the Spaghetti Western that was being screened.6
coction of Escher- like secret passages, stairs and
But the setting also predates Joe Lansdale’s 988
corridors that lead nowhere, and recall the im-
horror novel The Drive- In: A “B” Movie with
possible architectures of Mario Bava’s films: at a
Blood and Popcorn, as does the way Bava piles
certain point the survivors break through a wall
on the absurd and the gruesome without need
that seemingly separates them from the outside
for much explanation, gleefully allowing the
world, only to find themselves inside a secluded
massacre to take center stage.
chamber that shouldn’t be there. And, finally, the
For a film centered on the notion of cinema
Metropol’s walls are filled with horror movie
as a source of horror, Dèmoni collects an im-
posters and memorabilia, the modern- day
pressive series of homages, nods, references,
equivalent of the paintings and paraphernalia
borrowings, and stealings. Dawn of the Dead is
in classical Gothic.
openly quoted in the image of Urbano Bar-
It is cinema that acts as a thread between
berini’s character riding a motorbike and decap-
old- style Gothic—represented by the nameless
itating monsters (with a Japanese sword instead
film- within-a-film, which is set near a dilapi-
of the machete Tom Savini employed in Romero’s
dated church and cemetery, and deals with a
film), and in the sight gag of the helicopter in-
mysterious prophecy and a curse from the
explicably falling into the deserted theater,
past—and the present. The demons’ curse pos-
which results in yet another decapitation- by-
sibly comes from a centuries- old prophecy by
helicopter-blade. But Argento himself is also
Nostradamus, but is transmitted through a hor-
evoked multiple times, from the opening scenes
ror movie, which acts as a contemporary varia-
with Natasha Hovey walking in the deserted
tion on the old cursed manuscripts and written
subway station to the poster of 4 mosche di vel-
spells in classic Gothic. The screen itself becomes
luto grigio hanging in the foyer; a blind man has
the source of horror, ripping open like an in-
his eyes gouged out like the butler in Inferno,
fected womb and giving birth to the menace, in
and the spectacular hanging of some characters
a scene which in turn pays homage to Sara’s
in the middle of the theater recalls the opening
1985: Dèmoni
2
Unlike the living dead, the demons are
not cannibals, but they retain a mad urgency
to attack, touch, bite and scratch their victims
which is almost sexual, and in turn recalls
David Cronenberg’s early contagion films such
as Shivers (97) and Rabid (977). It’s unlikely
Sacchetti and Bava had in mind a metaphor
for AIDS, but nevertheless Dèmoni features
an interesting sexual subtext, with its virginal
teenagers and married women giving in to lust
in the dark of a theater and, as a result, being
menaced and infected by voracious ghouls. It’s
not the same situation as the one depicted in
slasher films, however, specifically because the
setting is very Italian: despite its alleged Ger-
man setting, the Metropol looks very much
like an old seconda visione Italian venue, with
its uncomfortable wooden chairs, clandestine
couples and unfriendly usherettes. The kind
of movie theaters that were gradually disap-
pearing, converted into bingo clubs or shop-
ping malls. In this respect, the scenes in which
the survivors destroy the projector and pull
up the rows of seats are a grim prophecy of
what would be the norm just a few years later.
In tune with Dèmoni’s postmodernist
quality, the cast itself includes a parade of fa-
miliar faces of Italian horror and genre cinema,
Italian locandina for Lamberto Bava’s Dèmoni (1985).
from Nicoletta Elmi (the eerie little girl from
Baron Blood, Il medaglione insanguinato, Pro-
murder in Suspiria. Then, of course, Bava Jr. bows
fondo rosso and other scary movies of the previous
to the memory of his late father: the unnamed
decade) to Giovanni Frezza (the kid from Lucio
film- within-a-film develops like a modern- day
Fulci’s films), not forgetting Stelio Candelli (Nuda
remake of La maschera del demonio (and much
per Satana) and Goffredo Unger. As the gigantic
more convincing, it must be added, than the one
bald black pimp with sideburns, Bobby Rhodes
the director will helm for TV a few years later),
looks as if he’s just stepped out of a vintage Blax-
and the contagion starts when a girl cuts herself
ploitation movie (despite being born in Livorno,
while donning a “mask of the demon,” vaguely
in the Tuscan coast) and provides a temporary
hinting at Kruvajan reanimating Asa after acci-
proletarian hero before his role is taken by the
dentally cutting his hand in the 960 film.
blond and noble Urbano Barberini, the descen-
As for the demons, although openly in-
dant of one of the most ancient aristocratic fam-
spired by Romero’s zombies, they are in fact
ilies in Rome. But Bava’s ace casting choice is that
closer to the “crazies” in Umberto Lenzi’s Incubo
of the 8-year-old, blue- eyed Natasha Hovey, who
sulla città contaminata, and despite some overly
had made a striking debut in Carlo Verdone’s ami-
naive make- up (such as the multicolored painted
able romantic comedy Acqua e sapone (983), and
veins on their faces) they are impressive creations
here proves a pitch- perfect teenage scream queen.
