it off wonderfully. I found the score and songs that were used in Lemora to be strangely moving and the audio furnishings were often genuinely creepy.
From what I've read, this flick got into some trouble with the church upon information technology's release and I think it was placed on a list of banned films or something. But, I remember that the theme of Lemora would have to be desperately misconstrued for it to exist seen as offensive in the way that its detractors would probably advise. There is really nothing polemical or anti-Christian virtually it that I could run into; and the movie treats its devout characters with affection and understanding equally they struggle with themselves and the darkness that surrounds them. The ending, while not upbeat, is consequent and honest and makes you experience something. And leaves you lot thinking.
I own the not bad-looking DVD of Lemora, and the Synapse company did a terrific chore with this picture. It was released in tardily 2004, with a dedication to the retentivity of Cheryl Smith, who passed away in 2002. I remember seeing her name (appearing equally Cheryl Rainbeaux Smith) in clan with a lot of drive-in blazon horror movies and teen sex comedies, but for years she was just a semi-familiar name to me. But within the concluding couple years I happened to meet Caged Heat and Laserblast again, and came away thinking that there was something unique about this actress. Her presence was always natural and uncontrived, with a deplorable vulnerability in her optics and a dreaminess about her that seemed to come from some identify beyond this earth.
I was a immature child in the 70s when these movies, like Lemora, were released. The adult content of many of the bulldoze-in films of that era obviously kept me from seeing them when they showtime came out, but I enjoy going back and watching them now, and I've ever found the experience and style of that pre-blockbuster period to be oddly artistic and interesting. Only information technology also may be that I feel a lot of nostalgia for those naive and carefree times in my own life, when I would have had a small boy's crush on a blonde-haired starlet like Cheryl Smith. I'chiliad not certain I remember seeing any of Cheryl's movies when I was immature, simply in some manner I associate her with a lot of the joy and fascination of those times. I imagine that many other people practise too.
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Absolutely brilliant.
Richard Blackburn's "Lemora:A Kid's Tale of the Supernatural" is 1 of the most atmospheric horror movies I take ever seen.It is filled with incredibly haunting and hypnotic atmosphere that left me speechless.This wonderfully uncanny horror film was filmed in 1973 and released in 1974 simply to be banned by the Catholic Film Board.The acting is excellent-Lesley Gilb is especially memorable equally a hooded and pale Lemora.She is a haunting and sinister character,who reminds me the myths of Lamia and Lilith,vampires who drinkable the blood of children.Cheryl Smith is also outstanding as a immature 14 yr erstwhile Lila Lee."Lemora:A Child's Tale of the Supernatural" is a masterpiece of atmospheric horror-for example the scenes with Lemora'south vampire children are extremely eerie.A must-see for horror fans.10 out of x.
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My cursory review of the film
sol- 30 September 2005
A dark, atmospheric piddling film, it is quite bizarre and intriguing to lookout man, with shadow enhancing lighting, flashy colours, great sets, and a fine lead performance by Cheryl Smith, who is a perfect choice to play an innocent uncorrupted. On the other hand, the writer-manager gives off a somewhat restrained operation as a priest, and towards the terminate, the film heads off into rather messy territory, with excesses of horror and likewise many slow move, plus information technology takes forever to wrap the story upward. At that place are some interesting ideas at hand, and a few worthwhile production elements, but overall this is a film that is much more so interesting than information technology is dandy.
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Every bit archetype a horror film equally ever there was.
The tardily and sorely missed Cheryl Smith stars as Lila, the lovely pubescent daughter of a notorious gangster, who is being fostered by a kind-hearted minister. Unaware of her male parent's whereabouts and concerned for his well-being, she receives a letter of the alphabet indicating that he lays ailing in a mapped location, and should she choose to visit him, and so she must do then lone. Thus begins Lila'due south dark odyssey...from the minute she steps away from the familiar safe of her front door, her nest of babyhood innocence is given way to a bleak and frightening world fraught with drunks, strumpets, and carnal men...but a corporeity of a far more uncanny and sinister nature awaits her at her journey's end...the mysterious alphabetic character she received was a siren-vocal luring her to the incommunicado dwelling of Lemora, a vampiress with an appetence for the blood of youths. This ancient, statuesque animate being resides with her cackling onetime charlady and a mottle of emaciated children in a dark swampland where savage ghouls prowl the night.
