a broken doll’s head from which a pool of blood
in the opposite direction to the rational denoue-
has come out (the red making a stark contrast
ments of the pseudo- narrative puzzles of so
on the black and white composition), Macabro
much Gothic literature and cinema: rather, it re-
received good press reviews. It proved also a
calls in tone the mocking and grim endings in
commercial success. As Bava recalled, “a week
Mario Bava’s cinema.
after the film’s release, Minervini told me it
A good part of Macabro’s weird fascination
was the first Avati production that made any
relies on its subdued use of locations. Except for
money.”4
a few scenes in New Orleans, accomplished in
The film was also screened at the Sitges
just four days (such as the exterior shots of the
Film Festival in Catalunya in October 980,
main location, Duval’s two- story house), most
prior to its distribution in Spain, and at the 0th
of the film was shot in Northern Italy, namely
“Festival international du film fantastique et de
in Gardone Riviera, near Salò, on the Lake
science- fiction” in Paris, to good response.
Garda, in the villa once owned by Mussolini’s
When interviewed in L’Écran fantastique Bava
lover Claretta Petacci. But the outstanding open-
announced that his next film would be Gnomi,
ing title image, set in a monumental, creepy
cemetery dominated by a ziggurat- like mau-
soleum which sets the tone for a story in which
the living a re dominated by the dead, was shot
in Crespi d’Adda, an industrial village near Berg-
amo built in the last quarter of the 9th century
by the Crespi family, owners of textile factories,
which has become a UNESCO site. Bava shot
a brief sequence there with Bernice Stegers vis-
iting a grave. “The sky was grey, a little fine rain
was falling, which gave a formidable atmos-
phere,” the director recalled, “but I must say that
Franco Delli Colli added his own personal
touch, and tried something new with lots of fil-
ters, because I wanted a very dusky coloring.”2
The score, by Ubaldo Continiello (who had
written the music for La Venere d’Ille), is also
peculiar, and blends classical passages with jazzy
saxophone and harmonica- driven parts, more
rhythmic and aggressive, which are typical of
the Louisiana setting.
Mario Bava had no input on the film.
When his son gave him the script to read, he re-
fused to give him any suggestion: “It’s your
movie, make it the way you want to!” He saw
the rough cut in late January 980. “Now I can
rest in peace,” he told Lamberto.3 Three months
later he was gone.
Macabro was submitted to the rating board
in late March 980 to obtain a screening certifi-
cate. The Board invited the producers to
“lighten” (i.e., trim) the scene in which Jane
kisses the dead man’s head on the bed. The cut
(of 4.20 meters, that is about 8 seconds) was per-
Macabro (1980), Lamberto Bava’s film debut,
formed immediately, and the committee gave
came out in Italy with the tagline “Il film che ha
the film a V.M.4 rating. Released with an apt
terrorizzato anche Dario Argento” (the film
tagline (“il film che ha terrorizzato anche Dario
which frightened even Dario Argento), hinting
Argento,” the film which frightened even Dario
at new heights in horror (courtesy Luca servini).
34 1980: Il medium a grotesque story set in a small building inside
3. According to the Public Cinematographic Register,
a city (possibly Vienna or Trieste) where strange
filming started on November 9, 979.
4. Alain Schlockoff and Robert Schlockoff, “Entretien
events occur. Eventually the inhabitants find out
avec Lamberto Bava,” L’Écran fantastique #6, January 98,
that the top floor, apparently vacant, is inhabited
4–.
by gnomes. The building is gradually deterio-
5. Ibid., .
rating, with humidity, moss and plants growing
6. Ibid.
everywhere, as the little creatures are recreating
7. See Curti, Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1970–1979, 4.
8. A. Schlockoff and R. Schlockoff, “Entretien avec
their favorite microclimate, and are planning to
Lamberto Bava,” 4.
turn the whole city into a forest. The gnomes
9. See Curti, Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1970–1979,
are good to gentle and kind souls, while they kill
9–4, and 24–27.
those who are bad and selfish. In the end, only
10. Luca M. Palmerini and Gaetano Mistretta, Spaghetti
Nightmares (Rome: M&P Edizioni, 996), 37.
few tenants survive the carnage, and must adapt
11. Bava had planned to shoot another project in Crespi
to the gnomes’ way of life and rules. Bava had
d’Adda: I ritornanti, the story of a group of teenagers who
written the script with Roberto Gandus and
undergo a series of extreme trials to prove their courage
Alessandro Parenzo, and the movie was to be
and defy death, getting close to a point of no return. One
produced by Vides. But the project would cost
day a girl goes too far and seemingly dies, only to return
from death a little while later. But in fact, it is not she who
too much, and Bava sent the script overseas to
has returned from the other side, but someone (or some-
several U.S. companies, including Steven Spiel-
thing) else… . Bava wanted Crespi d’Adda to pass off as an
berg’s Amblin, hoping to find an American co-
American college: he had completed location scouting and
producer, but to no avail. Gnomi was eventually
was ready to shoot, but the project never took off.
