PANICBEATSbeginswithatotallynudewomanwithweltsonherbody,runningthroughamistyforestfullofdecayedskeletons.Aknightonhorsebackischasingher,andwesoonlearnthatheisAlaricdeMarnac(awickedcharacterNaschyfirstcreatedforHORRORRISESFROMTHETOMB),viciouslykillingherforherunfaithfulways.Afterthecreditsrole,wearetakentothepresentwhereadescendentofMarnacnamedPaul(Naschy)ismarriedtothewealthyGeneviève(JuliaSaly)washassomeseriousheartproblems.Pauldecidestotakehertohisancestralhomeinthecountryforsomepeaceandquiet,butthesuperstitious-filledsettingopensaPandora’sBoxofterribleoccurrences. WesoondiscoverthatPaulisarealson-of-a-bitchwhoplanstoscarehiswifetodeath,planningtocontrolherfortuneandcontinuehissecretaffairwithseductivebadgirlMireille(SilviaMiró),whohappenstobethenieceofthetarotcard-readinghousekeeper,Mabile(LolaGaos).Paul’smalevolentschemeworks,buthestillhastoworryaboutanadditionalmoney-hungrymistress(thisguyreallygetsaround!),theunforgivingMabile,aswellasnewfianceéMireillewhomightbehidingathingortwoherself.Moregrislymurdersfollow,andtheghostofMarnacreturnsfromhelltopunishthemostdespicablehumancharacterinthefilm. PANICBEATSwasalsowrittenbyNaschy(underhisrealnameJacintoMolina)whoinjectsthefilmwithanold-fashionedspookyhousemotif,beefedupwithamodernmoviesenseofviolenceandsexuality.Thefilmoffersnothingtooinnovativestorywise,andevenNaschyadmitsonthedisc’sextrasthatitwaspartlyinspiredbyGASLIGHTandREBECCA,butheseemstojusttossinahodgepodgeofexploitationandhorroringredients,whiledeliveringastylishandenjoyableeffortwithanumberoftwistsandsomegenuinelychillingmoments.Thecamerashotsandlightingarebotheffective,andthere'sevendoesacoolset-up(muchlikewhatFreddieFrancisdidinTHESKULLandTHECREEPINGFLESH)whereweseethepointofviewofMarnacthroughhisdarkhelmetashestalkshisfemaleprey.Graphically,weareexposedtoeverythingfromaplateofbloodyeyeballs,tovictimsbeingbeatenrelentlesslywiththevariousMedievalweaponsaffixedonthehouse’swalls(forexample,someoneisaxedinthestomach,followedbythesoakedentrailsoozingout!).Naschy’smostfrequent1980sleadinglady,JuliaSaly,isnotgivenmuchtodo,butwithheroffbeatlooks,isanicepresencenonetheless.TheprominentfemalestarhereisSilviaMirówhoisseeninthebufffrequently,andshecertainlymakesforsomewell-appreciatedEurostarleteyecandy.Naschyhimselfisverygoodinthefilm,puttingonconnivingfacades,carryinganumberofwomenonastring,
林嘉欣,卫诗雅,刘俊谦,蔡思韵,黄又南,朱栢康,朱鉴然,胡子彤
姜皓文,朱柏谦,陈湛文,柯炜林,何颖璇,林千渟,卢慧敏,周祉君,吴凤鸣,张凯娸,张满源,黃錠江