I believe this was the last film from Director Mario Brava, with his son, Lamberto, directing parts of it. While the obvious lack of budget shows this still remains a fine movie from the old master.The plot involves Daria Nicolodi and her 2nd husband moving back into the house she shared with her 1st beau, who we are told died by his own hand and was a depressive drug addict. She has spent some months in a sanitarium recovering from her ordeal but now all the trouble seems well behind her.Of course it's only just beginning. And along for the ride is Creepy Kid number 8765 in horror movies of this period. Only this kid may be, on occasion, psychically inhabited by the ghost of his father - Nicolodi's 1st hubby!Daria N is superb in this movie, taking the viewer away from the fairly stretched out plot and putting it all out there. A very different performance to the one she gave in Deep Red but just as effective. And of course Bava fills the film with superbly-realised fever dreams and some genuinely jumpy moments. The denouement, when it comes, is superbly executed. This is a film that mainly relies on atmosphere and creepiness rather than gore, except for one scene at the end involving a pick axe.If only they'd left out the laughing piano!

I had read many reviews of this Mario Bava "classic" and have seen it re-released many times due to the cult status it holds. Starting to watch this however I really couldn't understand why.I am no stranger to a good Italian movie and some of those can be very slow and lacking substance, so I was expecting big things knowing this was a cult classic, however I almost fell asleep in the beginning of this.It was just so slow to go anywhere, it felt like almost nothing was happening. It almost has an "Omen"-esque feel to it, where something seems to be up with the boy, but we are not totally sure what it is.Stick with it though, as the pace increases around the halfway point and doesn't really stop until the bloody conclusion. It's never going to be as good as "Blood and Black Lace", but it's certainly worth a watch.

It's Always an Anticipation when coming to a Mario Bava Movie. Considered one of the Best Italian Horror Directors, Bava Never Failed to be an Auteur, always bringing an Artistic Flair with His "on the move" Camera Work, Color Schemes, and a Fertile Imaging of the Genre (Horror/Giallo).This, His Final Film, was done during Failing Health, like Hitchcock, the Talent Remained and His Vision is Incorporated here even though much of the Movie was Relegated to His Son, Lamberto.It's a Creepfest of Considerable SHOCKS and the Strong B-Acting working with one of the Masters manages to Help in the Delivery. Coming at the End of the Horror/Giallo Cycle, while Certainly Not One of the Genre's Best or Worse, it is still Worth a Watch and is only Slightly Disappointing, Mostly Due to the Aging Director and the then Tiredness of the Story. Also, His usual Standout Color Trademark is Surprisingly Absent.The Dynamic Duo of Modern Italian Horror, Bava and Dario Argento, both made some Mediocre Movies (the Human Condition), and this is one of Bava's. But both of the Director's Lesser Works are Still Above Average and Always a Treat for Fans.This Haunted House-Supernatural-Possession Film is a Respectable Inclusion with a Child Character Near the Center and that can be Problematic, but it is OK here. Note...Some prints are titled "Beyond the Door II" and was a Distributor Decision, is exploitive and has nothing to do with the Original.

Dora Baldini (Diana Nicolodi) has just been released from an asylum. Her drug-addicted husband drove her crazy--and disappeared. She moves back home with her new husband and 10 year old son (David Colin Jr.) from the previous marriage. Things are OK at first--but then her son threatens to kill her and strange things start to happen. Is she going crazy or is his first husband dead and returning to kill her? Very slow and very dull film from director Mario Bava--his final one. I personally never found Bava's movies too good. They are atmospheric but they make no sense and are full of unlikable characters. This one doesn't even have atmosphere to help it! It plods on at a very slow pace and wears out it's welcome long before it's over. Colin is easily one of the worst child actors I've ever seen--it's a good thing he never made another movie. Nicolodi is good and tries--but she can't save the movie. The plot is--to say the least--improbable and there's a music score that will make you want to scream. Nothing really happens until the final 20 minutes when Bava throws in some graphic gore and increasingly silly (but fun) plot twists--but it's too little too late.I saw it in a revival theatre where audiences usually applaud after the movies. This ended with dead silence and one guy saying, "Bava directed THAT?" A must miss even if you're a Bava fan.