money, as his publisher just rejected his latest
novel, telling him that “it sucked,” and so he bor-
1. Adele Gallotti, “Tutta Nizza si è messa a ballare nel
rowed some more money from Alessandra’s
“Dancing” di Avati,” La Stampa, December 6, 982.
2. Ruggero Adamovit, Claudio Bartolini and Luca
father (whom we assume is very wealthy). The
Servini, Nero Avati. Visioni dal set (Genova: Le Mani, 20),
couple then start making out on the sofa but are
46.
interrupted by the concierge coming out of the
3. Lorenzo Codelli, “Entretien avec Pupi Avati. Zeder.”
kitchen: the elderly man has fixed the electrical
L’Écran fantastique #36, July/August 983, 92.
cable of the typewriter Alessandra has purchased
4. Ibid., 9.
5. Adamovit, Bartolini and Servini, Nero Avati, 64.
for her husband, a love gift which will ultimately
6. si.ro., “Avati vuol far cassetta con l’horror e sceglie la
turn out to be their ruin. In addition to fleshing
faccia di Gabriele Lavia,” La Stampa, January 4, 983.
out Stefano’s characterization by hinting at his
7. Giovanna Grassi, “Con Zeder brividi in Emilia,” Cor-
frustration as a novelist, the sequence shows the
riere della Sera, August 24, 983.
8. Codelli, “Entretien avec Pupi Avati. Zeder.” 92.
couple’s passionate relationship, but it also hints
9. Michael Gray Baughan, Stephen King (New York: In-
at their class difference, with the man striving to
fobase Publishing, 2009), 9–60.
come up with enough money to support the fam-
10. Frank Lafond, “Le cinéma de la peur selon Pupi
ily without relying on his wife’s rich father.
Avati,” in Frank Lafond (ed.), Cauchemars Italiens. Volume
The commercial disappointment of Zeder
1: Le Cinéma fantastique (Paris: L’Harmattan, 20), 36.
11. Adamovit, Bartolini and Servini, Nero Avati, 2.
resulted in Avati consigning his fantastique-related
12. Ibid., 0.
themes to an oblivion which would last over a
13. Ibid., 67.
1985
Dèmoni (Demons)
Sacchetti, Franco Ferrini; DOP: Gianlorenzo
D: Lamberto Bava. S: Dardano Sacchetti;
Battaglia (Eastmancolor Kodak, LV- Luciano
SC: Dario Argento, Lamberto Bava, Dardano
Vittori); M: Claudio Simonetti (Universo Film);
22 1985: Dèmoni E: Piero Bozza; SupE: Franco Fraticelli; PD: Da-
(Spain), Démons (France), Dämonen 2/Dance of
vide Bassan; CO: Marina Malavasi, Patrizia Mas-
the Demons (West Germany).
saia; AD: Michele Soavi [and Fabrizio Bava, un-
Berlin, the present. A mysterious man in the
credited]; SPFX: Sergio Stivaletti; AsstSPFX:
subway gives a young music student named
Barbara Morosetti, Sami Habib Ahmed; SE: An-
Cheryl two free tickets for a movie premiere at
gelo Mattei (miniatures), Danilo Bollettini,
the gloomy Metropol cinema. A varied audience
Claudio Quaglietti, Ditta Corridori; MU: Rosario
attends the screening: Cheryl and her friend
Prestopino; AMU: Giacinto Bretti; Hair: Teodora
Kathy; two clean- cut teenagers, George and Ken;
Bruno; AE: Roberto Priori; 2ndAE: Sergio Frat-
a teenage couple; a black pimp named Tony and
icelli, Fabrizio Fraticelli; AC: Enzo Frattari, Clau-
two prostitutes; a middle- age couple celebrating
dio Nannuzzi, Daniele Cimini, Federico Mar-
their anniversary; a blind man and his wife, the
tucci; AsstSD: Livia Pascucci; SO: Raffaele De
latter taking advantage of the opportunity to meet
Luca; B: Angelo Amattulli; Mix: Romano Pam-
her lover. The film is a horror movie about four
paloni; Dolby sound consultant: Federico Savina;
teenagers who violate the tomb of Nostradamus
SOE: Massimo Anzelotti; ChEl: Cristo Verrillo;
and unleash a series of gruesome events. Before
KG: Franco Serantoni; PrM: Maurizio Jacopelli;
the movie starts, one of the prostitutes, Rosemary,
W: Carla Latini; G: Paolo Tiberti; SP: Franco
accidentally cuts her face with an iron mask ex-
Bellomo, Gianfranco Caira; Stunts: Ottaviano
posed in the theater’s hall. She soon undergoes a
Dell’Acqua, Claudio Pacifico; SS: Daniela Tonti.
