Pakistan. Then five years from now I’d like to be able
zodiac (“Drake”) and from her love for Pink Floyd
to rent this movie for 79 cents. That’s the level I
(“Floyd”). See Jacopo Coccia, “Conversazione con Rossella
wanted this to be on. They gave me a lot of money
Drudi (Parte ),” Bizzarrocinema.it (http:// www. bizzarro
for it—it must have been half the budget—and we
cinema. it/ interviste/ altre- interviste/ professione- scene
did it in Spain. A lot of the people who worked on it
ggiatore- intervista- esclusiva- a- rossella- drudi/).
34 1986: Anemia 1986
Anemia (Anemia)
ences hallucinations. Umberto’s illness leads him
D: Alberto Abruzzese and Achille Pisanti.
to make a drastic decision: he’ll retire for some
S: based on Alberto Abruzzese’s novel Anemia.
time in his grandfather’s secluded house by the
Storia di un vampiro comunista; SC: Alberto
lake. During the trip by train he recalls his love
Abruzzese, Achille Pisanti; DOP: Angelo Sciarra;
story with a TV reporter, Marcella, and his in-
M: Lorenzo Ferrero; E: Mirella Mencio; PD:
creasing detachment from the political life. At the
Nicola Rubertelli; CO: Giovanna La Placa
house, he discovers a diary and learns from it that
Wolmsley; AD: Gina Vitelli; Collaboration to the
he is the last descendant of a vampire. Upon his
direction: Anna Albanese; SS: Marisa Vesuviano;
return to the city, Umberto finally embraces his
C: Pietro Emozione; SD: Paolo Fabriani; AC:
own destiny. He prepares to become the party’s
Enzo Leone, Antonio Maglione, Antonio Pas-
leader and leaves on a vacation with Marcella at
colini; SO: Rino Evangelista; B: Mario Di Iorio;
an exclusive hotel where his real nature comes to
MU: Enzo D’Anna; Hair: Alfonso Simonelli;
the fore…
ACO: Anna Morelli; ChEl: Mario Traditi; KG:
Born in Rome in 942, Alberto Abruzzese
Ciro De Pasquale; Titles: Giacomo Stabile; G:
is one of Italy’s most highly reputed sociologists
Domenico Milano, Mario Richiello; Specializzati
and semiologists. Between 972 and 992 he
di ripresa: Domenico Gervasio, Antonio Spamp-
taught at the University of Naples and specialized
inato; AE: Danilo Fedeli, Renata Gengarelli;
in mass communication; he wrote several influ-
Truka: Claudio Soldati; Luci di stampa: Walter
ential volumes on the matter, which often focused
Abbondanza, Sergio Moscardi; Negative cutter:
on literature, film and popular art, and gained the
Rosa Iorizzo; Dubbing director: Elio Zamuto;
title of “theorist of the ephemeral.” Among his
Dubbing asst: Mirella Russo; SOE: Enzo Di Lib-
works are L’immagine filmica. Materiali di studio
erto; Mix: Marina Atzu. Cast: Hanns Zischler
(974), La grande scimmia. Mostri, vampiri, au-
(Umberto U.), Gioia Maria Scola [Gioia Maria
tomi, mutanti. L’immaginario collettivo dalla let-
Tibiletti] (Marcella), Julian Jenkins (Shop assis-
teratura al cinema e all’informazione (979) and
tant), Emily Marchi (Flower seller), Giuseppe
Pornograffiti. Trame e figure del fumetto italiano
Aprea (Alberto), Luigi Curcione (Barman),
per adulti (980)—the latter a pioneering collec-
Roberto Pace (Young manager), Francesco Pet-
tion of essays on adults- only comics.