The bizarre nexus ensuingly forged between Lemora and Lila is simultaneously horrific and erotically charged...the pocket-size-framed, willowy Lila futilely resisting, though apprehensively drawn to, the imposing and mysterious Lemora. It's an arousing 'butch/femme' dynamic which works well, and is illustrated more intricately than most examples of the gratis lesbiana inclusive to vampire cinema.
An artfully executed celestial nightmare with subtexts touching on religious hypocrisy and elegiac loss of innocence, LEMORA demonstrates perfectly how integrity, creativity, and resourcefulness tin compensate heartily for famine of funds in a move moving-picture show product.
Superior. 9/10.
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A low budget masterpiece!!!!
I beginning read about this obscure 70s vampire moving picture a couple of years dorsum, in one of my numerous reference books on difficult-to-find films. Having never heard of director Richard Blackburn at the time and beingness a fan of the more exotic and offbeat in cinema (non to mention that I was extremely dandy on seeing the film), I decided to try to locate it on VHS. Unfortunately this would turn out to be an almost impossible chore (equally with nigh films of this kind), and I soon grew disillusioned and frustrated, recognizing the sad fact that I would probably never even become to see the film. Luckily this would soon change: A few weeks dorsum I was lucky enough to come across a rare Greek pre-record/ex rental record of the motion picture, and, not hesitating for a moment, I bought it. Needless to say, this was a determination I take NEVER regretted since!!
The reasons for this are simple: "Lemora" (aka: Lemora-Lady vampire, The legendary expletive of Lemora) is doubtless one of the best horror films I´ve seen in years, a classic that deserves to be right upwards there with "Night of the living dead", "The exorcist" and "Evil dead". First time director Richard Blackburn creates a chilling and highly original supernatural tale of religious anxiety, repressed sexuality and initiation, a debut film that leaves a lasting impression on both the hearts and minds of anyone lucky enough to see information technology.
Plotwise, the pic follows a immature Christian girl (Lila Lee, portrayed past Cheryl Smith), the daughter of a wanted gangster, who leaves her home town to visit her father on the death bed. As it turns out this is all a ready, and Lila soon finds herself under the spell of a female person vampire chosen Lemora. She is the leader of some sort of religious cult in a minor hamlet deep into the woods and she plans to initiate the young girl in the cult´s activities. The immature girl, sensing that something is wrong, flees from Lemora´due south grasp and tries to find a way out of the labyrinthine wood. Just volition she make information technology?
Overall this is a beautiful, poetic and hauntingly surreal adult fairy tale, the horror motion-picture show equivalent of "Petty Reddish Riding Hood" (though with some modifications). Although shot on a very low budget, the motion-picture show manages to overcome all its monetary constraints and deliver a terminal product with more than (emotional) impact than a dozen modern horror films combined. The film is genuinely creepy and atmospheric, with an almost Gothic flavour reminiscent of Hammer and Benjamin Clark & Alan Ormsby´due south "Children shouldn´t play with expressionless things". The performances are all excellent, and the make-up & gore effects are surprisingly proficient, adding to the creepiness of the story. Add together to all this a charismatic lead (Lemora, convincingly played past Lesley Gilb) and you accept all the characteristics of a cult classic; A unique, mesmerizing film feel full of "archaic" energy, a film where you find yourself fatigued into a mysterious world, however where you can´t really draw why the moving picture appeals to you.
