Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989)

  Lou Castel [Ulv Quarzéll] (Renato), Monica

  the requisite guest star, as the haughty devil As-

  Guerritore (Monica), Laura Belli (Susanna

  modeus, who pops up every now and then in

  Schumann), Carlo Bagno (Monica’s Father), An-

  the film under various disguises (a cop, a waiter,

  tonio Guidi (Schumann, Susanna’s Father), Elis-

  an orchestra director) in a manner akin to Ed-

  abetta Odino (Monica, the Child), Mita Medici

  mund Purdom in Paolo Lombardo’s trashy sex-

  [Patrizia Vistarini] (Patrizia), Auretta Gay (Elena),

  horror flick L’amante del demonio (972)—not

  Ugo Bologna (Professor at Hospital), Roberto

  that anyone noticed, anyway—and finally gets

  Tiraboschi (Hippie), Lorenzo Logli (Monica’s

  his comeuppance via a guillotine after being

  Stepfather), Riccardo Gavagna, Elena Borgo, Luca

  tricked by Finnicella. Before he is decapitated

  Torraca (Doctor); uncredited: Edy Angelillo (Girl

  (offscreen) he comments: “Women know always

  in Disco). PROD: CTP Cineteleproduzioni

  better than the devil.”

  (Milan); PM: Pierluigi Ottina; PS: Gaetano Carot-

  40 1980: Ombre tini; PSe: Riccardo Pintus; ADM: Maria Cannoni.

  wrote the script for the movie adaptation di-

  Country: Italy. Filmed on location in Milan and

  rected by Bruno Corbucci, Isabella duchessa dei

  at Icet- De Paolis Studios (Milan). Running time:

  diavoli (a.k.a. Ms. Stiletto, 969). With their com-

  96 minutes (m. 260). Visa n. 7223 (.30.980);

  pany Erregi, later Ediperiodici, Barbieri and

  Rating: all audiences. Release date: 6.26.980

  Cavedon created many successful erotic pocket

  (Italy); Distribution: Eurocopfilms. Domestic

  comics, such as Jacula, Lucrezia, Messalina, Lu-

  gross: ,69,000 lire.

  cifera, Jungla, Hessa, De Sade, before parting

  Notes: Paintings by Carlo Jacono; the song

  ways in 972, when Barbieri created Edifumetto,

  “Black Out” is sung by Heather Parisi.

  which became Ediperiodici’s biggest competitor

  Milan. Renato, a painter, wanders gloomily

  in the adults- only comics market throughout

  around the city and recalls his doomed love story

  the decade.

  with Monica. The girl had moved from the coun-

  Despite his successful activity with Ediperi-

  try to the city, and rented an attic previously oc-

  odici, Cavedon did not give up his passion, and

  cupied by an old painter who had been found

  by the late Seventies he returned behind the

  dead there. Renato, estranged from his pregnant

  camera on what would represent his only feature

  and rich wife Susanna, had fallen for her, but

  film as director. Shooting took place entirely in

  Monica was very sick. Before she died, she gave

  Milan; it started on July 9, 979, with the work-

  Renato a painting, a portrait of the old painter,

  ing titles Autoritratto (Self-Portrait)2 and

  who was actually Monica’s grandfather. An evil

  Ritratto di un fantasma (Portrait of a Ghost),3

  soul obsessed with occultism and tarots, he had

  and lasted through the months of July and Au-

  used the girl as a medium to paint his own

  gust; by the time filming was near completion,

  portrait from the beyond. After Monica’s death,

  however, the title had already been changed into

  Renato had moved to the decrepit attic, and be-

  the definitive one, Ombre (Shadows).4 As the di-

  came obsessed with the painting. Susanna con-

  rector specified, it referred to the shadows “of

  vinced him to sell it for a large sum, but Renato

  the world of a young artist in the district of

  found himself unable to paint any longer. Renato

  Brera, a world populated with hopes and disil-

  desperately tries to turn himself into a medium

  lusions; the ones in which a girl doomed to die

  for Monica from the afterlife. He locks himself in

  struggles; and the ones which upset the human

  the attic, until one day Susanna’s father comes to

  mind in the illusory search for a truth that no

  tell him that his daughter has given birth to a

  longer exists.”