tarin (Ice Cream Man), Linda Sini (Marta), Elio
In December 984 Abruzzese released Ane-
Polimeno (Man in Train), Helmut Plakolmer
mia. Storia di un vampiro comunista, a novelette
(Reporter), Enzo Salomone (Waiter in Train),
published by a small Rome- based company,
Franco Gargia (Waiter in Restaurant), Lucio
Theoria, who sought to give new life to the Fan-
Beffi (Doctor), Nicola Esposito (Taxi Driver),
tastic genre by collecting works of contemporary
Vera Matania (Innkeeper), Roberto Corcione
Italian authors, such as Vincenzo Cerami (Sua
(Tommaso), Gérard Landry (Grandfather),
Maestà), Aldo Rosselli (A pranzo con Lukacs),
Margherita Rinaldi (Shop Assistant), Gabriella
Antonio Caronia (Il cyborg. Saggio sull’uomo ar-
Rinaldi (Singer), Roberto De Francesco (Boy),
tificiale) and Giampiero Comolli (Il banchetto
Marina Ruffo (Hotel Owner), Nicola Vigilante
nel bosco). “We wanted Italian authors to con-
(Hotel Owner’s Son), Anna Calato (Waitress).
front the themes of fear and obsessions in
PROD: Rai Tre, RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana;
today’s Western society, that is, the ghosts, vam-
PM: Giorgio Scoppa; GM: Bruno Alongi; PS:
pires, monsters of our everyday reality,” claimed
Rolando Santorelli. Country: Italy. Filmed in
the company’s head, Paolo Repetti.
Rome and on the Amalfi Coast. Running time:
In tune with Theoria’s aim and with
90 minutes. Release dates: 9.9.986 (Venice Film
Abruzzese’s interests, Anemia mixed references
Festival); 0.27.990 (First TV broadcast—Rai
to film and literature within an openly political
Tre); Distribution: not released theatrically.
context. The story fleshed out the theme of vam-
Umberto, a leader of the Italian Communist
pirism as political metaphor: the protagonist
Party, suffers from a severe form of anemia. He
Umberto U. is a member of the Italian Commu-
has to wear dark glasses in daylight and experi-
nist Party (PCI) who suffers from anemia, pho-
1986: Anemia
3
tophobia, and a growing attraction to blood. PCI
just like us, we’ve got the same blood,” says the
was undergoing an identity crisis after the death
elderly party member to the protagonist.
of its historical secretary, Enrico Berlinguer, who
The country’s political malaise is heavily
suffered a major stroke during an electoral
underlined by TV sets that broadcast news about
speech (broadcast live) in June 984 and died a
the Brigate Rosse terrorist group (Abruzzese has
few days later. A much beloved political figure,
a disinterested barman switch channels to a Fred
even by people with different political ideas,
Astaire musical to stress the average man’s de-
Berlinguer left the party at its all- time maximum,
tachment from politics). Likewise, Umberto’s
with over 33-percent: during the European elec-
gradual transformation into a vampire is shown
tions, PCI even surpassed its historic rival,
with blatant symbolism: he wears shades even in
Democrazia Cristiana, but soon its popularity
badly- lit rooms, he feels attracted to crypts and
started to fall, not least because of the events that
cellars (“There’s a good smell of earth here,” he
marked European history throughout the decade,
says to a f
lower girl after following her into the
from the 98 Polish golpe to the domestic re-
shop’s basement), eats a raspberry ice- cream and
forms in Gorbachev’s Russia, starting with 986’s
gets his mouth all messed up in red.
Perestroika.
The directors scatter many references
In late 98, Abruzzese started working on
to classic horror cinema and literature through-
a film version of his novel, in collaboration with
out the story, from Nosferatu and Vampyr to
the 34-year-old Achille Pisanti, who helped him
The Castle of Otranto, and deliver some nice
adapt the material for the screen and shared the
evocative images. Umberto’s night journey
directorial duties with him. Shot in 6mm with
by train to his grandfather’s house is patterned
a small budget, Anemia was produced by Rai
over Harker’s trip to Dracula’s castle; the long
Tre, the third and most experimental of RAI
flashback which illustrates the memories of
channels. The State television was intensifying
Umberto’s vampiric ancestor (veteran French
its participation in production: that year’s Venice
actor Gérard Landry, cast because of his work
Film Festival included no less than ten films
with Abel Gance) is set among cemeteries
produced in whole or in part by RAI and to
and fog- shrouded villas and aims at a silent
be distributed by its consociate company Sacis,
movie- like intensity; in the final scene, Gioia
“an unequivocal sign of the vitality of Italian cin-
Maria Scola’s character moves forward sliding
ema,” as the company proudly claimed.2
like the elderly lady in Bava’s La goccia d’acqua.