What most viewers have either failed to recognize or not bothered to comment on though, is the fact that there is so much more than to this movie than meets the eye. Underneath the surface this intelligent & well written little depression budget gem is a complex apologue (or parable if you lot will) concerned with questions of religion, the process of growing upwardly and the duality of human being. The whole film is one long symbolic journey, an odyssey, into the darkness of man´s heart; A journeying from childhood to adolescence (leaving the childhood illusions and facing the existent world), from oppression and self-deception to freedom and cocky-recognition. The main character leaves her safe, protected & idyllic sanctuary (church/local customs), and stumbles into a frightening and nightmarish earth of violence, darkness, death and lust. I the way she encounters numerous dangers and temptations (she succumbs to many of them), and she gradually changes from a young, innocent beauty with little knowledge of the world, to a mature woman who has both seen and felt death. Throughout the journey her believes are questioned, and i by one her pietistic fears are taken class her, every bit she finally recognizes her true nature (from which there is no escape). The characters, as well equally the setting, all accept a symbolic function and significance; The young, pristine girl (symbolically dressed in white; Innocence), the vile, savage, brute-like creatures out in the woods (homo´southward uncontrollable primal urges, sexuality, the beast in human being), and Lemora (forbidden knowledge, freedom, breaking free of chains, immortality). Yep, Lemora probably symbolizes everything we do non want to face, the darkness deep within of us.
Equally for themes, the film is concerned with religious hypocrisy, the breaking of taboos (sexual and others), good vs. evil, light vs. darkness, sin, and most importantly of all, recognizing the darkness within ourselves (an aspect of man that Christianity refuses to have and for centuries has tried to suppress). The motion picture does non draw whatever conclusions though, and the ending, which is both clashing and a bit confusing, leaves one to ponder. Did it all just happen in the young girl´s listen, and is this a moving picture that criticizes religion as narrow-minded and suppressive or that embraces it? Personally I experience it´s the former, but some of you lot may disagree.
Anyway, this film comes highly recommended!! Any serious horror fan should seek out this classic at once (you´ll probably take a hard time locating it though!) And if you inquire me: Information technology´south definitely about time that this horror masterpiece gets a DVD release (Anchor Bay, please read this!!).
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these older 'guardians' have more than the interests of the virgin kid at heart
This is an unusual and enjoyable motion picture that may have ambitions beyond information technology'southward ways but is however a very brave effort to do something just that little bit unlike. Nosotros brainstorm with Cheryl Smith as the angelic, purer than pure, Lila Lee, star of the local church building and living under the protection of her minister in the absence of her gangster father. Both here and later in the scenes with the magnificent lesbian vampire, Lemora, played past Lesley Taplin (Gilb) there are unmistakable hints that these older 'guardians' accept more than the interests of the virgin child at heart. The opening scenes in the church and the later ones in Lemora's residence are colourful and rather grandly shot simply information technology is the sequence depicting the young girl'due south seeming trip to find her father that is most astounding. From the moment she leaves the protection of the government minister, she seems not but nearly vulnerable but the sets seem flimsy and near laughable, only I'm guessing that this was deliberate and that even the bumpy creaky bus with the unbelievable driver are all designed to let u.s.a. know that mayhap not all is how it seems hither. After this slap-up sequence nosotros run across the impressive Lemora and various zombies merely despite a rather creepy bath scene at that place is just a little besides much, running virtually. Nonetheless, unusual and well worth seeing.
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A lost Classic
It isn't difficult to see why 'Lemora' was condemned past the Catholic movie club. Information technology'south the story of a pubescent girl's fall from innocence and her sexual enkindling, told in a 'fairytale for adults' style. There are some amoral scenes to sit through with hints of lesbianism betwixt the kid and her vampire tutor that occasionally come across every bit sleazy, particularly when the pubescent girl is given a bathroom by Lemora ('What an heady figure you accept').
Ambitiously fix in the 1920s, a gangster brutally murders his wife and her lover before disappearing into the land. His thirteen-twelvemonth-old daughter, Lila Lee (played by Cheryl Smith*) is cared for by the Reverend Mueller (director, Blackburn), who secretly houses sensuous feeling for his little choirgirl. Lila is delighted when she receives a letter from the mysterious Lemora, detailing her male parent's deteriorating status. Lemora demands that Lila be present at her father's bed immediately. Lila's journey to Lemora'south hidden cottage, through dense night woods is constantly plagued; firstly, past carnal older men, then a psychopathic charabanc-commuter and then a group of fanged beasts who hunt her from the bus. The seductive Lemora'south house is filled with children, all of whom are part of her growing legion of vampires. The Reverend has decided to admit his sordid desires to Lila and begins to search for her. You'd think that was enough plot development, but subsequently this point more twists follow, which might confuse some viewers.
