ment, dragged away by the monster), but Mark
while the director was leaving to the U.S. to
shows up at the last minute with a bucket full of
shoot his next horror film with Fulvia Film, a
petrol, which he throws against Freudstein be-
hyperviolent giallo with erotic undertones titled
fore setting him on fire with a match. The end.
Lo squartatore di New York. With over .4 billion
No wonder Fulci disliked such a banal and sim-
lire grossed at the Italian box- office, Quella villa
plistic ending, more suited to some Hollywood
accanto al cimitero did better than Fulci’s previ-
PG scary flick.
ous horror films of the decade, despite negative
Overall, the noticeable improvements from
reviews. The Corriere della Sera called it mock-
Sacchetti’s earlier script bring out the measure
ingly “the Italian Shining” and the reviewer
of Fulci’s attempt to go beyond genre conven-
summed it up as “a condensation of rip- offs,
92 1981: Quella commonplaces and badly repeated horror con-irreconcilable with the Italian director’s marked
ventions.”4 La Stampa complained about the
points of view,” Gans added. “Except for two or
presence of kids: “to see children involved in
three welcome details … the suspense “for
such a gruesome and oppressive horror story
laughter,” so appreciated by American filmmak-
will perhaps cause disconcert and discomfort,
ers, here becomes particularly tedious.” The re-
rather than pity, in many spectators.”
viewer blamed the paper- thin characterizations,
The film was also released theatrically
pointing out: “The failure of the film’s first part
overseas (as The House by the Cemetery) and in
relies on this systematic sabotage of any psycho-
the major European countries such as West Ger-
logical credibility. With ample use of intempes-
many, Spain (where it was a notable box- office
tive zooms, Fulci tries in vain to dramatize the
success6) and France (as La Maison près du
insufficiently played sequences. He doesn’t suc-
cimetière). Panning the movie in La Revue du
ceed better in filling the gaps of the script with
cinéma with a ferociousness even harsher than
caricatural sophistication… . In this film, Fulci
his Italian colleagues, Philippe Ross concluded:
hasn’t resolved to give up to his pseudo-
“It is high time, however, that this Stakhanov of
Lovecraftian cycle, but the failure of L’aldilà, a
horror cinema, who must benefit from advan-
shaky copy of Paura…, obliged him to sidestep
tageous prices on hemoglobin, finally learns
the issue.”9
how to handle a camera and shows us something
Gans’ praise of the film’s visual virtues,
other than these endless scenes of butchery who
namely its “melancholic, wintery photography”
truly become more and more painful and sop-
and its final vision of the beyond as a “benevolent
orific.”7
afterlife,” didn’t cancel his reservations:
Prior to its official French theatrical release,
Major innovation: would there be place for a possible
the film was screened at the th “Festival inter-
paradise in Fulci’s cinema? The distinction and the
national du film fantastique et de science-
undoubted success of the scenes with the ghosts …
fiction” in Paris together with Black Cat, and it
only emphasize the director’s lack of distance with
was accompanied by a retrospective screening
respect to the gore effects… . Fulci henceforth comes
of Una lucertola con la pelle di donna. The pub-
and goes between the defused outbidding (L’aldilà)
lic’s response wasn’t enthusiastic, though, and
and the risky slowness… . This indecision goes hand
Quella villa accanto al cimitero ended up at the
in hand with a progressive destruction of the char-
seventh place in the audience ranking (Black Cat
acters’ importance, as they move around only to
ended up ninth).
serve the horror despite good sense… . But in this
The January 982 issue of L’Écran fantas-
repertoire of gimmicks repeated or borrowed from
tique dedicated Quella villa accanto al cimitero
Argento, our greatest regret is the absence of
madness in the explanation of the monster, yelled
a two- page review penned by Christophe Gans,
amid the din of a stretched suspense.20
followed by another lengthy interview with Fulci
conducted by Robert Schlockoff. The latter was
Quella villa accanto al cimitero faced lots
nothing short of celebrating: “Lucio Fulci
of censorship issues in the United Kingdom. The
realizes that there exists an audience for his
cinema version, distributed by Eagle Films, was
films, his audience: ready to enter full foot in
passed with cuts by the BBFC on December 29,
worlds of nightmares, to be fascinated by visions
98: the sequences of Ann and Laura’s murders
so terrible that they become surrealist, to ap-
were heavily trimmed, for a total of about one
plaud the artistic brilliance of each of his movies,
minutes and a half, and the copy ran 84 minutes
to appreciate his language which refuses to refer
and 49 seconds. The same print was released
to the usual codes of horror cinema.”8
on video. Nevertheless, it ended up in the video
On the other hand, Gans’ review was once
nasties list after the 984 Video Recordings Act.
again less than favorable. “Aware of having re-
It resurfaced to home video only in 988, in a
duced his latest film to an inventory of atrocities,
print pre- edited by 34 seconds (removing the
Lucio Fulci wanted to win back some of the au-
cinema cuts) and then with additional cuts
dience, disappointed or frankly shocked by
amounting to 4 minutes and seconds, which
L’aldilà,” he noted. But he pointed out: “Shaken
meant the hacking of all the violent sequences,
up by gore, the theme of the haunted house loses
including the bat attack and the infamous sub-
its Anglo- saxon pedantry while maintaining its
jective shot in the basement amid body parts. It
most conclusive flaw. Playing with the audience’s
was re- released in 200 with 33 seconds cut and
frustration as a way to be subtle is fundamentally
finally in its uncut form in 2009.