  baby…

  Cavedon was understandably vague about

  Giorgio Cavedon (930–200) was an eclec-

  the true nature of his film, which newspapers

  tic personality who crossed the various threads

  described as a melodrama in the vein of Love

  of Italian popular culture for several decades,

  Story (970).6 In fact, it is an eerie ghost story

  dabbling in literature, music, comics, and cin-

  which unrolls in flashbacks, blending present

  ema. His name is commonly linked to the

  and past events. It reprises elements in vogue in

  adults- only comics he wrote with Renzo Barbi-

  the 970s, such as the interest in parapsychology,

  eri, starting with Isabella, which in 966 repre-

  and its bleak plot recalls one of the many adult

  sented Italy’s first openly erotic fumetto. An ac-

  comics Cavedon scripted—devoid of nudity and

  complished jazz musician and a member of the

  gore, that is. Ombre is surprisingly understated,

  Milan College Jazz Society, Cavedon had also

  at a time where extreme violence and sex were

  ambitions to be a filmmaker. In 93 he shot his

  the norm: Cavedon was attempting to make an

  first 6mm documentary, and the following year

  old- style horror story, leaving aside shocks and

  he screened the experimental short film Arturo

  scares and aiming for subtlety, and focusing on

  at the Cannes Film Festival. Over the years

  such themes as the need for artistic creation and

  Cavedon resurfaced sporadically in the movie

  the ultimate inescapability of fate.

  business: he was Renato Dall’Ara’s assistant on

  The director’s own script plays with

  the interesting Scano Boa (960), and in 96 he

  Gothic’s traditional imagery: the doomed artist,

  directed an episode of the comedy anthology I

  the evil portrait, a menace from the past, the

  soldi, starring Enrico Maria Salerno and Cather-

  thin boundaries between this world and the af-

  ine Spaak.

  terlife, a circular conception of life where past

  Published from April 966 to October 976,

  events are doomed to repeat themselves over

  for a total of 263 issues, Isabella convinced Cave-

  and over. Despite the many literary references,

  don to stick to the comics business, although he

  from M.R. James to Poe (a cat seems to be a

  1980: Ombre 4

  medium between the dead artist and the one

  walls, as if on opposite sides of an aquarium)

  who will take his place), what sets apart Ombre

  and ample use of comic book- style shots, such

  from many Gothic tales with similar plots is pre-

  as freeze frames and details of faces, ha
nds and

  cisely the contemporary Milanese setting, which

  objects. Cavedon even pays homage to L’Année

  gives the supernatural angle a realistic backdrop.

  dernière à Marienbad in the scene at the Sem-

  As Giulio Questi did in Arcana (972), Cavedon

  pione park, where the camera tracks laterally and

  manages to convey the feel of obscure forces

  discovers the two lovers standing motionless

  working subtly in an everyday reality, just be-

  while kissing by a tree, and here and there he

  neath the surface: even children’s chalk drawings

  comes up with suitably eerie images, such as the

  on the asphalt take on a sinister meaning.

  little girl playing hopscotch in the courtyard. He

  In the opening sequences we see Monica

  is immensely aided by Erico Menczer’s top-

  take a tramway to the outskirts of the city, to the

  notch cinematography, characterized by the

  Navigli district and its canals, and move to one

  ample use of flou and striking transitions from

  of those big condos that housed hundreds of

  light to darkness, and by Maurizio Sangineto’s

  families, mostly immigrants, depicted in such

  score, which mixes “eerie synthesizer droolings

  films as Rocco e i suoi fratelli (960, Luchino Vis-

  and splintering guitar chords.”8

  conti). The squalid, claustrophobic attic where

  For all its qualities, though, Ombre is badly

  she and then Renato move to is a prosaic but no

  flawed. The insistent use of voice- over soon be-

  less perturbing variation of the dilapidated

  comes tiresome and heavy- handed (“I have re-

  Gothic castles which feed on their inhabitants’