'Lemora', a late dark Boob tube favourite, is considered to be one of the classic vampire films of the early seventies, opposite 'Count Yorga, Vampire' (Bob Kelljan, 1970). There strong sexual overtones and the abuse of innocence storyline were the prime number reasons why the Catholic Motion picture Board wanted this movie banned for almost twenty years. Due to its lack of upkeep, (poor sound and sketchy cinematography) and European experience, the film oft looks like a porn motion-picture show which doesn't help matters concerning the sexual connotations, just they're never really presented in a exploitative fashion.
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Like a fun business firm ride in the dark ...........
"Lemora" is like a fun firm ride in the dark. Almost night scenes are way likewise dark for viewing, and while it creates a foreboding atmosphere, eventually it becomes redundant. Strange and creepy characters leap well-nigh, much like the above mentioned amusement park ride. Long periods of meaningless dialog grinds the picture show to a halt, but since it really goes nowhere, you are not missing much. This is really merely a meandering nightmare with scrambled images, a garbled script, and amateurish interim. All this adds upward to nothing more than than an 60 minutes and a one-half of hide and seek in the night. Pretty ho-hum stuff if you ask me. Non recommended. - MERK
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Worth finding and loving
Alvin Lee catches his wife in bed with a lover, breaks in and shoots both of them dead. Subsequently, injured and almost death, he begs for his daughter to see him one more fourth dimension before he dies.
His daughter, 13-year-old Lila Lee (Cheryl Smith, Phantom of the Paradise, The Incredible Melting Human being, Laserblast and short time member of The Runaways and drummer for Joan Jett) is the star of the church, where her voice and dazzler describe attention — thanks to the peculiar beauty people from her hometown have, which is known as the "Astaroth Look" (inspired by the "Innsmouth look" from H.P. Lovecraft'southward The Shadow over Innsmouth).
The Reverend (director Richard Blackburn, who co-wrote and appears in Eating Raoul, as well as appearing as the vox of Dr. Zaius in the Return to the Planet of the Apes cartoon and Stunt Rock) demands that his congregation stop talking almost how her father is a gangster. She now belongs to the church and they know how to await after her. Interestingly, that church is on a soundstage that was once Mayberry for Television'southward Andy Griffith Bear witness.
That said — the letter leads her to find the town of Astaroth, despite dealing with a young couple who hash out how the Reverend patently wants to accept sexual activity with her, a ticket taker offering her strange candy and a broken down motorbus ride that ends with a vampire attack.
Lemora is saved by Lila, the queen of the vampires, who is the one who wrote to her. She takes her to her aboriginal stone business firm and gives her a new dress. Sitting with he children, Lemora serves her wine — nah, its blood — and asks Lila to sing for the children. Lemora spins her in a trip the light fantastic, asking her to give her body to the music, before throwing her to the floor as a crash echoes through the house. Lemora so bathes her while request her well-nigh her trunk and all of the boys that have to be after her.
Lila goes to her room and her father, now a vampire, attacks her. Lemora explains that over the final year that many of the people accept become ugly and beast-similar, therefore they need to be killed. Lemora sucks the vampire blood out of the wound Lila has, then reads her a bedtime story and brushes her hair.
Tomorrow, there will exist a blood ceremony, which will make Lila and Lemora sisters, letting them share in ability. "Volition it be in a church building? Baptist?" asks Lila. "No, more ancient," answers Lemora.
As Lila explores the business firm, she finds the diary of a girl who was in her shoes in the past. Turns out that Lemora is the queen of the vampires, feeding on her adopted children. So Lila escapes through the town, just as the Reverend comes to save her.
