Touches You

Boring

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Pablo and Dominique are two crazy kids in love. Really in love. A love so intense that they cannot bear to be apart. So in love in fact that Dominique takes Pablo to a cemetary and makes him swear on graveyard dirt that even if one of them dies they have to return from the grave or continue their love for all eternity in the afterworld. Pablo of course agrees (eventually), so of course life delivers a kick in the teeth to Pablo when Dominique is seemingly killed in a plane crash.Pablo learns that there were two survivors of the crash that haven't been identified yet, and after driving himself insane with worry he receives a phone call from Dominique stating that she's okay, and she's coming to visit. Things seem to return to normal but then Dominique starts acting strange and secretive, and can apparently put her hand into flames without any pain. With the help of a college professor, Pablo starts to do some digging...although the professor begins to get more concerned with Pablo than anything else, seeing that there's an empty space where Pablo claims Dominique is standing...Enough plot! I can see why this gothic horror would be popular among fans, as the mystery of whether or not Dominique is a ghost takes up the bulk of the film, and although the film is set in modern France, things get very gothic when Pablo goes to Dominique's house. The whole film plays out like a bizarre dream (you can read that as 'not very eventful') but if you like atmosphere you should get a kick out of this. The film did catch me out when the sound totally dropped out while Pablo with driving for about a minute before Pablo himself reacts to it, which was a nice trick.Victor Isreal appears as (what else?) the creepy caretaker, with eyes set to 'really goggly'. You can add this to the pile of gothic horrors that warn the youngsters never to get too deep into a relationship, and to indulge in unprotected casual sex instead.

I only knew this 75 minute obscurity existed because it's a featurette on The Hanging Woman DVD released by Troma. After watching the excellent extras including an interview with Hanging Woman director Jose Luis Merino and Ben Tatar, director of dubbing for Sweet Sound, I decided to watch the film,produced by Sid Pink during his Spanish period. It turned out to be one of the best ghost movies I've ever seen, incredibly creepy, disturbing and chilling. I thought it was better than any ghost story I've ever seen including The Univited and The Haunting; very close in a way to the Euro equivalent of the original Carnival of Souls in style and mood. The black & white location photography is perfect and the music score during key moments is equally chilling. Without violence, monsters, gore or editing/camera tricks, Sweet Sound creates an unsettling, spooky ambiance that clings long after the troubling ending. I don't recall reading about this movie in Sid Pink's autobiography. Thanks to Troma for finding a good print and including it.

Amiable Spanish medical student Pablo (an engaging performance by Emilio Gutierrez Caba) and his passionate French girlfriend Dominique (a charming portrayal by lovely blonde Dynanik Zurakowska) are madly in love. Dominique vows that if she ever dies she would come back for Pablo. After she gets killed in a plane crash, Dominique returns to convince Pablo to join her in the afterlife. Director/co-writer Javier Seto does a sound job of creating and sustaining a quietly spooky atmosphere which becomes more increasingly creepy and unsettling as Pablo gets caught up in the world of the supernatural and the story gradually unfolds towards a haunting downbeat conclusion. Said nicely bizarre mood of eerie dread and mystery reaches its most effective and unnerving apex with a diner table set piece in which everyone with the exception of Pablo turns out to be a ghost. Caba and Zurakowska display a pleasant and appealing chemistry which adds pathos to their romance. Veteran character actor Victor Israel has a cool minor part as a caretaker. Francisco Sanchez's crisp black and white cinematography boasts plenty of impressively fluid pans and winding tracking shots. Gregorio Garcia Segura's jazzy'n'brooding score hits the shivery spot. Unusual and worth a look.

Weird movie about life after death. Very surprising with a good photography in black and white. In the first part, the picture is about a love story, very tender (perhaps too much), suddenly an air crash breaks this history between an Spaniard and a French girl. Later, the boy ask about she is still alive. Ghost apparitions in a haunted house are great!