  mained alone on this useless life’s stage,” Renato

  primal fears and retain the malevolent presence

  mutters, while wandering on … an empty stage),

  of their previous occupants. Perhaps the director

  the story feels stretched despite the intriguing

  had in mind the building where the doomed

  flashback structure, and the characters are so

  Trelkovsky goes to live in Roman Polanski’s

  sketchy and perfunctory that it is hard to care

  stunning adaptation of Roland Topor’s novel, Le

  about them. In addition to that, despite a pair

  locataire, a.k.a. The Tenant (976). On top of

  of capable leads such as Lou Castel and Monica

  that, Cavedon has his lonely protagonist wander

  Guerritore, the performances are hardly con-

  around the city, juxtaposing his discouraged

  vincing. Monica’s melodramatic death scene

  meditations with sinister architectural glimpses

  seems lifted from some worthless tearjerker, and

  of Milan, from the imposing caryatids at the

  Castel—by then in a career- low stretch, with ti-

  Central railway station (built during the Fascist

  tles such as L’osceno desiderio (978) and Suor

  regime) to Giorgio De Chirico’s surreal 973

  omicidi (979)—looks uninterested. His per-

  open- air fountain sculpture “I bagni misteriosi”

  formance becomes downright embarrassing in

  (“The Mysterious Baths”),7 giving the impression

  the scene at a disco where Renato gets drunk

  of the big city as a vampire which deprives its in-

  after selling the portrait Monica had entrusted

  habitants of the will to live.

  to him, and dances frantically to the sound of a

  In a way, Ombre could also be read as a

  Heather Parisi song.

  metaphorical meditation on the loss of the 968

  Nevertheless, Ombre remains a rather in-

  ideals. In a flashback we first meet Renato intent

  teresting oddity, not least because of the partic-

  on working on a huge mural painting, together

  ipation of personalities from the artistic world,

  with a group of hippie artists; in the scenes set

  such as Carlo Jacono (one of Italy’s most famous

  in the present, the mural looks dilapidated and

  illustrators, and the official cover artist of the Gi-

  ruined beyond repair. Likewise, Renato betrays

  alli Mondadori from 90 to 986), who provided

  his ideals of artistic purity and finds (ephemeral)

  the eerie portrait at the center of the story, and

  notoriety by selling someone else’s work and

  Roberto Tiraboschi (who subsequently became

  pretending it is his own. Cavedon carries the

  a renowned writer and scriptwriter), who plays

  story coherently to its grim yet logical denoue-

  a small role. Some sources credit Mario Caiano

  ment, with a punchline that plays like a variation

  as co- director, but the information is groundless:

  on the ending of Luigi Comencini’s black com-

  Caiano himself never mentioned his participa-

  edy Lo scopone scientifico (972), where rat poi-

  tion to the film, and Castel has been adamant

  son also played a key role.

  that Cavedon was the film’s only director.9

  The direction attempts to be stylish, with

  Despite a reasonable amount of publicity,

  some impressive images (Renato and Monica

  Ombre—advertised as “a young film for young

  meeting on opposite sides of a palace with glass

  people”—failed to attract any audience: report-

  42 1980: Paura edly, it ended up with only 6 tickets sold

  Paura nella città dei morti viventi (City

  and closed after just a week. Critics were tepid,

  of the Living Dead, a.k.a. Gates of Hell)

  too: “Cavedon’s direction … moves among the

  D: Lucio Fulci. S and SC: Lucio Fulci, Dar-

  story’s twists and certain inconsistencies in the

  dano Sacchetti; DOP: Sergio Salvati (LV-Lu-

  script with mixed results. If on one hand he

  ciano Vittori); M: Fabio Frizzi, conducted by

  goes for effect with naïve and elementary

  the author (Ed. Flipper); E: Vincenzo Tomassi;

  tricks … on the other he takes advantage,

  PD, CO: Antonello Geleng; MU: Franco Rufini;

  thanks also to Erico Menczer’s photography,

  AMU: Rosario Prestopino; Hair: Luciano Vito;

  of some rather unseen glimpses of old Milan,”0

  AD: Roberto Giandalia [2ndAD: Michele Soavi,

  wrote the Corriere della Sera, blaming also the

  uncredited]; SD: Giacomo Calò Corducci; ASD:

  story’s excessively slow pacing. After such a

  Ovidio Taito; ACO: Luciana Morosetti; SO:

  commercial debacle, Cavedon never directed

  Ugo Celani, Marco Streccioni; B: Eros Giustini;

  another picture.

