Kiss Me, Kill Me (aka Baba Yaga)

After spending the morning out hitting yard and estate sales, it was time to dive into one of the flicks I picked up while shopping. My first selection of the day was Kiss Me, Kill Me (aka Baba Yaga) from 1973.

Plot/ Strange things have been happening to Valentina, a young and beautiful professional photographer, ever since she made the acquaintance of Baba Yaga, a mysterious older woman who gave her a lift home late one night. For one thing, Valentina has been having weird, kinky nightmares. For another, one of Valentina's cameras seems to have acquired a deadly curse. Then there was that visit to Baba Yaga's house, where Valentina discovered bizarre relics, including a dominatrix doll, and a bottomless pit in the living room. Valentina comes to realize that Baba Yaga is a witch who is out to possess her - body and soul.

What an interesting flick! The movie, loosely based on the erotic graphic novels by Italy's own Guido Crepax, was definitely worth the dollar I paid for it at a yard sale today. Sure this isn't the typical horror film with blood and gore, but this is a very deep movie with multitudes of depth, innuendo and symbolism. If you are a fan of the giallo genre, this film will delight you. If you are not, or do not know the genre, do not expect much in the way of a coherent plot or continuity, just lose yourself in the studied weirdness of the individual sequences. The cinematography and artistic feel of the film leads you through a very surreal maze and entertaining film, enjoy!