indeed. “The idea that the demons’ eyes had to
“Dèmoni expresses a great love for the
be fluorescent came to us on the set. It’s not a
genre. I shot it all with a small dolly, purpose-
visual effect, we didn’t have CGI back then,”
built, because I wanted the camera never to be
Bava explained. “The demons are advancing
still. Every shot had to make the viewer anxious,
straight to the camera, because the actors had
together with the use of noise and the sound-
pieces of refractive paper taped on their eyes.
track,”8 Bava explained. Still, after a very tight
Behind the camera there was a huge flat lamp
first part, the movie suffers a bit from repetitive-
that made their eyes shine.”7
ness, so much so that the director and his co-
26 1985: Dèmoni scriptwriters isolate single characters to build
an Italian horror film. The models were Rick
some subplot of sorts, and then resort to fleshing
Baker and Rob Bottin’s prosthetic transforma-
out the r
anks of the soon- to-be-victims by in-
tions in The Howling (980, Joe Dante), An
troducing the four punks from the outside, in a
American Werewolf in London (98, John Lan-
plot twist which also provides the narrative ex-
dis) and The Thing (982, John Carpenter), as in
planation for the apocalyptic climax. The second
the disturbing scene of the demon’s monstrous
half drags quite a bit because of this, mainly be-
fangs replacing human teeth in lingering close-
cause the story doesn’t have the political and so-
ups. It was a neat departure from the old and
ciological foundations of Romero’s film. But it
often crude Carlo Rambaldi–style gore of the
provides some neat scares: in a scene perhaps
previous decade, and from the gruesome effects
inspired by Alien, an air conditioning duct be-
seen in Fulci and Massaccesi’s films of the early
comes an illusory way of escape, and Bava plays
980s. Many sequences display an almost playful
with the source and direction of the menace
will to repel and disgust: a case in point is the
with consummate skill and considerable irony.
early scene where an abscess on a woman’s face
Incidentally, Dèmoni is filled with pitch-
explodes in a triumph of pus, and the overre-
black humor, targeted to the characters and the
liance on the slimy colored foams and liquids
viewer as well. Some vignettes are absurd to the
which the demons are drooling. Bava gives the
point of Surrealism, most notably the blind man
effects center stage, sometimes with even exces-
who goes to the screening a horror film (the vi-
sive enthusiasm, but some of the most over- the-
sual movie experience par excellence) and has
top moments, such as the birth of a demon who
his wife tell him what is happening on screen
emerges from a woman’s back, albeit a bit too
(the fact that she has a rendezvous with her lover
fake- looking for its own good, are show- stopping
next to him only makes the implausible situation
surreal moments which show how the makers
even more amusing). But there are also punks
were pulling all the stops. Stivaletti explained that
sniffing cocaine from a Coca- Cola can (a decid-
the demon birth effect was much more complex
edly irreverent sight gag), and a punkette girl
than what can be seen in the finished film:
stopping in the middle of the carnage to admire
Firstly, that wasn’t the monster that had to come out,
herself in front of a mirror and put on her lip-
but it had been conceived for another scene, and then
stick, which results in a gruesome retribution
due to budgetary and time constraints we did a
(the scene somehow recalls Paola Senatore
strange mixture between what had to be the demon’s
obliviously dancing in the nude in front of a
final transformation and the thing coming out from
mirror while the victims are piling up in L’assas-
the back… . Whereas from the woman’s back there
sino ha riservato nove poltrone). Bava even
had to emerge a creature similar to Menelik, which
inserts a last- minute gag during the end credits,
we created for the second Dèmoni film. And so, the
which start rolling and stop abruptly while the
fact that it came out of the body had people say,
grim fate of a main character is revealed just
“That’s like Alien!” but it wasn’t! … and then there
when we think the perils are over. As the credits
was the aftermath, with the woman literally wilting
start rolling again, we are presented with a cyn-
on the floor: this was shot but not edited.
ical punchline, in tune with the rest of the film.
Shot in nine weeks in June and July 98,
For its Italian theatrical release, Dèmoni got
Dèmoni was released in its home country in Oc-
a V.M.8 screening certificate (no minors al-
tober 98 and benefited from a clever promo-
lowed) from the rating board, something for
tional campaign, with Dario Argento’s name in
which Argento and Bava were prepared.9 “As a
evidence above the title (and three times as big
producer, Dario was undaunted by the prospect
as Bava’s) and a tagline taken from the film-
of substantial cuts. ‘Who cares,’ he said, ‘let’s
within-a-film, “Faranno dei cimiteri le loro cat-
keep the V.M.8.’ And in fact, one of the reasons
tedrali, e delle città le vostre tombe” (“They’ll
of Dèmoni’s commercial success was that it was
make cathedrals of their graveyards, and turn
hardcore gore stuff. Because if it had been softer,
cities into your tombs”) which in the grand tra-
it probably wouldn’t have had such an impact.
dition of Italian Gothic is attributed to a famed
And look, there’s stuff we cut—I mean in the ed-
source (Nostradamus) whereas it was exclusively
iting room—such as transformations, etc.,
the fruit of Sacchetti’s pen. With ,22 million
which was a lot stronger.”0
lire, it was the season’s 39th top grossing film and
Stivaletti’s pioneering effects, if inevitably
the most popular horror movie of the year, out-
dated nowadays, were unlike anything seen in
grossing such titles as Cat’s Eye, Silver Bullet and
1985: Fracchia
27
A Nightmare on Elm Street and paving the way
DOP: Luciano Tovoli (Telecolor); M: Bruno
for a sequel.
