forced by necessity to move along in the story.
di quoio (also 98), starring Christian De Sica,
It’s never gratuitous. And I think this gives
George Hilton and Philippe Leroy, among oth-
strength to the script, even though the plot is
ers, which was a flop. By the end of the decade,
rather thin.” Toscano openly acknowledged the
after a handful more nondescript works, Capitani
René Clair influence: “That’s the type of comedy
started working steadily for the small screen.
I love so much. Clair in my opinion is such a
62 1981: C’è un fantasma Notes
the old Baron of Black Castle, an unrepentant
womanizer in life. Assisted by his loyal servant
1. Pergolari, La fabbrica del riso, 376.
2. Ibid., 377.
Angus, by way of potions, sleeping pills and var-
3. G. Gr. [Giovanni Grazzini], “Johnny Dorelli beffato
ious tricks, the Baron replaces the naive Camillo
dal fantasma galante,” Corriere della Sera, January 23, 982.
in bed and has his way with the unsuspecting
bride, until in turn he is duped by Angus and re-
C’è un fantasma nel mio letto (There Is
located to the gallery of portraits of his ancestors.
a Ghost in My Bed)
A late addiction to the erotic farces in
D: Claudio De Molinis [Claudio Giorgiutti].
vogue in the mid- to-late 970s, C’è un fantasma
S: Claudio Simonelli; SC: Luis María Delgado,
nel mio letto was produced with an eye to the
Jesús Rodriguez Folgar; DOP: Raúl Pérez Cubero
Spanish market, where the demand for eroticism
(Fujicolor, Staco Film); M: Piero Umiliani (Ed.
was constantly growing after the death of Fran-
Nazionalmusic); E: Giorgio [Jorge] Serralonga;
cisco Franco, in the so- called destape period.
PD: Gonzalo García Flaño; SD: Vittorio Ferrero;
The film employs a basic variation of the
CO: Susanna Micozzi; MU: Marisa Marconi; SO:
haunted house routine, which must have come
Pietro Spadoni; SE: Mario Bernardo; Stunts:
out straight from some cheap adults- only comic
Franco Maria Salamon; C: Emilio Loffredo,
book. When interviewed during shooting, di-
Giuseppe Tinelli; AC: Giovanni Mozzillo, Adriano
rector Claudio De Molinis mentioned René
Mancori; SP: Enzo Savino; AE: Roberto Savoca;
Clair’s The Ghost Goes West—which provided
SS: Paola Colonna. Cast: Lilli Carati [Ileana Car-
the inspiration for Bollenti spiriti as well—as an
avati] (Adelaide Ferretti), Renzo Montagnani
influence: “Recently, with Mia moglie è una
(Baron Sir Archibald Trenton), Vincenzo
Crocitti (Camillo Fumagalli), Vanessa Hi-
dalgo (The Countess), Guerrino Crivello
(Angus), Alejandra Grepi (Maryanne, the
Innkeeper’s wife), Giacomo Assandri
(Terence, the Innkeeper), Luciana Turina
(Josephina, the Cook). PROD: Telecinema
80 (Rome), Victory Film (Madrid); PM:
Mauro Ruspantini; PS: Fabio Calderoni;
PSe: Maria Ludovica Bologna. Country:
Italy/Spain. Filmed at Castle Piccolomini
in Balsorano (L’Aquila) and at De Paolis
In.Ci.R. Studios (Rome). Running time:
94 minutes (m. 264). Visa n. 76446
(3.28.98); Rating: V.M.8. Release dates:
4.3.98 (Italy); .28.98 (Spain), 2.2.982
(Portugal), 3.2.983 (France); Distribu-
tion: Cinedaf. Domestic gross: n.a. Also
known as: Hay un fantasma en mi cama
(Spain), Y a- t-il un fantome dans mon lit?
(France), Um Fantasma na Minha Cama
(Portugal).
Note: in the Spanish version, the
characters played by Crocitti and Carati
are renamed respectively Malcolm and
Ruth.