The Reverend comes to relieve her, but not before a battle where most of the vampires are killed. As Lila's male parent has become i of the monsters, she must kill him. Lila mourns, which leads to Lemora offering her a vampire's osculation.
When the Reverend finally arrives, Lila reaches out to him, wanting to embrace and buss him, something that he had resisted in the by. Now, she overcomes him and equally they embrace, she bites into his neck equally Lemora watches. We cut to Lila singing in church building equally the film ends.
I'd compare this moving-picture show — subtitled "A Child's Tale of the Supernatural" with Valerie and Her Week of Wonders. It'south richly night, both in lighting and subject matter. It feels more similar a dream or a children's fable than a motion-picture show and is worth multiple viewings. Information technology's such a shame that this movie has been lost and forgotten for so long!
Read more at http://bit.ly/2yIy3VS
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Masterful and overlooked horror
Never had heard of this one before, and I causeless it would only be a low-budget snoozer - but it's not! Information technology's pretty damn practiced! Celestial daughter leaves her church to find her murderous dad so she can forgive him and finds herself involved with vampires instead. Very well shot and quite creepy. This deserves more than attention. Plenty of tension; it feels similar there's something supernatural and terrifying effectually every corner. Cheryl Smith made her debut here - she would later adopt the professional person nickname Rainbeaux and briefly play with the Runaways ring.
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Overrated and Ambiguous Nightmarish Vampire Cult Movie
"Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural" is an overrated and ambiguous nightmarish vampire cult moving-picture show. The storyline of a Christian teenage daughter raised past a Reverend that decides to travel to a town to seek redemption for her father that is a gangster and stumble upon a creepy horde of vampires commanded by the mysterious Lemora is promising. The cinematography in the dreamlike way of a nightmare is magnificent and the ambiguous conclusion is intriguing. Unfortunately the screenplay is a consummate mess without character development. The sugariness Cheryl Smith that performs the angelic Lila Lee in her debut in the cinema industry had a tragic terminate with the utilise of heroin. My vote is four.
Title (Brazil): "A Maldição de Lemora" ("The Expletive of Lemora")
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Dreamlike, aesthetic, beautiful...
I saw this movie late one nighttime; I must have been 10 or 11. What I recall well-nigh was the song of the nightbirds in the nocturnal outdoor scenes, and how I would hear the same vocal as I laid in my bed at dark in East Texas. To my young and overly active imagination, this could only mean Lemora was in my neck of the woods, and because of this I knew for sure I was on her listing of piddling girls to accept away to experience the wonders of the dark. A striking and foreign movie, with ane of the most captivating vampiresses on pic. If you ever wanted a vampire for a mommy, this ane'southward for you!
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One of the greatest adult fairy tales ever!
Stunning in every department, this is a true adult fairytale that maintains a consistent tone from beginning to terminate.
After her gangster male parent "disappears", immature Lila Lee (Chery Smith) receives a letter of the alphabet from Lemora (Lesley Gilb) inviting her to visit her missing male parent. Lila's passenger vehicle journey to the Lovecraftian boondocks of Astaroth where the mysterious bloodsucker Lemora lives is one of horror'south finest stanzas.
As Lila, traveling alone, cowers from the presence of the creepy driver, the jitney is attacked by misbegotten freaks who alive like animals in the night, hostile forest.
Young Lila's nymphet condition does not go unnoticed by any of the men she encounters on her journey. At every turn, the brave moppet barely escapes the clutches of her guides.
Manager Richard Blackburn helms this feature with enormous care and a clear, singular vision. The horror is never bloody or terribly violent, but the visual essaying of Lemora'due south undead world is unique in the annals of screen horror and the moving-picture show'southward subtle eroticism is controlled with an iron discipline that managed to earn the film a tepid PG rating during its original theatrical release.
Cheryl Smith is a revelation as Lila Lee, capably handling the rapid shifts in tone and bringing a gradual maturity to her grapheme.
The score, past Dan Neufeld, is beautiful and haunting, giving the vibrant images a great depth and resonance.
