of Santa Priscilla, with Fragasso acting as a de
n.a. Also known as: Terror en el convento (Spain),
facto second unit director, if not even more, ac-
L’autre enfer; Le couvent infernal (France).
cording to his own words.
Note: the tracks Dottor Frankestein, Notte,
Upstairs, Bruno was shooting La vera storia della
Le cascate di Viridiana are taken from the
monaca di Monza, which was the “A” movie, so to
Goblin LPs “Roller” and “Il fantastico viaggio
speak, whereas in the vaults I was shooting the “B”
del bagarozzo Mark.”
movie, L’altro Inferno… . In fact, there was a real in-
Strange and frightening things are happening
terchange because the actors were the same and so
at a convent headed by the stern Mother Vincenza:
they moved from one set to the other, going upstairs
necromancy rituals take place in the vaults, and
and downstairs depending on the film in which they
mysterious deaths ensue. The Mother Superior
were requested to act. In short, they were two movies
calls an exorcist, Father Inardo, who in turn asks
tangled together … you know, sometimes I had to
the help of a younger priest, Father Valerio. As
go upstairs where Bruno was shooting to “steal” cans
the latter finds out, the convent is inhabited by
of film! I needed it to finish my movie, and often I
an elusive presence, a young woman who falls in
borrowed other material secretly. I was given very
little, he had everything.2
love with him. After witnessing more horrible
murders, and escaping death himself, Father Va-
If we take Fragasso’s words for granted, then, the
lerio discovers that the young woman, Elisa, is
process was the same as other movies the duo
Mother Vincenza’s illegitimate daughter, and was
made together, namely the W.I.P. diptych Vio-
disfigured at an early age after being thrown into
lenza in un carcere femminile (982) and Blade
a hot cauldron by a nun. Elisa, who has strong
Violent (983), and the Westerns Bianco Apache
telekinetic powers, was exploited by Mother Vin-
(986) and Scalps (986). On the other hand,
cenza, who used her to dispatch all those who
Mattei always maintained that Fragasso was al-
learned about her secret. Now that he knows the
ways an assistant director on these, and nothing
truth, Father Valerio too becomes the target of
more.
Mother Vincenza’s fury…
That said, the analogies between L’altro In-
Shot in six weeks, at the same time, on the
ferno and its model are limited to the title and
same location and with part of the same cast as
some visuals or situations, which is understand-
La vera storia della monaca di Monza (980),
able. According to Rome’s Public Cinemato-
L’altro Inferno offers a good example of Bruno
graphic Register, filming started on October 23,
Mattei’s approach to filmmaking and his working
979, and lasted through October and November,
methods. He explained that “La Monaca was
when very little was known about Argento’s film
outsourced by [distributor] Stefano Film. Prac-
besides its title and some set stills. Most notably,
tically, we were the executive producers. There
Inferno’s alchemist’s lair is reprised, albeit in a
1981: L’altro
3
Italian lobby card for L’altro Inferno (1981). Note the use of a similar font as Argento’s film.
minor key, in the scenes set in the necromancer’s
botched job. As Fragasso recalled, “we called
lab (filmed, according to Mattei, inside Villa
Goblin because they were very fashionable, and
Mussolini, in an old shack all repainted in black
asked them to write the music. But they asked
and silver). The sight of a boiling cauldron be-
for a lot of money, and we got a deal being able
comes also the link to the solution of the
to obtain the possibility of using stock music
mystery, evoked by a childish drawing à la Pro-
with a few modifications done specifically for
fondo rosso; the moment where Father Valerio
the film.”3 Mattei’s explanation was simpler: “I
(Carlo De Mejo) notices a crazy nun combing
am very good friends with Carlo Bixio, who was
her hair in front of a mirror recalls the scene of
their music publisher, and he gave me all the
the spell in Suspiria; Franco Garofalo’s repellent
music I wanted… . ”4
caretaker Boris behaves toward animals with the
Besides the odd Argento reference, the
same cruelty as Kazanian, killing a cat for no
story—concocted by Mattei and Fragasso, with
reason (and decapitating a rooster, in one of
the latter penning the script by himself—draws
those lousy bits of animal cruelty not uncommon
primarily from other sources, namely, as Mattei
in Italian films of the period) and as a comeup-
admitted, William Friedkin’s 973 classic The Ex-
pance he ends up with his throat ripped apart
orcist (“It was a time when it still had an im-
by his own dog like the pianist (Flavio Bucci) in
pact”), Brian De Palma’s Carrie and Richard
Suspiria. On top of that, here and there Mattei
Franklin’s Patrick. The latter had been a surprise
and Fragasso try to color the scene with schemes
hit in Italy, thanks also to an aggressive distri-
akin to those seen in Argento’s 977 film, as far
bution campaign and the replacing of Brian
as their scarce budget would allow. Finally, the
May’s soundtrack with music by Goblin (like
score features ample extracts from two Goblin
Dario Argento had done with Romero’s Martin,
albums, Roller (976) and Il fantastico viaggio
released in Italy as Wampyr), and spawned an
del bagarozzo Mark (978): the music scarcely
explicit sequel/rip-off, Patrick vive ancora. Elisa,
blends with the visuals, and often feels like a
the disfigured girl with telekinetic powers who
4 1981: L’altro may well be the Devil’s daughter, is a mixture of
Stoppi and Franco Garofalo bring a de-
the characters in De Palma and Franklin’s films,
mented intensity to their roles, whereas porn
and her confrontation with her mother, played
actress Sandy Samuel (a.k.a. Daniela Samueli)
with crazed relish by Franca Stoppi, reprises
pops up in a non- speaking part as a nun gone
Carrie’s climax almost to the letter. Finally, not
crazy, but she does not take her clothes off. Carlo
to leave any stone unturned, a little zombie
De Mejo looks rather uncomfortable as the al-
movie touch was added toward the ending for
coholic Father Vincenzo, who records his solil-
good measure.