Abruzzese’s approach to the modern- day
Abruzzese himself was adamant that the film be
Gothic tale shows immediately the author’s
considered as a
agenda. The protagonist’s transformation is a
hypersensible journey among the literary and cine-
metaphor for the loss of political ideals. Umberto
matic genres; a game of displacements, estrange-
is described as “too young to have been a found-
ments, misrepresentations amidst the ruins of TV
ing member of the party, too intellectual to have
and cinema; a nostalgic and musical game within the
trained as a bureaucrat,” and is said to have de-
limits allowed by the “years of lead” … a very hybrid
luded himself into thinking he could change the
game, indeed, aimed at rethinking the crisis of our
PCI, whereas he was changed by it—starting
cinema without the pretension of employing the Hol-
with the use of cryptic but ultimately void lan-
lywood standard, but keeping in mind that … the
guage.
Italian spectator lives in a cinematic world which is
Abruzzese and Pisanti didactically depict
heavily contaminated by models, emotions and
the Roman PCI headquarters, located at the
myths coming from Hollywood movies as well as by
aptly named Via delle Botteghe Oscure (Street
styles inherited from Italian cinema, wavering be-
of Dark Workshops), as the modern- day version
tween past and present imagery, widespread con-
sumerism and cultural traditions. It is this type of
of a vampire castle—immersed in gloom and
viewer that we hope to please.3
full of parasitic bloodsuckers (the party officials)
who are busy exchanging favors, pulling the
As film critic Fabio Giovannini noted,
strings or concocting Machiavellian ways to
“Anemia marks a moment of resurrection for
keep their self- interest. House of Cards this ain’t,
the vampire figure [in Italian cinema] but also
however: the dialogue, heavy with political in-
the exposition of the myth to dangers of con-
nuendo, is too blatant and self- referential in its
tamination that might be fatal. The vampire,
depiction of aridness and political mischief, and
who uses contagion as a weapon, can die of con-
the puns are telegraphed. “In future, you’ll be
tamination too.”4 That is, Anemia gradually suc-
36 1986: La casa cumbs to the very metaphors it deals with, and
television only a handful of times over the fol-
Abruzzese’s ambition to sum up the crisis of
lowing years, late at night, in a copy with forced
Italy’s major left- wing party and the end of ide-
English subtitles.
ologies as a Gothic tale turns out a cataleptic,
cryptic and, indeed, anemic narrative. The movie
Notes
is distinctly devoid of a strong cinematic style.
1. Nico Orengo, “Ecco il vampiro Made in Italy,” La
Unlike its predecessors, such as Corrado Farina’s
Stampa—Tuttolibri, January , 98.
…hanno cambiato faccia (97), Anemia ulti-
2. [not signed], “Dieci film Rai alla Biennale,” L’Unità,
mately fails because it cannot find its own iden-
August , 986.
3. Alberto Abruzzese, “Ora vi racconto la mia sfida al
tity. The redundant, didactic dialogue in the first
cinema,” L’Unità, August 24, 986.
part is paired with an over- reliance on the voice-
4. Fabio Giovannini, Il libro dei vampiri: dal mito di
over during the flashback that forms the core of
Dracula alla presenza quotidiana (Bari: Dedalo, [98]
the tale, showing a direction which is not able to
997), 8.
turn the literary background into a filmic vision.
5. Abruzzese, “Ora vi racconto la mia sfida al cinema.”
6. L.t., “Nel mistero della vita anche i comunisti sono
The cast and production values don’t help.
in crisi,” La Stampa, September 9, 986.