12. A. Schlockoff and R. Schlockoff, “Entretien avec
dropped, but in 984 Joe Dante’s Gremlins came
Lamberto Bava,” .
out, which Bava claimed had many similarities
13. Lucas, Mario Bava. All the Colors of the Dark, 02.
with his script6 (although judging from the brief
14. Gomarasca, “Intervista a Lamberto Bava,” 38.
synopsis the director told L’Écran fantastique it
15. According to the official ministerial data, it was seen
doesn’t seem so).
by 77,037 spectators and grossed an amount corresponding
to about 46,9 Euro. (http:// infoicaa. mecd. es/ Catalogo
Eventually, despite the good critical and
ICAA/ Peliculas/ Detalle?Pelicula= 94).
commercial results of his film debut, Lamberto
16. “But, I assure you, I have been told a couple of years
Bava had to stay at home without working for
ago that Joe Dante had this Italian script in his hands,
a whole year, due to family ma
tters. It was
translated into English, with drawings, how to make them
[gnomes]; lots of work had been done. Funny enough,
Dario Argento who helped him recover his pro-
there is not much difference between Gremlins and Gnomi.
fessional path by hiring him as his a.d. on Tene-
However, nowadays I’m pleased, because it means that
bre. Bava returned to directing with La casa con
surely what we think, that we are not inferior to them, is
la scala nel buio, scripted by Dardano Sacchetti
true.” Alberto Morsiani, “Conversazione con Lamberto
and Elisa Briganti and produced by Luciano
Bava,” in Alberto Morsiani (ed.), Rosso italiano (1977/1987).
Sequenze #7, March 988, 7.
Martino, a violent giallo with some Gothic ref-
erences—including an impressive opening se-
quence which reprised the same concept from
Il medium (The Medium)
which Sacchetti’s own script for Quella villa ac-
D: Silvio Amadio. S: Silvio Amadio; SC:
canto al cimitero was born—set in a modern-
Claudio Fragasso, Tonino [Antonio] Cucca, Sil-
day version of the Gothic haunted house: the
vio Amadio; DOP: Maurizio Salvatori (East-
story revolves around a young composer (An-
mancolor, Telecolor); M: Roberto Pregadio (Ed.
drea Occhipinti) who rents an isolated villa to
Nazionalmusic); E: Silvio Amadio; PD, CO: Elio
write the score for a horror film, only to find
Micheli; AD: Mauro Paravano; AE: Marina
out that the elusive tenant before him (a mys-
Candidi; SO: Alberto Salvatori; C: Giancarlo
terious girl named Linda) might be the maniac
Granatelli; AC: Renato Palmieri; MU: Angelo
who slashes Bruno’s female neighbors in graph-
Roncaioli; Hair: Galileo Mandini; W: Renata
ically gory ways. Born as a made- for-TV proj-
Renzi; SS: Romana Pietrostefani. Cast: Vincent
ect, it eventually found theatrical distribution
Mannari Jr. [Guido Mannari] (Paul Robbins),
due to its graphic violence.
Sherry Buchanan (Laura), Stefano Mastrogiro-
lamo (Alan), Martine Brochard (Daniela), Nico-
Notes
letta Amadio (Anita, the Psychic), Achille
1. Manlio Gomarasca, “Intervista a Lamberto Bava,” in
Brunini [Brugnini] (Vanni, the Doctor), Vin-
Genealogia del delitto. Il cinema di Mario e Lamberto Bava.
Nocturno Dossier #24, July 2004, 37.
cenzo Ferro (Benedetti, Daniela’s husband),
2. Gomarasca and Pulici, “I testimoni,” 49.
Mirko Ellis [Mirko Korcinsky] (Anita’s Hus-
1980: Il medium 3
band), Andrea Aureli (Berto, the Gardener),
on Friday nights, after dinner, at your place,”
Paolo De Manincor (Bersani), Loris Zanchi
Amadio wrote. The participants—Fidani and
(Prof. Albitzen), Salvatore Martino, Philippe
his partner Mila Valenza Vitelli, Amadio and his
Leroy (Prof. Power). PROD: Ars Nova Cooper-
wife Gabriella, Roman lawyer Roberto Castaldi,
ativa S.r.l. (Rome); PM: Augusto Silvestrini; PS:
Fidani’s brother Arturo and Mila’s son Paolo—
Marco Kustermann; PSe: Nicola Princigalli.
used to record the séances with tape recorders
Country: Italy. Filmed at Palatino Studios
and microphones. They closed doors and win-
(Rome). Running time: 89 minutes (m. 244).
dows and sat in the dark, waiting for their guide
Visa n. 7442 (2.7.979); Rating: V.M.4. Release
spirits to manifest. “We know it is not possible
date: 3.0.980 (Italy); Distribution: Regional.
for us to understand some concepts, at least until
Domestic gross: approx.,000,000 lire.
we will remain in a material state,” the director
Note: painting by Agostino De Romanis.