horrible transformation in the cinema restroom
Cast: Urbano Barberini (George), Natasha Hovey
which turns her into a demon. One by one, the
(Cheryl), Karl Zinny (Ken), Fiore Argento (Han-
moviegoers are attacked and infected by the
nah), Paola Cozzo (Kathy), Fabiola Toledo (Car-
demons, while the survivors find themselves
men), Nicoletta Elmi (Ingrid), Stelio Candelli
walled alive inside the venue. George, Ken, Cheryl
(Frank), Nicole Tessier (Ruth), Geretta Giancarlo
and Kathy are among the few left alive. Mean-
[Geretta Geretta] (Rosemary), Bobby Rhodes
while, a small group of punks break inside the the-
(Tony), Guido Baldi (Tommy), Bettina
ater, while the blind man, who has been infected,
Ciampolini (Nina), Giuseppe Mauro Cruciano
sneaks out and spreads the contagion…
(Hot Dog), Sally Day (Liz), Eliana Hoppe
After the low- budget giallo, La casa con la
[Eliana Miglio] (Edith, woman in tent—Horror
scala nel buio, Lamberto Bava had become stuck
film), Jasmine Maimone (Nancy—Horror film),
in B- movie territory with the violent action film
Marcello Modugno (Bob—Horror film), Peter
Blastfighter (983) and the sci- fi/horror hybrid
Pitsch (Baby Pig), Pasqualino [Lino] Salemme
Shark-Rosso nell’oceano (984), both signed as
(Ripper), Enrica Maria Scrivano (Blonde Vic-
“John M. Old Jr.,” and was still looking for his
tim), Alex Serra (Werner), Michele Soavi (Man
big break. Bava was considering directing a
in Black/Jerry—Horror film), Claudio Spadaro
three- part anthology written by Dardano Sac-
(Liz’s Lover), Patrizia Lazzarini, Paolo Corazzi
chetti, in the vein of his father’s I tre volti della
(Policeman), Emanuela Zicosky (June), Claudio
paura. One of the stories was set inside a movie
Insegno (Policeman); uncredited: Sami Habib
theater where the spectators are attacked by
Ahmed (Kathy’s Baby Demon), Lamberto Bava
monsters during the screening of a horror film.
(st Man Exiting Subway), Giovanni Frezza
As Bava recalled, “Then, one day I started think-
(Kirk), Sergio Stivaletti (Victim), Goffredo
ing that I didn’t like the idea of a trilogy so
Unger (Jeep Driver). PROD: Dario Argento for
much, and I didn’t like the other two episodes
DAC Film (Rome); PS: Guido De Laurentiis;
that much, so I thought to myself: but this one
PSe: Fabrizio Diaz, Rita Friggeri; PAcc: Ferdi-
episode, dilated into a full- length movie, would
nando Caputo; ADM: Renato Rin
aldo; PrA: En-
work perfectly.”
rico Lucherini. Country: Italy. Filmed on
Bava and Sacchetti submitted a 2-page
location in Berlin and at De Paolis In.Ci.R. Stu-
treatment to Fabrizio De Angelis, but they were
dios (Rome). Running time: 88 minutes (m.