oquies on a video camera and comes across the
The script blends the various borrowings
solution by way of some sort of “telepathic
into a weird mystery plot, where one is never
broadcast” not unlike the one experienced by
sure whether the horrible events are the result
the protagonists in John Carpenter’s Prince of
of the devil at play or are conducted by a devilish
Darkness (987), in one of the script’s most
but human presence. In this sense, the film’s best
bizarre twists. As for Paola Montenero, she
scene is the one where the investigator, Father
appears only in the pre- credit sequence set in
Vincenzo, listens to the confession of an un-
the convent’s vaults and delivers a monologue
known woman (who we later learn is Elisa) who
which reaches new heights in trash (“The geni-
tells him she is in love with him, and barely es-
tals are a door to evil! The vagina, the uterus,
capes an attempt on his life, as a mysterious
the womb … the labyrinth that leads to hell …
hand drives a knife through the confessional.
the devil’s tools… ”). The scene, barely related
The priest runs out, only to find himself in the
to the rest of the film, was performed by Mon-
middle of the morning mass, with all the nuns
tenero (who played a role in La vera storia della
singing in a choir in church; he turns back to
monaca di Monza but was not cast in L’altro In-
the confessional, and sees the knife still vibrating
ferno) as a personal favor to Mattei.7
in the wood—a moment rendered with an ele-
On top of that, the few gore scenes are
gant change of focus which is one of the film’s
cheap and crude: in the prologue, Montenero
few attempts at stylish direction.
starts an anatomy lesson on a dead female body
Making use of a Gothic staple as the
by sticking a scalpel in the corpse’s crotch, and
convent location (but with barely any nod to the
then rips the ovaries from her womb with her
literary tradition of Ann Radcliffe and Matthew
bare hands. But the low budget severely under-
Lewis, for that matter), Fragasso and Mattei draw
mines the makers’ efforts: when Elisa’s disfigured
heavily from Catholic- related themes such as sin
face is finally revealed, Pino Ferrante’s make- up
and sexual repression, and play with religion and
is so poor that it looks like the actress has
blasphemy in a way not unlike the popular serial
smeared her mouth with peanut butter. Another
novels of the late 800 and early 900 (with a nod
embarrassing moment is the flashback where
to Manzoni’s story as well). This prompted the
the newborn Elisa is thrown into a boiling pot
newspaper La Stampa to pair L’altro Inferno with
by the Mother Superior, on paper a truly shock-
William Peter Blatty’s directorial debut The Ninth
ing moment that shows how far Italian cinema
Configuration (980), released in Italy around the
could venture in terms of sheer cinematic excess.
same time, labeling the two films as “fantatheo-
It was Fragasso’s daughter, three months old at
logical” in an article titled “Crisi mistica dell’hor-
the time, who had the honor of playing the
ror-cinema” (“Mystical crisis of horror cinema”).
Devil’s infant offspring: “The baby was quiet
Curiously, in the interview with Franca Stoppi
while she was in her mother’s arms, but as soon
that accompanied the piece, and which described
as Franca Stoppi picked her up she started cry-
her as an ex- mannequin-turned actress, L’altro
ing. So, I had to repeat the scene many times,
Inferno was mistakenly mentioned as Stoppi’s
until eventually she fell asleep and I could film
debut—whereas she had debuted in 976, in
her quietly. Luckily, I had already done a close-
Dino Risi’s Telefoni bianchi, and had played one
up of her blue eyes, like those of the character
of the main roles in Buio omega (979). The ac-
as an adult.”8 Of course, the child was replaced
tress didn’t correct the interviewer. “‘Were you
by a baby doll for the scene’s climax, as no viewer
satisfied with making your film debut in the role
will fail to notice.