Zambrini (Ed. Alsa Maura); E: Sergio Montanari;
The commercial potential of Bava’s film re-
PD: Giovanni Licheri; CO: Mario Carlini; MU:
sulted in it being distributed theatrically world-
Maurizio Trani; AMU: Laura Borselli; Hair: Paolo
wide (although the U.K. release was apparently
Franceschi; AD: Marina Mattoli; 2ndAD: Anna
cancelled at the last minute, after some press
[Annalisa] De Simone; C: Giuseppe Tinelli; AC:
screenings2). The reviews were often far from
Roberto Marsigli; 2ndAC: Lorenzo Tovoli; PM:
positive, though. The New York Times’ Walter
Massimo Cristofanelli; PM: Carlo Alberto Fan-
Goodman opened his scathing piece on the film
tacci, Lionello Fantacci; SP: Vincenzo Savino; SD:
with a sarcastic “Blame it on Nostradamus,” and
Andrea Fantacci; ACO: Francesco Crivellini; W:
labeled it a “made-for-music-video blood gusher,”
Ruggero Peruzzi; AE: Carlo Bartolucci, Luca
long on gore and short on logic, concluding:
Montanari; SS: Mirella Roi; SO: Massimo
“‘This film contains scenes which are considered
Loffredi; B: Giulio Viggiani; Mix: Danilo Moroni;
shocking,’ says a line in the advertisements. ‘No
Cast: Paolo Villaggio (Giandomenico Fracchia),
one under 7 will be admitted unless accompa-
&nbs
p; Edmund Purdom (Count Vlad Dracula), Gigi
nied by a parent or guardian.’ The kids have all
Reder (Rag. Filini), Ania Pieroni (Countess
the luck.”3
Oniria), Federica Brion (Stefania), Giuseppe Ced-
Dèmoni proved very influential in the years
erna (Boris), Susanna Martinková (Catarina),
to come: the apocalyptic outcome recalls Danny
Andrea Gnecco (Kaspar), Filippo Degara [De
Boyle’s 28 Days Later (2002) and the French La
Gara] (Butler), Paul Muller (Fracchia’s Boss), Ro-
Horde (2009, Yannick Dahan and Benjamin
mano Puppo (Frankenstein), Isabella Ferrari
Rocher).
(Luna); uncredited: Lars Bloch (Doctor), Giucas
Casella (Himself), Plinio Fernando (Klema),
Notes
Daniela Ferrari. PROD: Bruno Altissimi, Claudio
1. Morsiani, “Conversazione con Lamberto Bava,” 49.
Saraceni for Maura International Film (Rome),
As for the other episodes, one was a story set in the
Faso Film (Rome); GM: Paolo Vandini; PM:
Bermuda Triangle, while nothing is known of the third
Nereo Salustri, Francesco Benvenuti; PSe: Cate-
segment.
rina De Angelis; ADM: Maria Lavinia Gualino;
2. Ibid.
3. Dardano Sacchetti interviewed, in www. davinotti.
AsstADM: Gloria Del Gracco. Press attache:
com (http://www.davinotti.com/index.php?option= com_
Lucherini- Vasile. Country: Italy. Filmed at Castle
content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=79).
Fénis, in Valle D’Aosta, and at Cinecittà Studios
4. Dardano Sacchetti, “La verità” in Genealogia del
(Rome). Running time: 94 minutes (m. 297).
delitto. Il cinema di Mario e Lamberto Bava, 7.
Visa n. 843 (2.9.98); Rating: all audiences.
5. Maiello, Dario Argento, 300.
6. Even though the posters that can be seen outside
Release date: 2.9.98; Distribution: Titanus. Do-
the venue in Montaldo’s film are those of I giorni dell’ira
mestic gross: 88,23,000 lire. Also known as: Zwei
(967), the clips used were from another Western starring
Vollidioten schlagen zu (West Germany).
Gemma, Giulio Petroni’s …e per tetto un cielo di stelle
In an attempt to sell a property to the short-
(968).
7. Gomarasca, “Intervista a Lamberto Bava,” 4.
sighted accountant Filini, real estate salesman Gi-
8. Ibid.
andomenico Fracchia accompanies him to visit a
9. The appeal took place in July 986, and the Appeal
Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989) Page 38