end, Michael himself has been trapped into a
mare—one of Murder Obsession’s most derided
web of deception, and his own mother is revealed
sequences, and understandably so, given the
to be the spider- like spinner of the events that—
ridiculous appearance of patently fake bats flap-
in typical Freda fashion—lead to a circular ending,
ping about on wires and a giant rubber spider
an eternal return that mirrors the ineluctability of
which the girl runs across at one point. Deborah
fate.
is chased in the mansion’s crypt by a pair of
On Murder Obsession the director returned
hooded, monstrous- looking figures, finds a way
to the primordial core of his conception of
out into the garden, experiences horrid visions
Gothic: a family melodrama, excessive and mor-
(such as skulls hanging from a tree like ripe
bid, soaked with psychoanalytic undertones, in
fruits and dripping blood from their empty eye
which the horror blossoms and feeds on the dy-
sockets), is tied to a St. Andrew’s cross and sub-
namics of parental relationships. As portrayed
jected to an incomprehensible ritual. At first
by the ravishing 43-year-old Anita Strindberg,
glance, the scene seems pointless, a shock seg-
Glenda is Freda’s last and perhaps ultimate
ment whose only function is to provide cheap
monster, the true point of no return after the in-
thrills to an undemanding audience. And yet,
cestuous father of Beatrice Cenci, the beauty-
despite its sloppy effects work, which elicits
obsessed nubile old lady of I vampiri, the
comparison with a similarly awkward moment
necrophile husband of L’orribile segreto del Dr.
82 1981: Murder Italian lobby card for Murder Obsession, featuring silvia Dionisio (left) and Anita strindberg. the tagline promises “100 minuti di terrore” (100 minutes of terror).
Hichcock, and the scheming wife of Lo spettro.
is a vital part of human nature, and as such it
She is a young- looking, sexy, desirable mother,
will always win.
who meets her son in bed while dressed in a
The director’s reversal of the ancient Greek
transparent nightgown, and whose feelings for
myth is sneering: not only is it Jocasta who lusts
her offspring leave no room for doubt. She is
after her son, but she ends up killing the object
also a vampire of sorts, feeding off other men’s
of her desire in order to forever keep him with
lust for her, and using them like puppets.
her. Freda ends the film with a final and blas-
“The story nevertheless interested me.
phemous act of annihilation, with one of the
What can happen in our tragic childhood? What
most powerful—perhaps at least in part because
are the consequences when guilt and murder
unexpected—endings in his oeuvre, one that
mingle?”8 the director observed, while offering
openly recalls those of Il conte Ugolino (949)
a psychoanalytic reading to his film. The weight
and Lo spettro and which truly lives up to
of the past is connected to a horrific primary
Jacques Lourcelles’ definition of the director as
scene that is repeated twice—half-Rashomon,
“one of the great aesthetes in cinema history.”9
half-Marnie—to bring to the surface, and to
The scene recreates one of the most awe-
human form, the torments of the unconscious
inspiring icons of classical art, Michelangelo’s
which previously took the shape of grotesque
Pietà (Pity), in a way that is as elegant as it
nightmarish creatures. Freda’s ultimate mockery
is cruelly mocking. The image of the Virgin
is to load his unhappy Oedipus with a burden
Mary cuddling Jesus on her womb after cruci-
of guilt that is not his own; here the sins of the
fixion becomes the sight of a murderous mother
mother are literally passed on to the son, who
who cries over the dying son whom she has
must cope for the better part of his existence
just killed; a “hellish composition” in which
with the fabricated notion of having murdered
“through the harmony of Renaissance art, dear
his father. The process of discovering the truth—
as always to Freda as a painter and sculptor, and
that is, his own innocence—leads him to ruin
within the most reassuring image, the mother
all the same. To Freda, as it has ever been, evil
with her son … earthly monstrosities thrive.”20
1981: Murder 83
As Jacqueline Freda recalls, “we spent one day
so far as labeling it “shit.” When the interviewer
on that scene. It was the only one in the movie
asked him why such a severe judgment, Freda
which took a whole day to shoot—and one day,
curtly answered, “It’s not a good film. The actors
to my father, was like a whole week on a normal
were poor and so was the budget. I’d rather not
set! But he really cared about it. I think it was
talk about it.”24 He was less trenchant, but
probably the only thing he really cared about in
equally critical toward Murder Obsession, when
the movie… . ”2
discussing it with fellow film director Giuseppe
Once again, as in Lo spettro, the camera’s
Tornatore:
eye takes on a moral function. But the film’s
Unfortunately it didn’t turn out as I had wanted, also
memorable final image can be read in many
because there just weren’t the necessary means, be-
ways. Perhaps, to Freda, it was an ideal way to
cause it’s strange how people are convinced that hor-
connect to his own past, to his early days as a
ror films are easy to make, even though they’re some
sculptor in Adolfo Wildt’s shop, where he tried
of the most difficult because you’re always trying to
his hand at reproducing the Pietà; in a way, it
balance, like a tightrope walker, right? It just takes
was yet another circular ending, like the ones he
one wrong footing and you fall, you can’t save
loved most. Moreover, it even works as a biting
yourself by doing another sequence like in other
metaphor on the state of the Italian film industry,
films… . Here, there’s nothing you can do, either you
murdered by the maternal hands of the State by
fall into the ridiculous, or it gets boring, or you
way of absurd and useless laws, its remains ex-
achieve the desired effect.2
posed for us to mourn. Therefore, the door that
On the other hand, over the years the film
closes by itself, peremptorily, subtracting the
has been overrated and championed by some as
mother, the son and the heroine to the world and
the director’s testament and a culmination of his
to our view, and delivering them to oblivion, ac-
whole body of work, wi
th a blind eye to its many
quires a further, powerful symbolic meaning. It
flaws, both in style and substance, starting with
is Freda’s hand that closes that door, sealing—
the blatant budgetary limits and the compro-
with this premature yet late burial—his own film
mises on the part of Freda in order to adapt to
career, and a whole season of Italian cinema.