I can't rave plenty almost LEMORA.
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Creepy, unlike vampire tale
The film is prepare in Georgia of the 1920s. Sweet innocent 13 year old Lila Lee (Cheryl Smith) goes to visit her ill begetter. Unknown to her information technology's a trap all fix by Lemora (Lesley Gilb) a woman vampire with distinct lesbian tendencies. Volition Lila Lee autumn into her clutches or escape?
I caught this originally on late night TV many years agone. The print was faded, in terrible condition and (slightly) edited--but I knew I was seeing something different. I didn't see the whole thing--I was exhausted (it started at 1 am) and I couldn't stay awake...but information technology never left me. Now it's finally available in a truly stunning transfer by Synapse. The picture and audio are crystal clear and the colors very vivid.
The pic is very creepy--in that location are a LOT of sexual innuendos thrown at Lila at the showtime (only it IS needed for the story). The lesbian touches are there but not explicit--this motion-picture show is very PG (no claret, gore, nudity or swearing). Nevertheless they come through and actually assist the movie. The low budget this picture was made on shows ofttimes only it works in the films favor. There'south atmospheric lighting, eerie sounds, creepy settings and a nonstop feeling of dread. Also Gilb is VERY imposing equally Lemora. Despite the rating this is an developed film--every bit others have said--a fairy tale for adults.
There are plenty of things wrong with this notwithstanding. The script wanders all over the identify (merely then fairy tales do likewise), the ending drags a bit and the acting is terrible all around (Smith is bland and Gilb's acting is So bad I was giggling at times). Nevertheless, despite all that it works. A one of a kind vampire movie. Not for everybody. I requite information technology a nine.
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A Dark, Twisted Journey, To Be Certain!
A immature girl (Cheryl Smith) who returns to her hometown to see her dying father finds herself being drawn into a web of vampirism and witchcraft.
All I can say about this picture show is that information technology strikes me as the sinister version of "Alice in Wonderland". A young daughter enters a world she is unfamiliar with, with people and places that are far outside the norm and outside of logic.
The idea of their existence the higher, swish vampires and the lower, more monstrous vampires was an interesting thought and one y'all rarely run across. In fact, no other examples immediately come to listen. This does make some level of sense.
Of grade, the film besides has a slight "erotic" side to it (very slight, but still in that location). And there is a strange use of religion that probably deserves an essay all its ain, but is non going to be getting it from me.
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Near masterpiece, marred by a messy finish
Cult starlet Cheryl Smith is absolutely mesmerizing in her function every bit the young and sheltered daughter of the town minister, who runs abroad from domicile in search of her lost father. 'Lemora' has all the qualities necessary for it to be the cult classic that it is; It is surreal, strange, and perversely erotic. And it is one of Cheryl Smith's earliest screen appearances. If you lot have seen "Caged Heat" than you are familiar with this actress. And while not being the greatest extra ever, Smith possesses an undeniable and powerful screen presence, which is recognizable here. As "Lila" travels through the dark, foreboding forest after receiving a foreign letter of the alphabet, stating that her criminal father is sick and needs to see her, she encounters and endless stream of sinister men, and afterwards, some zombie-like children in one terrifying sequence. Lila doesn't however realize that she has been summoned by Lemora, a sinister woman who lives in a cracking former house, that is filled with foreign children. Laced with erotic symbolism "Lemora" is inevitably well-nigh the loss of innocence. Hypnotic, dreamlike, and filled with cute Gothic imagery, and appears as a kind of fairytale for adults, as I imagine children would exist admittedly terrified by this! This unique film would be perfect but for a couple of sequences nearly the stop, the commencement when Lila escapes her captor and is running through the forest, and than through a creepy, abandoned building. These scenes of Smith walking around in the shadows really are dragged out for too long. Also the "Boxing sequence" at the films climax is very sloppy, and some tedious wearisome motion effects don't work. This is pitiful because the movie is and so hypnotic, really trance-inducing, until yous get to these sloppy scenes, and the illusion is temporarily interrupted. I believe with only a little re-editing of those scenes this film could be truly exquisite. Fortunately information technology all redeems itself at the end, when the Reverand finds his much-inverse girl. Anyhow exercise not let this slight imperfection dissuade you from seeing this wonderful, beautiful cult motion-picture show. The restoration that Synapse has done for the new DVD is pristine, and this is well worth the cost. Non much here for the gore hounds, but for fans of classic, Gothic horror, "Lemora" is essential viewing.