Zischler (the protagonist of Wim Wenders’ cel-
7. Piero Zanotto, “Dopo l’effimero viene l ‘Anemia,’”
ebrated Im Lauf der Zeit, a.k.a. Kings of the Road,
Stampa Sera, 9 September 986.
976) is far from being a convincing lead, while
the gorgeous Scola—whose “close friendship”
La casa del buon ritorno (The House of
with Silvio Berlusconi’s brother Paolo allowed
Good Returns)
her to gain some press exposure during the
D: Beppe Cino. S and SC: Beppe Cino; DOP:
early- to-mid 980s, even for such an obscure
Antonio Minutolo (Kodak; LV- Luciano Vittori);
project as Abruzzese’s film—is certainly an al-
M: Carlo Siliotto (Ed. CAM); E: Emanuele Fogli-
luring presence but not the world’s best actress.
etti; PD, CO: Silvana Fantino; AD: Diego D’In-
The music shifts uneasily between atmospheric
nocenzo; AsstD: Paolo Scaffa, Stefano Gabrini;
moody synth pieces and Goblin- like, dance-
MU: Maurizio Fazzini; SS: Paola Di Giulio,
oriented numbers, with horrible results; the only
AsstSS: Giovanna Lomagno; AE: Lucia Deidda;
welcome interf
erence is a brief excerpt from the
C: Giuseppe Venditti; APD: Pier Francesco Gior-
music video for The Rolling Stones’ “Neigh-
dano; SO: Benedetto Santalucia; B: Fulgenzio
bours,” from the Tattoo You album.
Ceccon; SP: Elvira Castellano; ChEl: Giulio Bas-
Abruzzese claimed that he hoped the critics
toni; El: Alberto Rogante, Giovanni Angeletti,
would “acknowledge the attempt at escaping the
Roberto Stiffi; KG: Vincenzo Di Costanzo; G:
filmic tradition of these last ten years of Italian
Roberto Battistioli, Paolo Camera, Francesco
cinema,” but this proved wishful thinking. Ane-
Bastianoni; Mix: Franco Bassi. Cast: Amanda
mia was screened at the 986 Venice Film Fes-
Sandrelli (Margit), Stefano Gabrini (Luca),
tival in a collateral retrospective (Spazio Aperto)
Francesco Costa (Bruno), Fiammetta Carena
and at the “Premio Italia” in Lucca, around the
(Ayesha), Lola Ledda (Lola), Stanis Ledda (Luca
same time, to generally perplexed, if not down-
as a child), Fabrizio Capuani (Bruno as a child),
right bad, reviews.6 “We have the feeling, con-
Eloisa Cino (Girl playing piano), Eleonora Sal-
firmed by some, many, too many declarations
vadori (Luca’s mother), Elvira Castellano (Bruno’s
on the part of Abruzzese, that the narrative core
mother). PROD: Remo Angioli and Beppe Cino
… is only a pretext,” a critic wrote. “The narrative
for Moviemachine S.r.l. (Rome); PM: Renata
is intentionally a series of linear encounters with
Crea; EP: Giuseppina Marotta; PS: Anda Fabrizi,
oneirism, eroticism, horror, sentimentalism,
Benedetto Atria; PSe: Patrizia Pierucci; ADM:
period- evoking flash- backs … all tied together
Caterina Roverso. Country: Italy. Filmed in and
by the extremely thin, yet logical, thread of the
around Rome. Running time: 9 minutes (m.
events lived by the protagonist. There are refer-
2492). Visa n. 82023 (.29.986); Rating: all au-
ences to various genres, then, such as one can
diences. Release date: 8.3.986 (Venezia Film
find at a stereotypical level in many countries’
Festival); 2.3.987 (Theatrical release); Distribu-
filmographies, especially American. As for the
tion: C.R.C./Real Film. Domestic gross: n.a. Also
pleasantness of the result for the viewers … we
known as: Das Haus der blauen Schatten (West
have strong doubts.”7
Germany).
Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989) Page 41