of a nun, in a story which mixes parapsychology
Predictably, the film was given a V.M.8 rat-
and horror?’ ‘Every chance is good to make a
ing, but the running time indicated in the official
debut, provided that the character offers a min-
papers differs from the version released in the-
imum of opportunity to give one’s best.’”6
aters, amounting to about 94 minutes instead of
1981: Black
88. Mattei signed it as “Stefan Oblowsky,” the
Black Cat (Gatto nero) (The Black Cat)
same a.k.a. as in La vera storia della monaca di
Monza, where the Eastern European sounding
D: Lucio Fulci. S: Biagio Proietti, based on
surname was supposed to recall such masters of
the short story by Edgar Allan Poe; SC: Biagio
erotic cinema as Borowczyk.9
Proietti, Lucio Fulci; DOP: Sergio Salvati (Tech-
Even though the screening certificate dated
novision—Eastmancolor, Telecolor); M: Pino
July 980, L’altro Inferno was released in Italy
Donaggio, conducted by Natale Massara (Ed.
only the following year to poor business, signal-
Zita); E: Vincenzo Tomassi; PD: Francesco Cal-
ing that the blatant filiation to Argento’s original
abrese; ArtD: Massimo Antonello Geleng; CO:
was not enough to guarantee commercial suc-
Massimo Lentini; 2ndUD: Roberto Giandalia;
cess, and that, most of all, unlike a decade earlier
AD: Victor Tourjansky, David Del Bufalo; C:
with the many gialli with animal- related titles,
Franco Bruni, Roberto Forges Davanzati; AC:
it was not possible to build a filone based on Ar-
Maurizio Lucchini; MU: Franco Di Girolamo;
gento’s Gothics. Times were changing, and au-
AMU: Rosario Prestopino; Hair: Maria Pia Cra-
diences were looking for a different type of hor-
panzano; SP: Gianfranco Massa; SO: Ugo Celani;
ror film, with more convincing special effects
B: Eros Giustini; 1stAE: Rita Antonelli; 2ndAE:
and better production values: L’altro Inferno was
Pietro Tomassi; SE: Paolo Ricci; SOE: Fernando
openly derided by the audience when screened
Caso, Alvaro Gramigna; MA/STC: Nazzareno
at the Trieste Film Festival. However, it was sold
Cardinali; ChEl: Alfredo Fedeli; KG: Ennio Briz-
in Spain0 and France and over the years it be-
zolari; W: Palmina Tacconi; SS: Daniela Tonti.
came something of a cult film. It even surfaced
Cast: Patrick Magee (Prof. Robert Miles), Mimsy
theatrically in the U.S., in the mid–�
��980s, as The
Farmer (Jill Trevers), David Warbeck (Inspector
Guardian of Hell.
Gorley), Al Cliver [Pierluigi Conti] (Sgt. Wilson),
Mattei and Fragasso’s next venture was the
Dagmar Lassander (Lilian Grayson), Bruno
gory zombie film Virus, released in Spain in No-
Corazzari (Ferguson), Geoffrey Copleston (In-
vember 980 and in Italy in August 98.
spector Flynn), Daniela Doria [Daniela Cormio]
(Maureen Grayson), Vito Passeri (Warehouse
Watchman). PROD: Giulio Sbarigia for Selenia
Notes
Cinematografica S.r.l. (Rome); PM: Ennio Ono-
rati; GM: Renato Angiolini; UM: Antonio Da
. Manlio Gomarasca and Davide Pulici, “Intervista a
Bruno Mattei,” in Manlio Gomarasca and Davide Pulici
Padova, Tommaso Pantano; ADM: Adalberto
(eds.), Il sopravvissuto. Guida al cinema di Bruno Mattei.
Spadoni. Country: Italy. Filmed on location in
Nocturno Dossier #4, April 2006, 6.
England (West Wycombe, Hambledon) and at
2. Federico Caddeo and Laurent Lopéré, “Passion de-
RPA—Elios, Cine International and De Paolis
voreuse,” Mad Movies #7, May 200, p. 72.
3. Ibid.
In.Ci.R. Studios (Rome). Running time: 92 min-
4. Gomarasca and Pulici, “Intervista a Bruno Mattei,”
utes (m. 23). Visa n. 7632 (3.9.98); Rating:
6.
V.M.4. Release dates: 4.4.98 (Italy), .7.982
. Lamberto Antonelli, “Crisi mistica dell’horror-cin-
(Netherlands), .4.982 (Norway), 3.9.983
ema,” La Stampa, January 9, 98.
(France), 2.0.984 (USA); Distribution: Italian
6. Lamberto Antonelli, “L’ex mannequin si fa suora,”
La Stampa, January 9, 98.
International Film (Italy); World Northal (USA).
7. Gomarasca and Pulici, “Intervista a Bruno Mattei,”
Domestic gross: 433,967,662 lire. Also known as:
6.
I kattens klør (Norway), Le chat noir (France), El
8. Caddeo and Lopéré, “Passion devoreuse.”
gato negro (Spain).
9. “Probably a pseudonym,” cautiously conceded the
reviewer in Corriere della Sera before slaughtering the film,
In a small village in the English countryside,
noting that “in these Italian subproducts we have now
solitary researcher Robert Miles spends his days
reached the point, with a procedure akin to pornographic
in the company of a black cat, recording the voices
Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989) Page 16