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A hidden gem
Creepy, haunting virtually-masterpiece made by a 1-time director, Richard Blackburn. In that way and in a few others, it reminds me of Herk Harvey's Carnival of Souls. In that location are a few other films that it reminds me of, too, similar Permit's Scare Jessica to Death, Black Moon and Valerie and Her Calendar week of Wonders, but, really, it's entirely its ain. Lila (Cheryl Smith) is a 13 yr-old girl, a cute, moral, church-going daughter whose long unseen father is a murdering gangster. One day Lila receives a alphabetic character telling her that her father is on his death bed in a hugger-mugger location and that he wants to see her one last fourth dimension. She embarks to the location on a creepy, empty bus, and information technology takes her to a woods full of murderous monsters. A strange woman named Lemora (Lesley Gilb), who claims to take been taking care of her father earlier he ran away in a delirium, offers Lila protection from the monsters outside. It doesn't take Lila long before she realizes Lemora might be every bit as dangerous. In that location is a surprising and agonizing strain of eroticism underlying the film. It'south never exploitative, though, and there are metaphorical meanings to the film revealed (albeit confusingly) at the end of the film that I believe justify that item theme.
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Possibly The All-time Vampire Movie Always
This movie is a archetype on and then many levels. I watched an interview with the managing director where he said he thought he did everything wrong due to inexperience, however, all the things he thought he did wrong--filming at nighttime, using a 1930's setting, low budget, and religious overtones--only served to make this moving picture the classic that it is. There are truly scary moments and the soundtrack is so creepy y'all remember it years later. The makeup is wonderful because the vampires truly expect like the rabid creatures that they are. The scenes of the child vampires are truly creepy and scary.
The basic premise is that Lemora, a female vampire, lures an innocent young girl to her town by telling her that her father is ill. So the girl goes to the boondocks, at night of grade, and finds to her horror that the boondocks is full of rabid vampires. I say rabid because something seems to have gone wrong hither. Lemora herself does non sympathise why her vampires have gone rabid, similar some infection turned them into the horrible creatures they have go. Information technology is but a great plot. Hire this movie, buy this motion-picture show, just see it. It is simply the all-time in archetype horror.
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The most underrated U.s.a. horrorfilm of the 70s?
This lowbudget surreal slice of American Gothic is, in my stance, as outstanding as praised cult pics similar "Nighttime Of The Living Dead" and "Funfair Of Souls". The very religious 13 yr-old Lila Lee (Cheryl Smith, "Caged Estrus" etc.) gets a letter from a lady called Lemora, who's hiding her gangster dad after he shot his wife and her lover. Lila takes a charabanc through some very sinister wood, filled with lethal ghouls infected by an epidemic. When she arrives at Lemora's house, the place seems to be occupied with another kind of creatures: vampires! "Lemora" like "Night Of The Hunter" plays like an adult Grimm fairy tale of innocence and corruption. Director Richard Blackburn's fashionable debut (and only feature) is extremely assured and is packed with awesome cinematography, and the use of lightning, editing and audio is sublimely orchestrated. The acting is also great and so is the ending. The creepy unrealness gives an almost Italian mood to this masterpiece.
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A Cult Classic!