Two Italian newlyweds on their
honeymoon in Scotland, Camillo and
Adelaide, cannot find an accommodation
for the night. Because of the fog, they end
up lost in the countryside near an ancient
Italian poster for C’è un fantasma nel mio letto (1981), a
castle. They spend the night in the manor,
bland erotic farce with fantasy elements starring Lilli
but the place is haunted by the spirit of
Carati and Renzo Montagnani.
1981: C’è un fantasma 63
strega, our producers drew from another film by
affair soon becomes insufferable, It all climaxes
the great French director, I Married a Witch, and
in a (again) speeded- up threesome accompanied
achieved considerable commercial results. We
by the final overture of Rossini’s opera Guglielmo
did a very similar operation, modernizing the
Tell, with Crocitti’s character yelling like Tarzan
story so as to make it more in tune with the au-
in the midst of the erotic frenzy. A Clockwork
dience’s mentality and our actors’ characteris-
Orange this is not, unfortunately.
tics.”
The movie relies mostly on the lead actress’
Truth be told, however, there is very little
nude scenes to keep the viewer interested, and
of Clair’s film in the script (credited to Luis María
Carati amply displays her body to the camera.
Delgado and Jesús R. Folgar for quota purposes
After ending up second at the 974 “Miss Italy”
but possibly the work solely of Giovanni Si-
beauty contest, the gorgeous actress seemed on
monelli). On the other hand, the opening pretext
her way to a bright film career, and soon became
is virtually the same as The Rocky Horror Picture
one of the most popular starlets of the period,
Show, but, instead of an oversexed alien, the two
thanks to such titles as Stelvio Massi’s action
innocent newlyweds (looking forward to con-
flick Poliziotto sprint (977, starring Maurizio
summating their marriage after a five- year pla-
Merli), Fernando di Leo’s controversial Avere
tonic betrothal) end up in the hands of a lubri-
vent’anni (978, co- starring Gloria Guida),
cious ghost. Which gives way to the expected
Pasquale Festa Campanile’s Il corpo della ragassa
plethora of misunderstandings, sight gags and
(979) and Qua la mano, the latter alongside
double- entendres, and characters moving around
Adriano Celentano.
frantically in the familiar Piccolomini Castle in
In the early 980s, however, Carati’s career
Balsorano, posing as a Scottish one.
was already on the verge of decline, due to her
As expected the film did good business in
heroin and cocaine abuse—an open secret in the
Spain,2 whereas in Italy it passed almost unno-
film business, which resulted in her being mar-
ticed, despite its popular leads. Montagnani and
ginalized. During the promotional tour for C’è
Crocitti were two regulars of Italian erotic farce,
un fantasma nel mio letto the actress infamously
appeared on Rai Uno’s popular Sunday talk show
sex comedy of the period, José Larraz’s Polvos
TG L’una in an overtly altered state, giving con-
mágicos (979), alongside Carmen Villani. As
fused answers to her interviewer; the other guest
the Countess, the charming Vanessa Hidalgo is
was, of all people, Karl Heinz Stockhausen. Soon
underused, compared to her starring turn in
after, she suffered a serious car crash which re-
Larraz’s over- the-top erotic horror Los ritos sex-
sulted in a long absence from the screen. Carati
uales del diablo (a.k.a. Black Candles, 982),
would return to the movies only three years
made shortly after this. As for De Molinis (real
later, appearing in Luciano Odorisio’s comedy
name Claudio Giorgiutti), this was his sixth and
Magic Moments (984), and between 98 and
final film as a director, in a body of work that
986 she starred in four erotic flicks directed by
also comprised the cheap crime story L’unica
Aristide Massaccesi before giving in to hardcore
legge in cui credo (976) and the grim drama
porn, the quickest way to obtain the money she
Candido erotico (978, also starring Lilli Carati).
needed to finance her drug addiction.
