Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

A Masterpiece!

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

Italian-American co-production (filmed in both Rome, Italy and Atlanta, Georgia!) is a too-fancy, strenuously arty supernatural thriller with echoes of both "The Exorcist" and "The Omen", featuring a faintly-bemused star cast who, in the words of co-star Lance Henriksen, signed on merely "to get a free trip to Rome." Cherubic pre-teen girl with psychic powers--into gymnastics, ice-skating and shooting her own mother at a birthday party--could be just one of many evil children produced by an ancient alien force waiting for its chance to wreak terror upon the world. Even for those who are able to follow the murky preamble, it may be difficult to ascertain who is good and who is rotten in this picture. The child's mother, now paralyzed, is dating the owner of a professional basketball team who appears to be part of a secret Satanic sect; they want him to impregnate the woman with a male child to mate with her daughter, thereby resurrecting the evil force in human form...but what if she got pregnant with another girl? Calling Dr. Spock! John Huston (sly and crafty as ever, even in these chaotic circumstances) plays some kind of disciple sent to Earth to monitor the girl's actions (at one point posing as her babysitter!). There's also a maid (Shelley Winters), sent by "the agency", who dresses all in black; a detective (Glenn Ford) who investigates mom's "accident" and is attacked by a maniacal bird; and mom's ex-husband (Sam Peckinpah!) who aborts her unwanted fetus. A misbegotten venture, ludicrous and at times laughable, though one must give credit to director Michael J. Paradise (aka Giulio Paradisi): it certainly isn't boring. *1/2 from ****

There was a lot to like here if you're into insane nonsense that's all over the place. Interesting visuals, oddball acting, bizarre plot, and loads of dramatic music add up to a worthwhile watch if you're into craziness that didn't quite translate from Italian. John Huston was great when he had to look at the strange light shows and pose, but it sure seemed like they overdubbed Sam Peckinpah because his voice sounded like generic dubbing guy.

This oddball midnight movie is getting a re-release and eventual DVD courtesy of the Alamo Drafthouse.It's about an evil little girl, who is so evil that John Huston and his pacifist army of intergalactic bald yoga practitioners arrive from space to stop her. Meanwhile Lance Henriksen is the evil boyfriend of her clueless, innocent mother, who sold his soul to the satanic forces nurturing her in a Faustian bargain for...a basketball coach position.Which leads to the early and highly memorable slo-mo basketball set-piece, easily one of the most unique choices of setting for a horror film sequence I've ever seen! The atmosphere of this weird, weird film alternates between genuinely and oddly poetic (mostly thanks to the music), pure B-movie cheese, and unintentional hilarity. It's one of the strangest films I've ever seen, but that's not a bad thing in this case. If you give yourself over to its strange charms, this is some kind of consciousness-expanding experience.Will you like it? There are folks who seek out these sorts of bizarre, unique B-movies. You know who you are. At the very least, you should this film an object of curiosity.Somehow, and for some reason, John Huston, Glenn Ford, Franco Nero (as Jesus Christ), Shelley Winters, Lance Henriksen, Sam Peckinpah, Mel Ferrer and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are all in this movie.

I believe in given movies a chance and I am glad a did with this movie. After the birthday scene, I was hooked. Yeah its bizarre,low budget,okay sound effects but suspenseful,fun,wild,and interesting who can ask for more. Also, it has a great cast and decent plot or whatever you want to call it. The tone of the movie was nice and loved the 70s style in movies when done right. I learned early on after watching this movie to try not to figure it out or believe me it will drive you LOONEY, just enjoy the ride even though you don't know where it will take you. I know this kind of movie might not be for everyone but just give it a chance could become a treat like it did for me while your up late at night and cant go to sleep.