Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989)

by Roberto Curti

Enea Ferrario (Mirko), John Stacy (Prof. Chiesi),

  flesh- eating zombie, which results in the massacre

  Alessandro Partexano (Lt. Guido Silvestri), Mar-

  of Meyer and his men. But Stefano finds out that

  cello Tusco (Dr. Melis), Aldo Sassi (Don Mario),

  his wife has been kidnapped and murdered by the

  Veronica Moriconi (Young Gabriella), Enrico

  conspirators. Desperate, he buries Alessandra in

  Ardizzone (Benni), Maria Teresa Toffano (Anna),

  the abandoned property, so that she will come back

  Andrea Montuschi (Inspector Bouffet), Adolfo

  to life…

  1983: Zeder

  

  In the Summer of 982, three years after the

  project, but Avati managed to reprise some no-

  release of Le strelle nel fosso, Pupi Avati started

  tions about Fulcanelli in his script. The epony-

  shooting another fantastic- themed film, his sec-

  mous character of Paolo Zeder is a mysterious

  ond out- and-out horror after La casa dalle

  stateless person—that is, someone not consid-

  finestre che ridono (976). During those three

  ered as a national by any state under the opera-

  years Avati had established himself as a critically-

  tion of its law—whose condition makes him a

  respected auteur thanks to his successful TV

  symbolic modern- day variation on the Wander-

  mini- series Cinema!!! (broadcast in November

  ing Jew, condemned to wander over the Earth

  979 and starring Lino Capolicchio, Gianni Cav-

  as punishment, without the hope of rest in death

  ina and Carlo Delle Piane) and Dancing Paradise

  till the second coming of Christ. Zeder never

  (broadcast in June 982 and starring Cavina and

  appears in the film, if not in the form of a pile

  Delle Piane). Dancing Paradise showed that Avati

  of bones found inside a coffin, but his shadow

  hadn’t abandoned his predilection for the fan-

  looms over the story, and his studies about the

  tastique and the unusual: it was a musical fairy

  “K-Zones” are the object of an enduring obses-

  tale about the son (Cavina) of a legendary drum-

  sion in the film. He was modeled upon the fas-

  mer who goes in search of his father and is

  cinating and elusive alchemist and esoteric

  helped in his quest by a benevolent ghost (Delle

  writer, who had inspired Argento for Inferno,

  Piane). Avati’s only theatrical feature film after

  and whose real identity was never found. The

  Le strelle nel fosso had been Aiutami a sognare

  director told L’Écran fantastique:

  (98), starring Anthony Franciosa and Marian-

  gela Melato, a romantic love story between a

  It seems that the first thing American secret services

  widow and an American pilot during World War

  did, just after entering Paris during the liberation [in

  II: although a box- office flop, it had been a suc-

  August 944], was to try and locate Fulcanelli. But

  they couldn’t find him. He had disappeared, and even

  cess on TV where—as was customary in that pe-

  today we don’t know whether he is alive or dead.

  riod—it was broadcast in a longer, three- part

  When I decided to make a new genre film, I used this

  version. To many, then, the news that Avati was

  character. Later, in order to be freer, I changed his

  working on a new project about “a stateless per-

  name to Zeder and I also had him make investiga-

  son who conducted bizarre research on the af-

  tions on the afterlife, the world of the dead, the K-

  terlife,” as the upcoming movie was briefly de-

  Zones, the oracles and the sanctuaries.4

  scribed in the press, came as unexpected as it was

  puzzling. As the director later explained, “I re-

  Avati drew also from the works of Peter Kolosimo

  turned to the Fantastic for strategic and com-

  (real name Pietro Domenico Colosimo, 922–

  mercial needs … going back to the big screen

  984), an Italian journalist and a pioneer re-

  with a genre film seemed the easiest choice.”2

  searcher of fringe archaeology akin to Robert

  Moreover, the horror genre gave Avati the

  Charroux and Erich von Däniken; in the early

  chance to explore some of his longtime passions,

  970s Kolosimo launched the magazine “Pi

  namely esotericism and occultism, and draw

  Kappa” (the name comes from his initials) de-

  from his own readings and research. Some years

  voted to his favorite themes, and there is a chance

  earlier, the director had been studying the life

  the term “K-Zone” (spelled in Italian as “terreni

  and works of French alchemist Fulcanelli, the

  kappa”) was a subtle reference to Kolosimo.

  author of Le Mystère des Cathedrales (The Mys-

  The idea for the story gradually took form

  tery of the Cathedrals, 926) and Les Demeures

  from assorted suggestions, from the chilling idea

  Philosophales (Dwellings of the Philosophers,

  of a camera inside a coffin which monitors a

  929), for a “serious” project which he described

  dead body uninterruptedly to the notion of the

  as “a very ambitious story on the origins of the

  “K-Zones,” burial areas where the dead will res-

  Gothic and the Templar Knights and on their re-

  urrect. The latter concept was linked to a tale

  search under the ruins of the Temple of Solomon

  Avati had heard of a dog buried in a swamp area

  during their eight years’ stay in Jerusalem.”3 The

  and later sighted in the countryside, proving that

  film would delve also into the legendary Ark of

  the director’s stories were always rooted in pop-

  the Covenant, which the Templars had allegedly

  ular folklore (as with the story of the exhumed

  brought back with them on their return to Eu-

  priest that had provided the inspiration for the

  rope.