Despite the occasional cultured reference—
Carati starred in five porn movies shot be-
Montagnani’s character quoting 4th century
tween 987 and 988, which marked the end of
poet Francesco Petrarca and Giuseppe Verdi’s
her film career. In May 988 she was arrested for
opera Don Carlos—the script is hopelessly poor
possession of heroin, and attempted suicide for
and repetitive, littered with paper- thin characters
the first time; she would try to kill herself again
(the ugly and naive groom, the sexy bride, the
the following year, during a bout of depression
jealous innkeeper and his buxom wife, the sex-
in the midst of a rehab program. Eventually,
crazed cook) mumbling such lines as “That is
though, Lilli re- emerged from the abyss, as she
not an ass, that is pure gold!” Montagnani and
herself recalled in the 994 documentary Lilli,
Crocitti ham it up as if there was no tomorrow,
una vita da eroina (Lilli, a Heroin[e]’s Life). She
but the material they are given to work with is
died in 204, of brain cancer.
so threadbare, and De Molinis’s direction is so
ham- fisted and haphazard, with plenty of silent
Notes
movie- style speeded- up sequences pitifully try-
1. “Cronache dal piccolo e grande schermo—Fantasma
ing to make up for the lack of fun, that the whole
a letto,” Stampa Sera, 22 December 980.
64 1981: …E tu vivrai 2. According to the official ministerial data, it was seen
mob who suspects him of witchcraft. Meanwhile
by 278,98 spectators and grossed an amount corresponding
a local girl, Emily, reads a mysterious book and
to 266,88 Euro. (http:// infoicaa. mecd. es/ CatalogoICAA/
finds out that the hotel is built atop one of the
Peliculas/ Detalle?Pelicula= 0680).
doors to Hell. 1981. Liza Merrill takes possession
of the dilapidated hotel and sets out to renovate
…e tu vivrai nel terrore! L’aldilà (The
it with the help of Martha and her husband
Beyond, a.k.a. 7 Doors of Death)
Arthur, but a series of gruesome accidents result
D: Lucio Fulci. S: Dardano Sacchetti; SC:
in the death of a worker and of the plumber, Joe.
Dardano Sacchetti, Giorgio Mariuzzo, Lucio
Moreover, a decomposed body is found in the
Fulci; DOP: Sergio Salvati (Technicolor); M:
hotel basement. At the hospital, Dr. John McCabe
Fabio Frizzi (Ed. Deaf) [U.S. version: Walter E.
and his colleague Harris study the mysterious
Sear]; E: Vincenzo Tomassi; PD, CO: Massimo
corpse, but more horrible events ensue, as Joe’s
Lentini; SPFX: Giannetto De Rossi; MU: Gian-
wife dies mysteriously in the anatomy room. Liza
netto De Rossi, Maurizio Trani; SE: Germano
makes acquaintance with a blind girl, Emily, who
Natali; Hair: Luciana Palombi; AD: Roberto
tells her the story of the cursed hotel. Liza’s friend
Giandalia; C: Franco Bruni; AC: Maurizio Luc-
Martin, who supervises the works on the hotel,
chini; AE: Armando Pace, Pietro Tomassi; SP:
goes to the library to study its planimetry, but
Alberto Corchi; KG: Lamberto Del Bene; ChEl:
meets a grisly fate. Martha and Emily too are hor-
Alfredo Fedeli; SD: Alfredo D’Angelo; PrM:
ribly murdered. Liza and McCabe take refuge at
Rodolfo Ruzza; PrMAsst: Franco Rinaldi; SO:
the hospital, but the place has been invaded by
Ugo Celani; SOE: Enzo Diliberto; B: Eros Gius-
zombies. They manage to escape but end up in-
tini; Mix: Bruno Moreal; STC: Nazzareno Car-
explicably in the hotel basement, and find them-
dinali; SS: Rita Agostini. Cast: Katherine [Catri-
selves in the beyond, a deserted land populated
ona] MacColl (Liza Merrill), David Warbeck
by the dead…
(Dr. John McCabe), Sarah Keller [Cinzia Mon-
When Fabrizio De Angelis came up with
reale] (Emily), Antoine Saint- John (Zweick),
the title L’aldilà (The Beyond) for Lucio Fulci’s
Veronica Lazar (Martha), Al Cliver [Pierluigi
next film, he knew he had a winner on his
Conti] (Prof. Harris), Michele Mirabella (Martin
hands. He managed to obtain a pre- financing
Avery), Giampaolo Saccarola (Arthur), Laura
on the part of foreign investors based on the title
De Marchi (Mary Ann); uncredited: Calogero
alone—which in fact was the only thing he had,
Azzaretto (Zombie at Hospital), Lucio Fulci (Li-
since there was not even a script to begin with.
