CRAWLSPACE (1986)

3 stars

88 Films. Blu Ray. Out Now

In a strong opening we are in an apartment building (a large set leftover from TROLL). A young lady is creeping around using a torch. In an attic room she finds a projector, Nazi photos, penned in rats and other extraneous stuff. In a small cage a girl pleads with her but doesn’t speak. The door closes and bolts behind her – out of the shadows one Karl Gunther (Klaus Kinski) appears. Turning on the lights, he exhibits the tongue he cut out of the imprisoned girl! “Shame, I really liked you”, he says as he presses a button and impales the intruder with a large spear that swings from the ceiling. As he is the landlord of the building maybe he was miffed as she was late with her rent?

Consequently there is an apartment available. The only proviso seems to be that they must be good looking young ladies – so that he can spy on them through the grates in the air ducts (which like in most movies are apparently built large enough to accommodate a person – are they really that big?).

College student Lori Bancroft (Talia Balsam) is his next potential victim, when she takes the lease on the flat. But as she is clearly intelligent, you know because in that movie shorthand, she carries books and wears glasses, this may prove to be the downfall of the creepy voyeur.

Kinski is his usual wild eyed, looney self – and created on set problems for writer/director David Schmoeller. However he couldn’t fire him as he had marquee value. It did however lead him to later make a short film in 1999, included on this disc, called ‘Please Kill Mr Kinski’! That being a given, Kinski’s demented performance makes the film. Schmoeller effectively uses the expansive set, to add to the sense of claustrophobia, however this is a minor 80s horror for completists and fans of Mr Kinski. The music score by Pino Donaggio is notable. Tane McClure (credited here as just Tané), makes her feature debut and is the daughter of Doug McClure.

The Blu ray looks impressively crisp and bright, with just a few instances of light scratching.

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS

Audio Commentary by Film Journalists Matty Budrewicz and Dave Wain

Mind Trap: Inside Crawlspace – An Interview with Director David Schmoeller (17 mins): talks about Charles Band and Empire; the large set; using Kinski and not being aware of his reputation; casting; shooting in Italy at Empire Studios

The Making of Crawlspace – (47 mins) an extended interview with Kinski from 1986. From low grade SD source.

Please Kill Mr Kinski – (9 mins) the aforementioned short about the director’s experience working with the infamous actor. From SD source

Featurette (3 mins) plus Original Trailer, VHS Promo, TV Spots and Stills Gallery

Brand-new artwork by Graham Humphreys and reversible sleeve featuring 
original poster art. First pressing gets a slipcase and a poster too!