added, recalling the “crass laughs of our friends
American composer Paul Robbins moves to
whenever we discussed and mentioned the
Rome with his ten- year-old son Alan to work on
earthly concepts of time and space.” Among the
his new dodecaphonic opera. Robbins, a widower,
otherworldly visitors that manifested during the
hires the young Laura to look after Alan, but soon
séances, as Amadio recalled, once there was
the boy starts acting in a weird way, and mentions
even Pope John XXIII.
an imaginary playmate whom only he can see, a
There is little doubt that Il medium was
black- haired woman dressed in white. Weird
conceived as a sincere homage to Fidani, on
events take place: Robbins is attacked by a fero-
whom Prof. Power, the titular savant played by
cious dog, a mysterious female voice is recorded
Philippe Leroy, seems to have been patterned.
on his tapes, and he is perturbed by a painting
In a scene, the psychic lectures about the
given to him by Daniela, the wife of the art direc-
survival of the spirit after death (“The spiritual
tor with whom he is working for his new opera.
world belongs to a distinct dimension from our
Things turn even worse, as Alan seems to be pos-
time and space”) and the permanence of evil in
sessed by a malevolent entity. Upon advice of a
the afterlife, linked with the least evolved spirits
doctor friend, Robbins summons a noted psychic,
(“We cannot and mustn’t approach the spiritual
Professor Power, who solves the mystery. It turns
world without a deep moral preparation”), with
out that Daniela, a powerful psychic, is seeking
words very similar to those later used by Fidani
revenge against Robbins, who years earlier had
in his book.
provoked her sister Eleonora’s death. The two psy-
The film’s genesis benefited from the direc-
chics confront each other during two séances that
tor’s adherence to the subject matter. As
take places simultaneously at Robbins and
scriptwriter Claudio Fragasso told Fangoria,
Daniela’s house, and the outcome will be surpris-
“Silvio Amadio came to me with an actual
ing…
medium and told me that the dead had told
Released marginally in early 980 and im-
them I should write the script [laughs]! And so
mediately disappearing into oblivion, Il medium
I began to write this story with the direct inspi-
represented the culmination of Silvio Amadio’s
ration of the dead.”2 According to Fragasso, this
interest in the occult, which the director had de-
was the first script he wrote, even before Pronto
veloped thanks to his friendship with art
ad uccidere (a.k.a. Meet Him and Die, 976,
director- turned-filmmaker Demofilo Fidani, the
Franco Prosperi), and in fact a scenario with the
mind behind many low- budget Italian Westerns.
same title is registered at Rome’s SIAE offices
Compared to his work as a film director, in
and dated October 4, 97, although it
is cred-
fact, Fidani’s activity as a medium proved much
ited to Massimo Franciosa and Luisa Montag-
more successful. Through his “Circolo di spiri-
nana. However, it took a few years before the
tualisti” (Circle of Spiritualists) he became a
movie went into production: shooting started
well- respected figure in the world of esoterism
on May 7, 979.3 But it was too late for such a
and wrote some books on the topic, including
story to find an audience.
Il medium esce dal mistero, published in 986
Often labeled as a horror film, Il medium
and graced by a testimony by Amadio himself.
is in fact a supernatural drama, a ghost story of
“We had started gathering as a permanent group
sorts which deals with some Gothic staples such
interested in the phenomena of Spiritism around
as the return of the past, the perturbing portrait,
you, a psychic with most unique powers, in the
the seemingly haunted house. The story has
early 970s; we met on a rigorous weekly basis,
some points in common with the domestic
36 1980: Mia apocalypse of Bava’s Shock—here as well a kid
3. According to the Public Cinematographic Register.
turns against a parent, by way of a supernatural
4. Stefano Ippoliti and Matteo Norcini, “Una favola
chiamata cinema. Intervista a Martine Brochard,” Cine70
presence looking for revenge—and the idea of
e dintorni #6, 2004, 36.
it revolving around a dodecaphonic composer is
a singular variation on the theme of artistic sen-
Mia moglie è una strega (My Wife Is a
sibility, which makes Gothic heroes more recep-
Witch)
tive to the manifestations of the supernatural.
D: Castellano & Pipolo [Franco Castellano,
The musician’s open- minded approach to com-
Giuseppe Moccia]. S: Laura Toscano, Franco
position—the twelve- tone technique overcomes
Marotta; SC: Castellano & Pipolo, Laura
the limits of writing in a key—might be com-
Toscano, Franco Marotta; DOP: Alfio Contini
pared to a psychic’s approach to reality, that is,
(Technospes); M: Detto Mariano (Ed. Slalom);
going beyond the limits of everyday reality and
E: Antonio Siciliano; PD: Bruno Amalfitano;
experience.
CO: Luca Sabatelli; AD: Alessandro Metz; MU:
But the odd interesting detail (the com-
Nilo Iacoponi, Walter Cossu; Hair: Paolo
poser working on his music, which allows for a
Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989) Page 10