1982: Amityville 93
Notes
13. Example? Albiero and Cacciatore hypothesize that
the sequence of Boyle listening to Peterson’s tape, with
1. According to Rome’s Public Cinematographic Reg-
the camera showing the horrors of Freudstein’s basement,
ister.
influenced Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead … without consid-
> 2. Romagnoli, L’occhio del testimone, 8.
ering that Raimi’s film was shot between November 979
3. Albiero and Cacciatore, Il terrorista dei generi, 296.
and January 980. Albiero and Cacciatore, Il terrorista dei
4. Romagnoli, L’occhio del testimone, 8.
generi, 304.
5. According to Fulci, the titular house was a school
14. G. Gs. [Giovanna Grassi], “‘Shining’ italiano,” Cor-
for disabled kids owned by a hippie couple. See Schlockoff,
riere della Sera, September 8, 98.
“Entretien avec Lucio Fulci,” (982), 2.
15. a.v. [Aldo Viganò], “Nella horror story anche i bam-
6. Wood, Hollywood from Vietnam to Reagan … and
bini,” La Stampa, August 8, 98.
Beyond, 4.
16. According to the official Spanish ministerial data,
7. Ibid., 82.
it was seen by 3,23 spectators and grossed an amount
8. Albiero and Cacciatore, Il terrorista dei generi, 298.
corresponding to 84,67 Euro. (http:// infoicaa. mecd. es/
9. Ibid.
CatalogoICAA/ Peliculas/ Detalle?Pelicula= 622)
10. Ibid., 296.
17. Philippe Ross, “La maison près du cimetière,” La
11. Bruno Maccaron and Patrick Nadjar, “Lucio Fulci:
Revue du cinema #368, January 982, 3.
‘Je suis un monstre!’ Le grand retour du maître Italien de
18. Schlockoff, “entretien avec Lucio Fulci” (982), 0.
l’horreur” L’Écran fantastique #6, October 990.
19. Christophe Gans, “La maison pres du cimetière,”
12. Garofalo and De Lillo, “Il cinema del dubbio. Inter-
L’Écran fantastique #22, January 982, 8.
vista a Lucio Fulci,” 9.
20. Ibid., 9.
1982
Amityville II: the Possession
Leonardo Cimino (Chancellor), Danny Aiello
D: Damiano Damiani. S: based on the
III (Removal Man ), Gilbert Stafford (Removal
novel Murder in Amityville by Hans Holzer; SC:
Man 2), Petra Lea (Mrs. Greer), Alan Dellay
Tommy Lee Wallace [and Dardano Sacchetti,
(Judge), Martin Donegan (Detective Cortez),
uncredited]; DOP: Franco Di Giacomo (Tech-
John Ring (Police Chief), Peter Radon (Assistant
nicolor); M: Lalo Schifrin; E: Sam O’Steen; PD:
Chancellor), Lawrence Bolen (Funeral Director),
Pier Luigi Basile; AD: David Ticotin, Aaron
Tony Boschetti (Elderly Man in Church), John
Basky; C: Daniele Nannuzzi; AC: Stefano Coletta;
Clohessey (Police Officer ), Hollis Granville (Po-
2ndAC: Crescenzo G.P. Notarile, Francesco
lice Officer 2), Frank Patton (Police Officer 3),
Damiani; ArtD: Ray Recht; SD: George DeTitta
Kim Ornitz (Police Officer 4), Lindsay Hill (Po-
Jr.; SPFX: John Caglione, Jr.; AsstSPFX: Stephen
lice Officer ), Rudy Jones (Gardener), Todd
Dupuis, Ed French, Joe Cuervo; SE: Glen Robin-
Jamie (Guest at Birthday Party), Ken Smith
son; AsstSE: Gari Zeller; AE: Nicholas Smith,
(Prison Doctor). PROD: Ira N. Smith and
Lori Bloustein; CO: William Kellard; STC: Vic
Stephen R. Greenwald for Dino De Laurentiis
Magnotta; PrM: Richard Adee, Wally Adee; KG:
Corporation—Giada International (USA); EP:
Dennis Gamiello; Dolly grip: John Mazzoni; Con-
Bernard Williams; PS: Michael Dryhust; AP: José
struction grip: Arne Olsen; Scenic chargeman:
López Rodero for Media Technology (Mexico);
Richard Hughes; ChEl: Michael Burke; SE: Glen
PM: G. MacBrown; GM: Martha Schumacher
Robinson; Transportation: Mike Houriman; Hair:
[Martha De Laurentiis], Wendy G. Glickstein,
Warner Sherer; W: Rose Triamarco; SO: Neil Fal-
Sherri Taffel Brown; PM: G. MacBrown; Location
lon; B: Kevin Meehan; SOE: Stan Bochner; Mix:
manager: Jeffrey Silver. Country: USA/Mexico.
