Malabimba: The Malicious Whore (1979) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Bought this movie for $20 somewhere else but i'm not sure if this is the right place to put info for it. The version i bought is from Severin, widescreen, in italian with english subtitles, and says unrated version in front and not rated in back. The cover looks exactly the same as the others with the black background, but this one has a dark red background. The back of the box says it runs 85 minutes. Using the time display on my dvd player, it runs just under 87 minutes(most sites i've read have it running at 88 minutes excluding the hardcore inserts, which makes it break 90+ minutes i think).
Extras include:
* deleted scenes - runs at 15 minutes and are of varying video quality.
* integral version - the option to watch the film with the deleted scenes re-inserted. this version runs 96 minutes. obviously 87 + 15 is not 96 minutes. the deleted scenes include some footage already in the 87 minute version, hence the discrepancy.
* malabimba uncovered - 17 minute featurette with interviews of Mariangela Giordano(the nun in the film), and Franco Villa(the cinematographer, who says there were no hardcore scenes shot for the film).
* trailer - 4 minute trailer that has a few seconds of non-explicit footage that is NOT SEEN in either version on this disc(the death by fellatio scene).
Anyway, it's all kinda confusing to me, but i guess i got the slightly cut version. I could care less about the non-related, x-rated inserts; but the missing minute or so bothers me. I don't know what i'm missing exactly but judging on what's there, it still has a handful of sex scenes, lots of nudity, attractive women, and a few 'thats uncalled for' moments(one invloving a teddy bear).
Besides the missing footage, the most disappointing thing about the film is its lack of scares or atmosphere. If it weren't for the satanic possesion angle of the plotline, i wouldn't even consider it a horror film. As a sexploitation/grindhouse type film, i'd say it's above par. As an exploitation horror, i'd say it's below par. So, if you're not offended by the possible missing minute or so, and are into plotlines that can be summed up in a few words(pubescent, possession, perversion) and mainly just an excuse for deparavity, i can recommend this. 3 1/2 stars for film, rounded up to 4 for extras(count off whatever stars you want for missing footage).


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