a market that demanded conspicuous bouts of
Murder Obsession was submitted to the rat-
nudity and violence. Most reviewers would
ing board on October , 980, and given a
rather focus on the overall mood which con-
screening certificate on October 3; yet it took
veyed the feeling of the end of an era—the same
several months before it came out to theaters.
that exuded from the pages of Freda’s own au-
Even though it was initially announced to have
tobiography.
been selected in competition at the 980 Sitges
Far from being a summation of his own
Film Festival,22 eventually it was replaced by an-
work, Murder Obsession was supposed to be a
other Italian film, Antonio Margheriti’s Apoca-
shortcut for the director to return to the lime-
lypse domani. Released in Italy in June 98, after
light. Immediately after finishing it, in fact,
being screened at that year’s Mystfest, it did
Freda was attempting to put together new and
mediocre business: Boetani blames the distrib-
more ambitious projects. Such a one was an
utor, who also failed to pay back the expected
adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ Ascanio, on
sum. Reviewers were also rather tepid, praising
which the director worked in late 980, whereas
the cinematography and the narrative tension
the other, co- written with the French critic
but blaming the poor script and bad acting.23
Jacques Lourcelles, was La Dernière momie d’E-
Nevertheless, the film was met with enthusiasm
gypte (The Last Mummy of Egypt), a story of love
by a small group of fierce supporters, including
and reincarnation that should have been pro-
the eminent film critic and historian Goffredo
duced by Tarak Ben Ammar. Neither ever mate-
Fofi (who helped Freda put together his memoir,
rialized.
Divoratori di celluloide, released in 98 as well,
Several months after the making of Murder
and mostly derived from the interviews the di-
Obsession, Boetani and Freda traveled to New
rector had given during the previous decades in
York to discuss the possibility of making more
France) and critic/scriptwriter Patrizia Pistag-
low- budget horror movies with American pro-
nesi.
ducers. The director was trying to cash in on his
Over the years, Freda’s swan song under-
by- now established fame as the father of the Ital-
went a peculiar fate. On the one hand it was
ian horror film, but the timing and circum-
harshly dismissed by its author, who once went
stances proved unfavorable. “Since Riccardo was
84 1981: Quella not in good economic conditions in that period,
8. Ibid.
I agreed to go with him and help him find a
9. Stefano Patrizi, phone interview with the author,
February 206. Patrizi did one more acting appearance in
deal,” the producer recalls. “We went and stayed
2006, in the movie Quale amore, whereas he denies having
there for a couple of weeks, but without really
worked on 2008’s Chi nasce tondo … which nevertheless
coming up to anything concrete, because we re-
is listed in his IMDb filmography.
alized that those potential financiers were not
10. Boetani, interview with the author.
so brilliant and, so to speak, reliable.”26
11. J. Freda, interview with the author.
12. “‘Is it true that your first film was Murder Obsession
In the 980s and 990s, Freda’s work met a
(98) by Riccardo Freda?’ ‘Yes, I have been attributed this
renewed interest on the part of critics, film fes-
paternity [sic], but it is not a film that I can say I signed. I
tivals and young cinephiles. His status of “master
collaborated with Angelo Mattei who did the effects, I was
of horror” was also celebrated in a three- part
in his workshop, but I only did a few things, working on
some tricks. Nothing special.’” Pierpaolo De Sanctis, “In-
TV program called Il cinema della paura, di-
tervista a Sergio Stivaletti,” www. nocturno. it, May 3, 20.
rected by his former assistant Marcello Avallone
13. Boetani, interview with the author.
and Patrizia Pistagnesi, and broadcast in No-
14. Cristiano Pogany was married to actress Pamela Vil-
vember 986 on Rai Tre. The elderly director ap-
loresi, whom he had met in 978, and they had three chil-
peared in the first installment: sitting on an arm-
dren. He died of cancer in February 999, at only .