  shocking twist ending in La casa dalle finestre

  The release of Raiders of the Lost Ark (98,

  che ridono). Avati linked the concept of “K-

  Steven Spielberg) marked the early end of the

  Zones” to the ancient Etruscan rites and ceme-

  6 1983: Zeder terial sites—a recurring theme in Italian Gothic

  a cryptic message engraved on it—and would be-

  and giallo from L’etrusco uccide ancora (972)

  come obsessed with it. The thirst for knowledge

  to Ritratto di donna velata and Assassinio al

  and creativity would ultimately lead him to perdi-

  cimitero etrusco—thus drawing a red thread

  tion.

  from Italy’s ancient pre–Christian times to the

  Backed by his company A.M.A., with partic-

  modern age, not unlike he would do in the ex-

  ipation from Rai Due (who had the right to broad-

  traordinary TV mini- series Voci notturne (99).

  cast the film 8 months after its theatrical release),

  All this, transported to the typical regional back
-

  and a budget of about 00 million lire, Avati as-

  ground of Avati’s cinema, the Emilia Romagna

  sembled a varied cast. Some of his regular players

  area.

  (Ferdinando Orlandi, Bob Tonelli) were joined by

  But the spark that ignited the film was re-

  renowned dubbing artists Marcello Fusco and Ce-

  lated to the act of narrating itself. The director

  sare Barbetti (the Italian voice of Robert Redford,

  had bought an electric typewriter from com-

  and soon to become another member of Avati’s

  poser Amedeo Tommasi, and after a while he

  “repertoire company”), plus some odd presences.

  had to replace the ribbon: while changing it, he

  One such was the Australian- born John Stacy,

  noticed that the words written by the previous

  who had relocated to Italy at a young age and

  owner could still be read on the used ribbon.

  was an oft- seen face in Italian cinema since the

  The discovery had a morbid voyeuristic feel to

  early 90s, in such varied works as Antonio

  it: it was like spying on someone else’s life and

  Margheriti’s Il pianeta degli uomini spenti (96),

  becoming aware of its most intimate secrets. It

  Mario Bava’s La ragazza che sapeva troppo (963),

  was just what Avati needed: the protagonist of

  Fellini’s 8½ (963) and Carlo Lizzani’s Mussolini

  his film would be a down- on-his luck novelist

  ultimo atto (974). This was his penultimate film.

  who cannot find an idea for his next book. He

  For the role of Stefano, Avati cast Gabriele

  would be involved in the story by reading the

  Lavia. Already one of Italy’s most noted stage

  mysterious words impressed on a typewriter’s rib-

  actors, every now and then Lavia took a break

  bon—a modern day version of the manuscript

  from his theatrical commitments to act in a

  found in a bottle, or the ancient gravestone with

  movie (his latest turn had been in Inferno), but

  Pupi Avati (center) on the set of Zeder (1983) with actors Paolo Bacchi (left) and Bob tonelli (courtesy Luca servini).

  1983: Zeder

  7

  this would be his first film as protagonist; he and

  lauded and rediscovered in France,”7 the director

  Avati knew and liked each other, and Lavia was

  claimed upon the film’s release, possibly referring

  a profitable name to attach to a horror movie,

  to Fulci.

  given his previous works with Argento as well

  In Avati’s cinema, horror is closely linked to

  as his participation in Chi sei? (a.k.a. Beyond

  religious and superstitious beliefs, which often

  the Door, 974). Alongside him, Avati cast the

  become blurred. The exhumation of Zeder’s

  French Anne Canovas, whom he had seen in Gi-

  physical remains looks like the discovery of the

  acomo Battiato’s TV movie Colomba (982),

  relics of a saint or a prophet, met with jubilation

  based on Prosper Mérimée’s story, even though

  by Dr. Meyer, and the Vatican hierarchy’s secret

  his initial choice was Lavia’s partner Monica

  inquiry on the mysterious resurrections recalls

  Guerritore.

