Italian Gothic horror films of the 1970s were influenced by the violent giallo movies and adults-only comics of the era, resulting in a graphic approach to the genre. Stories often featured over-the-top violence and nudity and pushed the limits of what could be shown on the screen. The decade marked the return of specialist directors like Mario Bava, Riccardo Freda and Antonio Margheriti, and the emergence of new talents such as Pupi Avati (The House with the Laughing Windows) and Francesco Barilli (The Perfume of the Lady in Black). The author examines the Italian Gothic horror of the period, providing previously unpublished details and production data taken from official papers, original scripts and interviews with filmmakers, scriptwriters and actors. Entries include complete cast and crew lists, plot summaries, production history and analysis. An appendix covers Italian made-for-TV films and mini-series.

Roberto Curti is an Italian film historian and the author of numerous published books and articles. He lives in Cortona, Italy.

Roberto Curti

Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 256
Bibliographic Info: 60 photos, appendix, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2017
pISBN: 978-1-4766-6469-9
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2960-5
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vii
Introduction 1
A Note on the Entries 5
Abbreviations 7
Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1970–1979
1970 9
Balsamus l’uomo di Satana 9 • Il delitto del diavolo—Favola thrilling a.k.a. Le regine 14 • Ombre roventi 17 • Il rosso segno della follia 19 • Thomas … gli indemoniati 23
1971 27
Un gioco per Eveline 27 • …Hanno cambiato faccia 29 • Lady
Frankenstein 32 • Nella stretta morsa del ragno 37 • La notte che Evelyn uscì dalla tomba 40 • La notte dei dannati 43 • Qualcosa striscia nel buio 45 • Il sesso del diavolo—Trittico 48
1972 50
L’amante del demonio 50 • Baron Blood a.k.a. Gli orrori del castello di Norimberga 53 • Un bianco vestito per Marialé 57 • Byleth (il demone dell’incesto) 60 • La dama rossa uccide sette volte 62 • Estratto dagli archivi segreti della polizia di una capitale europea 65 • Frankenstein ’80 69 • La morte scende leggera 71 • La notte dei diavoli 74 • Tutti i colori del buio 77
1973 80
Flesh for Frankenstein a.k.a. Il mostro è in tavola, barone … Frankenstein 80 • Lisa e il diavolo 84 • La morte ha sorriso all’assassino 90 • La morte negli occhi del gatto 93 • Il plenilunio delle vergini 96 • Il prato macchiato di rosso 99 • Riti, magie nere e segrete orge nel Trecento… 102 • Il sesso della strega 104
1974 106
Le amanti del mostro 106 • L’assassino ha riservato nove poltrone 109 • Il bacio 113 • Blood for Dracula a.k.a. Dracula cerca sangue di vergine e … morì di sete!!! 116 • Un fiocco nero per Deborah 119 • Mania 121 • La mano che nutre la morte 124 • Nuda per Satana 126 • Il profumo della signora in nero 129 • Terror! Il castello delle donne maledette 134
1975 138
Il cav. Costante Nicosia demoniaco ovvero: Dracula in Brianza 138 • Frankenstein all’italiana—Prendimi, straziami, che brucio di passion! 141 • Il medaglione insanguinato (Perché?!) 144 • Le orme 146 • La pelle sotto gli artigli 150 • La sanguisuga conduce la danza 154
1976 157
La casa dalle finestre che ridono 157 • La lupa mannara 163 • Un sussurro nel buio 166
1977 169
Anima persa 169 • Sette note in nero 172 • Shock 177 • Suspiria 180 • Tutti defunti … tranne i morti 187
1978 190
Enfantasme 190 • L’osceno desiderio—Le pene nel ventre 192 • Pensione paura 196
1979 201
Buio omega 201 • Dottor Jekyll e gentile signora 205 • Malabimba 208 • Sensività 211 • Le strelle nel fosso 214
Appendix: Italian Gothic on the Small Screen 219
Bibliography 231
Index 235

“Here is yet another prime example of why I love horror reference books. Curti definitely knows his stuff. [This book] will give you plenty of titles that you’re going to want to seek out for the first time, and many that you’ve seen before but now want to revisit once again…exceptional…. If you’re a fan of Italian horror, then you NEED this in your collection”—Kitley’s Krypt