15. J. Freda, interview with the author.
chair by a fireplace, in a studio set made to look
16. Riccardo Freda, Divoratori di celluloide (Milan: Edi-
like a castle hall, complete with thunder and
zioni del Mystfest, Il Formichiere, 98), 80. In Poindron’s
lightning, he played with gusto the part of the
interview book, however, he claimed differently: “I never
world- weary lord of the castle, explaining for
thought of Bava. It is a gory and perverse story like those
he loved, but when I made it, I did not think of anyone. I
the umpteenth time his conception of fear and
tried to put myself in the criminal’s skin… . ” Éric Poindron,
of the horror film in general with his usual elo-
Riccardo Freda. Un pirate à la camera (Lyon-Arles: Institute
quence and property of language. Despite his
Lumière/Actes Sud, 994), 30.
age, he was as sharp and intellectually brilliant
17. Ibid., 88.
as ever, but the many sincere homages only
18. Poindron, Riccardo Freda, 349.
19. Jacques Lourcelles, Dictionnaire du cinéma. Les films
served to underline his belonging to a past age
(Paris: Robert Laffont, 992), 440.
that would never come back.
20. Patrizia Pistagnesi, “Omaggio a Riccardo Freda,” in
Freda would never make another movie be-
Freda, Divoratori di celluloide, xiv.
fore his death in 999. La Fille de d’Artagnan
21. J. Freda, interview with the author.
22. “Un festival del terrore in Spagna,” La Stampa, June
(994), a project concocted with the help of his
9, 980.
friend Bertrand Tavernier, turned up a bitter dis-
23. See a.v. [Aldo Viganò], “Il regista Freda è tornato
appointment. Freda walked off the set and was
con l’horror di un delitto,” La Stampa, July 3, 98.
replaced by Tavernier himself. It was one last, de
-
24. Gian Luca Castoldi, “Riccardo Freda o del decaden-
tismo dell’orrore,” Amarcord #8–9, May–August 997, 09.
finitive sign that cinema—now a very different
25. Giuseppe Tornatore, Il quarto moschettiere. Quattro
creature from the one he had learned to know
chiacchiere con Riccardo Freda (Taormina: TaorminaFilm-
and master since his early years in Egypt—did
Fest, 2007), 24–2.
not need Riccardo Freda anymore.
26. Boetani, interview with the author.
Quella villa accanto al cimitero (The
Notes
House by the Cemetery)
1. “It is a basic scheme, in which, from time to time,
D: Lucio Fulci. S: Elisa Livia Briganti; SC:
you can put everything,” Piccioni commented. See Davide
Lucio Fulci, Giorgio Mariuzzo, Dardano Sac-
Pulici, “Il grido del capricorno,” Nocturno Cinema #47,
chetti; DOP: Sergio Salvati (Kodak, LV- Luciano
January 20, 9.
2. For more details on the project, see Curti, Italian
Vittori); M: Walter Rizzati [and Alessandro
Gothic Horror Films, 1970–1979, 68.
Blonksteiner]; M: Vincenzo Tomassi; PD, CO:
3. Jacqueline Freda, interview with the author, May
Massimo Lentini; MU: Maurizio Trani; SE: Gino
20.
De Rossi; AMU: Antonio Maltempo; Hair:
4. Enzo Boetani, interview with the author, August
206. As of this writing, Superhuman is still listed as com-
Maria Pia Crapanzano; AD: Roberto Giandalia;
pleted in Freda’s filmography on the IMDb.
C: Franco Bruni; AC: Maurizio Lucchini; AE:
5. Ibid.
Pietro Tomassi; SD: Mariangela Capuano; PrM:
6. Manlio Gomarasca and Davide Pulici, Io Emanuelle.
Rodolfo Ruzza; SO: Ugo Celani; B: Eros Giustini;
Le passioni, gli amori e il cinema di Laura Gemser (Milan:
Mix: Gianni D’Amico; STC: Nazzareno Cardi-
Media Word Publications 997).
7. Ippoliti and Norcini, “Una favola chiamata cinema.
nali; SP: Antonio Benetti; ChEl: Alfredo Fedeli;
Intervista a Martine Brochard,” 36.
KG: Giacomo Tomaselli; ACO: Claudia D’Obici;
1981: Quella
8
W: Bertilla Silvestrini; SS: Daniela Puccini,
was already at work on a new film. The title,
Daniela Tonti; DubD: Pino Colizzi. Cast: Kather-
Quella villa accanto al cimitero, echoed the
ine [Catriona] MacColl (Lucy Boyle), Paolo
Italian one for Tobe Hooper’s Eaten Alive
Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989) Page 25