Kim Ornitz; Casting: Navarro Bertoni; SS: Sheila
Filmed in Mexico City. Running time: 02 min-
Page. Italian version: Cesare Noia; Dial: Francesca
utes (m. 279). Italian visa n. 786 (3.30.983);
Marciano; DubD: Mario Maldesi; AsstDub: Maura
Rating: V.M.8. Release dates: 9.24.982 (USA),
Vespini. Cast: James Olson (Father Adamsky),
..983 (France), 4.8.983 (Italy), .2.983 (Aus-
Burt Young (Anthony Montelli), Rutanya Alda
tralia), 2.0.984 (West Germany); Distribution:
(Dolores Montelli), Jack Magner (Sonny Mon-
Orion Pictures (USA), Gaumont (Italy). Domes-
telli), Diane Franklin (Patricia Montelli), An-
tic gross: $ 2,34,87 (USA); Also known as:
drew Prine (Father Tom), Moses Gunn (Detec-
Amityville Possession (Italy), Amityville II—Der
tive Turner), Ted Ross (Mr. Booth), Brent Katz
Besessene (West Germany), Amityville II: le pos-
(Mark Montelli), Erica Katz (Jan Montelli),
sédé (France).
94 1982: Amityville Note: Ed & Lorraine Warren are credited as
ian producer, Dino De Laurentiis, who had re-
“demonology advisors.” Father Thomas Berming-
located to the States in the previous decade. In
ham is “religious consultant.”
the past, De Laurentiis had tried to involve
The Montelli family—father, mother and
Italian directors in his productions, most notably
four sons—moves to a house in Amityville, in
Mario Bava, whom he wanted to direct his 976
the state of New York. The place turns out to be
remake of King Kong: Bava notoriously refused,
haunted by demonic entities, and soon eerie things
not least because of his previous unhappy expe-
start happening, such as blasphemous writings on
rience with the producer on Diabolik (968).
the wall of the children’s bedroom which prompt
The script by Tommy Lee Wallace was an
them to kill their parents. Through the Walkman’s
evolution from a pre- existing story by Dardano
headphones, the devil talks to the elder son, Sonny.
Sacchetti, L’orco, which Sacchetti had developed
A priest, Father Adamsky, suspects the truth, but
into a script co- written with Colin Wilson, The
can’t do anything to save the family. Incited by
Ogre, for De Laurentiis. Damiani’s name was at-
Satan, Sonny seduces his sister Patricia and then
tached to it as early as 980. “One morning Dino
slaughters the whole family. After his arrest, Father
told me that the director would be Damiano,”
Adamsky persuades detective Turner to allow him
Sacchetti recalled.2 A couple of years earlier the
to take Sonny back to the house and perform an
scriptwriter and Damiani had worked on a story
exorcism on the young man. The demon leaves
called Il re della mafia which was left in the
Sonny’s body and takes possession of the priest.
drawer, and they were in good terms. When
The house is up for sale again…
Damiani showed up in New York for The Ogre,
Amityville II: The Possession came
as a surprise to those who were familiar
with Damiano Damiani’s oeuvre, as the
director’s body of work consisted mainly
of socially and politically committed
films which dealt with such themes as
Mafia, terrorism and corruption, often
developed within crime plots which nev-
ertheless were far removed from the typ-
ical genre trappings of the poliziottesco.
Still, in the early 980s Damiani was
finding it harder and harder to make
the films he wanted: after the harsh
L’avvertimento (980), starring Giuliano
Gemma and Martin Balsam, he made a
2-part TV movie on terrorism, Parole e
sangue, but had to give up to a project
on the hardcore porn film industry, to
be shot in the States and produced by
Dino De Laurentiis. “It was the story of
a porn actress, even though I didn’t want
to shoot any hardcore scene, because I’d
ruin the film completely,” Damiani re-
called. “I met many porn actresses… . I
even paid a visit to the one who did Deep
Throat, Linda Lovelace, and when I was
introduced to the director, Gerard
Damiano, they told me, ‘Mr. Damiano’
and I said, ‘But I’m Damiano, too!’ and
we had a laugh.”
Even though it is an American
production, Amityville II: The Posses-
sion has an Italian core to it, and not
Belgian poster for Amityville II: the Possession (1982, Dami-
just because it was financed by an Ital-
ano Damiani).
1982: Amityville 9
he was adamant with Sacchetti that his heart
beats her too if she raises her voice to protect
wasn’t in it. The two spent lots of time in New
their offspring. Such an unhealthy family envi-
York doing research for Damiani’s film on the
ronment nurtures monsters, and their moving
porn industry instead, hoping to convince De
to the house in Amityville only brings to the sur-
Laurentiis, but eventually the project was shelved,
face long- buried issues and awareness.
and the director came back to Italy. He returned
Damiani depicts the crescendo that leads
to the States in 982 to shoot The Ogre, which in
to the slaughter with enviable lucidity. One
the meantime, after several more drafts, had
could say that, even if there weren’t any demons
turned into Amityville II: The Possession, sold as
Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989) Page 28