A pic then unique information technology's like a tale like no other. Set in the day of Prohibition, you have a young woman named Lila Lee(Cheryl "Rainbeaux" Smith) who lives with the church pastor considering her father killed her mother and lover. Due to this situation, she has joined the church building to avoid scandal. And so when her father got sick and wrote to her to forgive him for his past mistakes. So she takes a autobus to the destination and she would see foreign people her manner. She would stay at a place where her male parent is supposed to be at. She meets Lemora(Lesley Gilb) who is a very disturbing person. Her looks are then night, it'due south scary. She meets some children who are very mysterious. But it gets a lot creepier past the infinitesimal. At that place'due south a battle going on. It's a battle between two groups of vampires. I side is normal looking, the other looks like freaks. Kinda like a opening for "Underworld", years later. Only in this film, information technology'south vampire vs. vampire. It's similar Edgar Allen Poe meets Bram Stoker. A bear upon of verse and passion. A horror movie for all ages. I don't mean for anyone younger. It's enjoyable for all I can say. If kids are involved in a horror movie, doesn't hateful that information technology's kid friendly. Subtle in nature though, even so not kid friendly. 2.5 out of 5 stars.
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Decent
Lemora: A Kid's Tale of the Supernatural (1973)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
A 13-yr-old Christian daughter (Cheryl Smith) is seduced by a lesbian vampire in this erotic horror film. I've seen diverse lesbian vampire films just it was rather nice watching ane that would get a PG rating. Instead of relying on nudity and sex scenes this one here builds a rather stiff atmosphere and the performance by Smith is very good. The motion picture does a very good task at showing a kid's fears and the director perfectly captures a dreamlike nature to the flick. The only problem is that it runs out of gas effectually the forty minute mark making it rather hard to sit through the balance.
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Dark dreams during the low downwardly in Dixie.
I completely agree other commentators- very much a ready piece of the depression-era s, darkly sensual, with a kind of Lovecraftian atmosphere.
Rainbeaux (Cheryl)Smith looks just about as innocent every bit you tin can get (despite her hard-core life on the streets of L.A. both before and after this pic).
A powerful and scary flick, Lesley Gilb looks exactly like what you would expect an antebellum-yet-nevertheless-surviving southern female vampire to exist- attractive in an odd, off-balanced Karen Blackness kind of way, seemingly kind on the outside, simply exuding a angst of the soul through her optics.
A good job was also washed on showing Lemora's victims as bearers of a progressive illness rather than either making them hideous freaks from the get become or sexing them up like so many modern movies do.
Neither for kids nor gore-freaks, a thought provoking period piece.
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A dreamy, dreary blend of an fine art film and a made-for-Goggle box horror movie
"Lemora" follows Lila Lee, a immature daughter in early-20th-century America who seeks out her father, a gangster on his deathbed who has been taken in by the mysterious Lemora in the small town of Astaroth. After her bus is overrun past a band of dead-eyed civilians (who appear vampiric), Lila Lee is soon taken in by Lemora as well--just it becomes apparent Lemora has sinister intentions.
This offbeat depression-budget supernatural horror moving-picture show lives somewhere between "Lady Dracula" and "Valerie and Her Week of Wonders" (mixed with references to H. P. Lovecraft) every bit it charts a young girl'southward odyssey through a bizarre, sometimes fairytale-similar landscape. Controversial upon its original release, "Lemora" still contains thematically unsettling subtext (mainly regarding Lemora's quasi-sexual interest in the immature Lila Lee) and religious overtones, but the primary attraction--and the wellspring from which the motion picture expels its eeriness--is the rich and atmospheric cinematography.
Though non always entirely narratively satisfying, the film is lush and bright, walking the line between an art film and a fabricated-for-TV movie. Deep purples and blues abound throughout, and there is hardly always a deadening frame. This lends an otherworldly quality that meshes nicely with the film'due south dark fairytale sensibility. The performances are besides strong (albeit offbeat), with Cheryl Smith playing the doe-eyed protagonist with a quiet whimsy, and Lesley Gilb portraying the terrifying-looking title character.
The picture show concludes on an ambiguous note that leaves the viewer ponderous of where the story actually ends, but it's a plumbing equipment determination. Overall, I institute "Lemora" to be mildly spellbinding. It is not the most thrilling or plot-driven of horror films, but it still succeeds among a handful of similarly downbeat horror films from the early 1970s. 8/10.
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