  Mix: Bruno Moreal; SE: Gino De Rossi; C:

  Roberto Forges Davanzati; AC: Maurizio Luc-

  NOteS

  chini; AE: Armando Pace, Pietro Tomassi;

  1. “Primo ciak del film Autoritratto a Milano,” L’Unità,

  ChEl: Roberto Belli; KG: Giancarlo Serravalli;

  July 0, 979. The start date is confirmed by Rome’s Public

  SP: Giorgio Garibaldi Schwarze; STC: Naz-

  Cinematographic Register as well.

  zareno Cardinali; Stunts: Don Ruffin;
SS: Rita

  2. “Opera prima con ‘star’ a Brera,” La Stampa, August

  Agostini, Donatella Botti. Cast: Christopher

  8, 979.

  George (Peter Bell), Katherine [Catriona] Mac-

  3. Sandro Liberali, “Io tanti flirt? Prego, solo amori,”

  Corriere dell’informazione, July 8, 979 (interview with

  Coll (Mary Woodhouse), Carlo De Mejo

  Mita Medici); Franca Morotti, “La mia vita? Tanta rabbia

  (Gerry), Antonella Interlenghi (Emily Rob-

  e voglia di pattinare,” Corriere dell’informazione, July 30,

  bins), Giovanni Lombardo Radice (Bob),

  979.

  Daniela Doria [Daniela Cormio] (Rosie

  4. See Anonymous, “Un’altra troupe ‘gira’ in autobus

  Kelvin), Fabrizio Jovine (Father William

  con fantasmi e gatto parapsicologo,” Corriere della Sera,

  August 8, 979.

  Thomas), Luca Paisner [Luca Venantini]

  5. Rossella Dallò, “Comincia con la fine di un amore

  (John-John Robbins), Michele Soavi (Tommy

  la carriera di un giovane regista,” L’Unità, August 3, 979.

  Fisher), Venantino Venantini (Mr. Ross), Enzo

  6. Ibid.

  D’Ausilio (Sheriff Russell’s Deputy), Adelaide

  7. Placed in the Sempione park in 973 as part of the

  “Art-City Contact” project for Milan’s XV Triennale, “I

  Aste (Theresa), Luciano Rossi (Policeman in

  bagni misteriosi” is considered by many to be Giorgio De

  apartment), Robert Sampson (Sheriff Russell),

  Chirico’s greatest sculpture. Made from Vicenza stone, the

  Janet Agren (Sandra); uncredited: Omero Ca-

  installation is composed of eight elements placed in a large

  panna (Burning zombie), Lucio Fulci (Dr. John

  sinuous pool: two torsos, a dark- haired man and a blond

  Thompson), Michael Gaunt (Gravedigger),

  one; a Swan whose outline recalls a floating boat at the

  amusement park; a multicolored fish and a colored beach

  Perry Pirkanen (Blond Gravedigger), James

  ball; a trampoline; a real cabin for swimmers with wind

  Sampson (James McLuhan, Séance member),

  flags; and a fountainhead. Part of the floor of the pool, in

  Martin Sorrentino (Sgt. Clay), Robert E.

  yellow ochre, is decorated with a parquet motif that recalls

  Werner (Policeman outside apartment build-

  the movement of waves. As the artist explained, “the idea

  for the “Mysterious baths” fountain came to me while I

  ing). PROD: Dania Film, Medusa Distribuzione,

  was in a house whose floor had been polished with wax. I

  National Cinematografica (Rome); GM: Gio-