  the Church investigating miraculous events such

  Filming lasted ten weeks, from July to early

  as weeping statues or inexplicable healings, which

  September 982, and took place in Chartres (for

  spread false beliefs among the masses. Here, the

  a few exteriors) and mostly in Emilia- Romagna,

  dead returning from the afterlife—a recurrent

  between Bologna and the coastal towns of Ri-

  theme in Avati’s vision of the fantastique: see also

  mini and Milano Marittima. There, Avati found

  Le strelle nel fosso, Voci notturne, and L’arcano in-

  the perfect setting for the film’s most horrific

  cantatore (a.k.a. The Arcane Enchanter, 996)—

  scenes, set in the abandoned children’s colony

  are perverse variations of Lazarus’ story in the

  where a team of researchers conduct experi-

  Bible. Even though these zombies bite and tear

  ments on the dead: the Provincia Varese colony

  chunks of flesh just like in Romero’s films, the

  in Milano Marittima. As was customary, the di-

  focus here is not as much on their violent

  rector used almost exclusively real locations and

  behavior against the living but on the metaphys-

  left some room for improvisation. But the at-

  ical horror of their experience. They grin, they

  mosphere on the set was tense, and at a certain

  whimper, and they laugh out loud, as if they had

  point near the end of the shoot there was an ar-

  seen and learned something that is unknown to

  gument between the director and the crew,

  us, an exhilarating atrocious prank which we can-

  which resulted in a number of technicians leav-

  not understand. The joke is on us, and it’s not

  ing the set and going back to Rome.

  funny. It’s frightening.

  In interviews of the period, Avati talked

  Many key characters in Avati’s cinema—

  about the movie in a detached way, underlining

  the unlikely magician in Balsamus l’uomo di Sa-

  that the choice of making a horror film was

  tana, the actors in Thomas … gli indemoniati,

  mainly a commercial move (“The average TV

  the “painter of agonies” and his sisters in La casa

  viewer is above 40 years old, whereas moviegoers

  dalle finestre che ridono, the peasants in Le strelle

  are around 20”). He even stated that Zeder was

  nel fosso, the defrocked priest in L’arcano incan-

  “in some sense, only half- mine, a proof of good

  tatore—are obsessed with communicating with

  will that I wanted to offer to the producers,” con-

  the dead. Whereas Buono Legnani was attempt-

  cluding that “without television, an Italian film-

  ing to fix on his canvas the moment of passing,

  maker like me would have no work space at all.”6

  here this obsession takes pseudo- scientific

  But the result is among his very best works, and

  forms, by way of cameras and monitors poking

  as a horror movie it is just as scary as La casa

  into the motionless features of the recently de-

  dalle finestre che ridono, if not as original.

  ceased. Considering that the researchers in

  Even though his film was about people re-

  Zeder work on behalf of the Vatican, theirs is an

  turning from the dead and feeding on the living,

  act of hybris, as if dogmas and leaps of faith were

  Avati only superficially related to the zombie

  no longer sufficient to soothe the anguish before

  movie thread of the early 980s. Zeder rejects

  the impending physical dissipation, and proof

  the traditional living dead iconography and the

  of the Biblical promise of immortality was

  subgenre’s narrative mechanisms and focuses on

  needed. The director labeled
the researchers’

  a conspiracy movie- like paranoia—everyone

  voyeuristic experiments as “a form of extreme

  near Stefano, including his closest friends, turns

  violence. That’s their “sin” … there’s nothing

  out to be a conspirator—eschewing graphic gore

  more indecent than spying on what happens

  in favor of suspense and dread, with the same

  after the burial, during death. It’s the most vulgar

  sense of an implacable destiny closing in on the

  thing there is, the most villainous.”8

  hero. “I don’t like the cruelty and the gruesome

  Avati’s researchers are very much like some

  effects typical of some auteurs who have been

  unfortunate predecessors, namely Dr. Barrett

  8 1983: Zeder (Clive Revill) and his aides, who are recruited

  a main influence, for its “grammar of fear,”

  to investigate “survival after death” at Belasco

  Henri- Georges Clouzot’s masterpiece Les dia-

  House in The Legend of Hell House (973, John

  boliques (9).

  Hough) and the research team led by the petu-

  The actual darkness which surrounds (and

  lant Peter Brock (Michael Bryant) in the made-

  sometimes engulfs) the characters recalls the

  for-TV The Stone Tape (972, Peter Sasdy). Both

  cognitive one that swallows them. This is partly

  films have in common with Zeder the attempt

  due to their own physical impossibility of seeing,

  at reviving a typical Gothic tale in a contempo-

  as in the case of Don Luigi Costa’s blind, elderly

  rary setting, while replacing old- style clichés

  sister—who recalls Robert Duval’s character

  (séances, etc.) with state- of-the-art hi- tech. On

  (played by Stanko Molnar) in Avati’s co- scripted

  the other hand, the remarkable similarities

  Macabro, for both are defenseless and cheated

  between Zeder and Stephen King’s novel Pet Se-

  by those around them. But this perceptive dark-

  matary seem to be the result of astonishing

  ness is also a consequence of their very human

  coincidences: the script for Avati’s film was com-

  essence, the fact that we are destined to grope

  pleted in March 982, while King’s book (pub-

  in the dark when considering the limits of our

  lished in November 983 in the States) germi-

  physical existence. Nevertheless, Avati’s villains

  nated as early as late 978, and the American

  (and his heroes as well) just can’t accept it, in