Mario Bava’s 1966 film "Kill, Baby, Kill" unfolds within a Carpathian village in 1907, centering on Dr. Paul Eswai (Giacomo Rossi-Stuart), who is summoned by the inspector (Piero Lulli) to conduct an autopsy. The indications suggest that the community is under a curse—a spectral girl seemingly drives those who glimpse her to take their own lives—though the doctor initially dismisses this as nonsense. Erika Blanc portrays a visiting medical student assisting Eswai, while Fabienne Dali embodies the village witch and Giovanna Galletti takes on the role of a disgruntled baroness. Luciano Catenacci appears as the burgomaster and the witch’s romantic partner. The film establishes a striking Gothic/Horror atmosphere, reminiscent of earlier works such as the black-and-white "The City of the Dead" (also known as "Horror Hotel") from 1960 and particularly “The Terror” (1963), which involved Francis Ford Coppola in its production. Like those films, “Kill, Baby, Kill” incorporates mysterious estates, crumbling churches, ghosts, cobwebs, witches, and bell towers—elements characteristic of Hammer Films productions of the time, like "Dracula, Prince of Darkness" (1966). The film excels at creating a chilling atmosphere, although the narrative itself isn't as captivating as “The Terror,” with the exception of the final act. Despite this, it has clearly had an impact on numerous artists and their creations. Rossi-Stuart delivers a dependable performance as the lead character, bearing a resemblance to James Bond in appearance. Erika Blanc and Fabienne Dali also perform well, each making a distinctive impression. The film’s title feels somewhat contrived, bringing to mind Russ Meyer's "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" from the previous year. It seems intended to give the movie a contemporary feel and boost ticket sales. In the United States, it was later rebranded as “Curse of the Living Dead” in 1971—a significant improvement. Several alternative titles would have been more fitting and descriptive, including "Village of the Laughing Dead," "Night of the Laughing Dead," "Child of Vengeance," "The Ghost at the Window,” “Child Cursed Village,” “Forgotten Daughter,” “Make them Pay,” “Sorceress' Regret,” “Melissa,” and “Melissa’s Curse.” Some humorous title suggestions include “Melissa and her Sissa,” “The Graps of Wrath,” and “That Damn Ball.” The last one references the fact that the ghost girl was portrayed by a young boy, Valerio Valeri. "Kill, Baby, Kill" has a running time of 1 hour, 23 minutes and was filmed entirely in Rome, Lazio, Italy. Romano Migliorini, Roberto Natale, and Bava are credited as writers. GRADE: B

Source on TMDB