gavin6942 The spirit of a comatose teenage girl possesses the body of a newcomer to her girls boarding school to enact bloody revenge against the elitist, lingerie-clad coeds responsible for her condition.Donald C. Willis described the film as a "episodic horror-fantasy variation on 'Carrie' by way of 'Patrick' and 'The Medusa Touch'" and that the "heavy-handed intro" makes the film get "off to a bad start". He forgot "Slugs", though this film is nastier than "Slugs" and may be worth watching for that very reason.The interesting thing is how this is a Yugoslavian film. What? I feel like that deserves more of an explanation. I know that Romania was popular for a while to film on the cheap, but you rarely hear about Yugoslavia. What was Fulci doing there?

Scott LeBrun A prank at a girls' private school in Boston goes horribly wrong, and the socially awkward Kathy (Milijana Zirojevic) is struck by a car and ends up in a coma. Shortly after, her revenge minded spirit comes to rest inside a newcomer to the school named Eva (Lara Lamberti). Kathy / Eva fall in love with nice guy doctor Robert Anderson (Jared Martin) while administering a particularly amusing and nasty brand of vengeance."Aenigma" is not one of the late, great Lucio Fulcis' best (it's sad to see him looking ill in his obligatory cameo appearance as a police inspector). It lacks the true overwhelming doom and gloom of his best nonsensical horror films. Mostly, it's good for laughs, although it's nice to see that Fulci hadn't lost his flair for lots of gore in his murder sequences. The plot, as you can see, is trite stuff, but a few memorable set pieces help to lift it out of the ordinary. For one thing, a stone statue comes to life. But the best and (rightly) most notorious scene involves a multitude of snails. The pounding rock music calls to mind the work of Fulcis' peer Dario Argento, while the amount of atmosphere is certainly respectable.The cast is all good looking, but they're all just a little too bland. Lamberti is passable, but also forgettable.An Italian / Yugoslavian co-production, this was filmed on location in both Boston and Serbia.Six out of 10.

VinnieRattolle I love bad movies and foreign films and I can find redeeming qualities in nearly ANY movie... I'm always critical of people who proclaim that a film is 'the worst movie ever made,' but this one is almost deserving of being on a 'worst movies' list. The camera-work and acting rescues it from that fate... just barely. Admittedly, on a scene-by-scene basis, there were a few effective moments -- but it feels like the script was written in a single afternoon. Style without substance.In a very CARRIE-like opening sequence, Kathy (Dragan Bjelogrlic) is transformed from ugly duckling to... 1930s prostitute. She's soon humiliated by her peers and winds up in an accident that results in her becoming a permanent vegetable. She then leaves her body and possesses Eva (Lara Naszinsky), a new student with daddy issues who helps (?) get revenge on the people who scorned Kathy.Though Fulci has his patented visual flair, the film screams turkey and seems rife for a MST3K treatment. I'm not usually one to mock the screen, but I couldn't help myself with this movie. The biggest problem is that the story and dialogue (or at least the English dubbing) are laughably absurd, yet the actors are playing it straight. It reminds me of an Ed Wood film that's completely oblivious to its own badness. My condolences to the cast, who made the best of what they were given. The film is set in the USA (posters of Tom Cruise, Sly Stallone, Yoda and Snoopy adorn dorm walls), but little care was put into researching American dorm life, and absolutely no care was put into researching medical facilities and jargon. The effects are terrible almost across the board. The three exceptions are a creepy mirror scene, an erotic sex scene that takes a nasty turn and a death-by-snail sequence that's uncomfortably well played (though still ridiculous). Unfortunately, a later scene with a menacing snake wasn't as effective -- we cut from silly reaction shots to inserts of a snake slithering across the floor. Ooga-booga. Then this scene goes from dopey to unintentionally hilarious. To top it all off, it's unclear WHY Kathy possesses Eva. Eva doesn't actually kill anyone (unless she did during one of the numerous times when my mind started wandering) and Kathy never actively takes over her body. I could've choked down a specter-like out of body experience, but the possession seems completely pointless.There are only three instances when I'd recommend this film. First, if you're gonna have a big party and are looking for a film to mock while you and your friends get hammered. Second, if you're looking for a textbook example of how NOT to write a story. And third, if you're a die-hard Fulci fan. If you're looking for a scary movie or under any other circumstances, beware. Get one of Fulci's earlier horror movies instead.

Scarecrow-88 Bizarre, corny, but reasonable entertaining Fulci rip on "Carrie" takes the premise one step further. The unfortunate victim of a college prank gone terribly wrong when those who humiliated her caused poor Kathy(Mijlijana Zirojevic)to walk out in front of a moving car, she lies brain-dead in Intensive care on life-support. But, even in these terrible conditions, the need for revenge drives Kathy's vengeful spirit to possess the host of nervous-breakdown beauty, Eva Gordon(the simply gorgeous Lara Naszinsky who I wished would never leave the screen she's so easy on the eyes)into eliminating those who caused her harm. When each murder is about to be set-up and executed, Kathy experiences violent emotion which bewilders Dr. Robert Anderson(Jared Martin, who many might remember from the short-lived, but great, "War of the Worlds" series)whose in charge of her care. Kathy should not be experiencing anything in her worsening state, so when she, all of a sudden, shows signs of aggression after such states of silence it doesn't make sense in a clinical way. Meanwhile, we come to understand that the methods used against each victim stems from their own dreams, with unusual results. The gym instructor's own reflection attacks(he's quite an egomaniac for whom Kathy adored and the major culprit in the dirty prank that went awry)him, one student is attacked by snails(!), one girl is attacked by a Greek statue(!), another girl can not escape a room where the vision of her boyfriend beheaded remains on the bed(she falls to her doom in a state of panic from the dormroom window), and Dr. Anderson himself experiences a grisly dream where his new lover, student Eva, chews chunks of flesh from his torso and mouth.When Eva is sent away after too many violent temper tantrums and rebellious-type behavior(said to perhaps effect the other female students, in a negative was, that attend the St. Mary's Boston college), her lover Anderson starts a relationship with Jenny(Ulli Reinthaler). The doc sure loves the student body..yuk, yuk. So we see the wrath of Eva/Kathy, who escapes from her asylum home, as she confronts Jenny attempting to find Anderson's office. Will Jenny escape where others failed? While I'll be the first to admit that this flick makes little sense whatsoever, it sure has the same visual energy Fulci had a talent for expressing even with the hokiest of story-lines. The bizarre nature of the crimes against the victims is enough(..although most aren't that gory)to warrant at least one viewing. Good electronic score. Hilarious dated foot-note..you'll notice lots of posters featuring popular heroes and movies at that time(Tom Cruise/Top Gun poster, Sly Stallone/Rocky III poster, etc)in the 80's, I'm guessing Fulci added to give his Italian flick a more "American feel." Kathy's mother, the maid of St. Mary's, seems to have a red glow in her eyes and she plays a heavy role in either stopping the carnage or letting it continue. Either way, she understands that her beloved daughter is on the rampage.