disappointed to learn that the producer was
2403). Visa n. 809 (0.4.98); Rating: V.M.8.
planning to recycle footage from the Fulci films
Release dates: 0.4.98 (Italy), 4.26.986 (Japan),
he’d produced as parts of the film- within-a-film
.30.986 (USA), 0..986 (France), 0.4.986
to cut costs. So, around October 984, they took
(Hong Kong), 8.2.987 (Spain); Distribution:
the project to Luciano Martino, who suggested
Titanus (Italy); Ascot (USA). Domestic gross:
that Bava and Sacchetti produce it. The proposal
,22,490,000 lire. Also known as: Demonios
was tempting as it would allow them total con-
1985: Dèmoni
23
trol, but the movie would cost almost 400 mil-
more intellectual, perhaps better, but Dario
lion lire, and it was to be a financial risk for the
surely went for something more effective.”4 On
director and the scriptwriter, who would be paid
his part, Ferrini said that his main contribution
with a 0 percent of the grosses and would re-
to the script was postponing the appearance of
cover the costs and see profits only after Martino
the demons, which in an earlier draft came out
had recovered his part.
of the movie screen almost at the beginning.
In the meantime, after the box- office suc-
The title Dèmoni turned up later in the pre-
cess of Phenomena, Dario Argento was toying
production stage. Sacchetti maintains it was Ar-
with the idea of producing more horror movies,
gento who came up with it, while Bava recalls
as he had done with Dawn of the Dead. Besides
noticing Dostoyevsky’s three- part novel Demons
the economic motifs, in a way it was a move in-
one day in his father’s library—standing out be-
spired by one of his masters, Sergio Leone, who
cause of its bright red binding—and being
in the Seventies had devoted himself to produc-
struck by it. It was as if Mario had provided one
tion with such diverse films as Il mio nome è Nes-
last piece of the puzzle. Lamberto immediately
suno (973, Tonino Valerii), Un genio, due com-
phoned Argento, who was enthusiastic about it
pari e un pollo (97, Damiano Damiani), Il gatto
too.
(977, Luigi Comencini), and comedian Carlo
Even more so than Phenomena, Dèmoni
Verdone’s debut Un sacco bello (980), while
displays an explicit attempt at tagging along with
working on the project of Once Upon a Time in
the changes in taste and aesthetics of the decade.
America. Argento’s friend Luigi Cozzi had sub-
As a producer, Argento chose to lean on gory
mitted to him a science fiction script the merit
excess to create an economically viable project
of which Dario was not fully convinced about,
for the international markets on a par with the
so he got in touch with Bava. “He told me: bring
overseas products, while at the same time keep-
me an idea and we’ll make the movie immedi-
ing it highly recognizable as Italian. With a sub-
ately.” Lamberto seized the opportunity. “I told
stantial budget at his disposal (which Bava
Dario the story [of Dèmoni] and on the tenth
quantified as three or three- and-a-half billion
word he told me: ‘That’s an idea, we’ll make it!’
lire), quite some time and effort was dedicated
… At that point we worked on it as it should al-
to Stivaletti’s special make- up effects and cre-
ways be done in movies, that is, four people
ations.