brarian), Tonino Pulci (Joe), Anthony Flees
But cranking out a screenplay wouldn’t be a
(Larry), Maria Pia Marsala (Jill), Giovanni De
problem for Dardano Sacchetti, who duly
Nava (Zweick—zombie), Roberto Dell’Acqua
obliged within the usual 0/ days. Shooting
(Glass-smashing Zombie), Gilberto Galimberti
started in October 980 and lasted for eight
(Zombie), Amedeo Salamon (Zombie at Hospi-
weeks. As with his previous horror films, the
tal), Sergio Salvati (Mob Member). PROD: Fab-
crew moved overseas, this time to Louisiana. In
rizio De Angelis for Fulvia Film (Rome). UM:
a 984 interview, Fulci claimed that the budget
Tullio Lullo; AsstUM: Fabrizio De Martino.
was 80 million lire,2 half as much as what De
Country: Italy. Filmed on location in Louisiana
Angelis declared. For the second time, the di-
and at De Paolis In.Ci.R. Studios (Rome). Run-
rector cast Catriona MacColl (although his fi
rst
ning time: 87 minutes (m. 23). Visa n. 76406
choice for the role would have been Tisa Farrow,
(3.20.98); Rating: V.M.8. Release dates: 4.22.98
as he told Robert Schockloff in L’Écran fantas-
(West Germany), 4.29.98 (Italy), 7..98 (Hong
tique3) and David Warbeck, with whom he had
Kong), 8.27.98 (UK), 0.4.98 (France),
got along very well on Black Cat. Originally the
0.4.98 (Spain), 3..983 (USA). Distribution:
cast was to include Venantino Venantini (as Joe
Medusa Distribuzione. Domestic gross: 747,6,662
the plumber) and Ivan Rassimov (Prof. Harris),
lire. Also known as: L’au-delà (France); El mas allá
but the roles went respectively to Fulci’s friend
(Spain; Argentina; Uruguay); Über dem Jenseits;
Tonino Pulci, a stage director who would turn
Die Geisterstadt der Zombies (Germany); Las siete
up again in a small role in Manhattan Baby, and
puertas del infierno (Mexico); Woodoo—raed-
Pierluigi Conti, a.k.a. Al Cliver, better known to
slernes hotel (Denmark).
Fulci as “Tufus.” Stefania Casini was originally
Louisiana, 1927. A painter, Zweick, who lives
to play Emily, but refused, not least because she
in the “Seven Doors” Hotel, is lynched by an angry
would have to wear painful contact lenses in all
1981: …E tu vivrai 6
her scenes. The painter, Zweick, was played by
of inspiration, the work of French dramatist An-
the French Antoine Saint- John, who was re-
tonin Artaud, the inventor of the so- called “the-
placed during shooting by Giovanni De Nava
ater of cruelty,” based on signs, screams and
(as Zweick’s “zombified” version).
body language instead of words.
Sacchetti claimed that his main source of
inspiration was Henry James’ novel The Turn of
To me, it’s an absolute Artaudian film. I personally
met Antonin Artaud, he looked at me with his crazy
the Screw, but the Henry James connection ap-
eyes, 30 years ago. My idea was to make an absolute
plies much more convincingly to his next film
film, with all the horrors of the world. It’s a film with-
with Fulci, Quella villa accanto al cimitero. A
out a story: a house, some people and the dead re-
clearer influence was again given by Lovecraft’s
turning from the beyond, there is no logic inside the
myths, filtered through the work of Clark
Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989) Page 19