scripting for four or five months.”2
Besides the nods to Romero, Dèmoni de-
Sacchetti’s recollection of the scriptwriting
picts perfectly the metamorphosis of the Gothic
sessions is not devoid of bitter remarks. “At that
in a juvenile, postmodernist key. Both the film-
time, I was again cross with Dario. He esteemed
within-a-film and the film itself revolve around
me but didn’t trust me. I have a completely dif-
teenage characters: Cheryl and her classmate
ferent working method. First, he wanted to get
have skipped school (possibly conservatory:
Franco Ferrini on board, who didn’t understand
Cheryl carries a book of Béla Bartók composi-
the film and only tried to please Dario. Then,
tions) to go to the movies, while George and Ken
since as everyone knows I have a bad temper,
don’t miss the opportunity to sit close to the girls
Dario paid me and got rid of me. He called me
and court them—a blossoming blind date which
back a few months later for a final polish, but by
goes horribly wrong. The city where the story
then Sergio Stivaletti had become the film’s deus
takes place is never mentioned but it is obviously
ex machina, with his special effects.”3 Sacchetti
German—the film was shot in Berlin, and in the
claimed that the first part of his original story
opening sequence Cheryl meets the masked
was virtually identical to the finished film,
man at the Heidelberger Platz station—and the
whereas the second half was set entirely in the
makers pay homage to Expressionism by way of
cinema’s basement, where the main characters
the movie theater’s name (Metropol, hinting at
“found all this stuff—movie posters, costumes,
Fritz Lang’s Metropolis). But the setting refers
sets, etc.—and then there was this journey to-
also to one of the main centers of the Goth sub-
ward safety through what was left of an old the-
culture, which included ample references to 9th
ater’s basement. Dario didn’t want that, but he
century Gothic literature and Gothic horror
wanted a big demon coming out of the floor …
films. As expected, however, youth culture is re-
he wanted something more in the style of a zom-
garded with suspicion: in the opening scenes,
bie film, with blood and gore, and Stivaletti’s ef-
Natasha Hovey’s good girl character is travelling
fects. I had thought of a more romantic twist,
in a subway train filled with rather menacing-
24 1985: Dèmoni looking types lifted from Christiane F. (98, Uli
death in Inferno. Horror literally invades real
Edel), and halfway through the movie we are in-
life, and movies become a source of infection
troduced to a quartet of obnoxious punk vandals
and perdition, as in the censors’ worst night-
who drive around the city listening to Go West
<
br /> mares.
and Billy Idol and sniffing cocaine. The sound-
One of Dèmoni’s cleverest touches is that,
track winks (rather confusedly, one might add)
unbeknownst to all, the invasion has already
to the equation between hard rock and horror,
happened when the film begins. The masked
as Argento had done in Phenomena, with a se-
man played by Michele Soavi, who gives away
lection of hits and excerpts from songs by Scor-
free tickets for a movie premiere, is one of the
pions, Mötley Crüe, Accept and Saxon. In turn,
characters from the movie that will be premiered
the main theme in Claudio Simonetti’s score
that night, who has become a demon and
seems to have been inspired by Herbie Hancock’s
walked away in the real world, to spread the in-
983 hit single Rockit—another sign of the evolu-
fection. It’s a paradox worthy of John Carpenter’s
tion of taste from the days of the Tubular Bells-in-
In the Mouth of Madness (994), and it’s a pity
fluenced theme from Profondo rosso.
that the script doesn’t elaborate further on the
Most significantly, the story takes place in-
idea, introducing the character again near the
side a cinema: the movie theater becomes the
end only for a rather anticlimactic fight with the
ideal replacement of the Gothic haunted houses,
hero on the theater’s roof.
a cloistered container of horror and the natural
Still, the film’s central idea is striking. At
setting of a story which has its strong point in
the time, critics pointed out marginal similarities
the cinematic references. “This place is haunted,”
with Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo
a character says, and the imposing Metropol
(98), released earlier that year, but few recalled
theater seems to acquire a life of its own. Like
a much closer (and most likely casual) prede-
in Buñuel’s El ángel exterminador (962) and in
cessor, Giuliano Montaldo’s brilliant, made- for-
Giuseppe Bennati’s 974 Gothic giallo, L’assassino
TV Circuito chiuso (978), a murder mystery set
ha riservato nove poltrone, its doors are locked
inside a movie venue where a killing takes place,
(even literally walled) by an invisible force and
and the culprit is eventually revealed as a gun-
open only to let the contagion slip out; its walls
slinger (none other than Giuliano Gemma) from
sweat indefinable liquids; its interiors are a con-
Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989) Page 37