the transition from a film to the real world, this
J.G. Ballard’s novel High-Rise). Unlike Dèmoni,
time through a TV set. The nameless film-
where tension rose from the forced cohabitation
within-a-film is not the same as in Dèmoni but
of various very different characters, here horror
some sort of a replica, with different actors in
grows and develops within single familiar units,
similar roles and set in an abandoned industrial
hinting at a sociological discourse that is rather
factory. Bava throws in a reference to his father’s
disappointingly sketched. An obnoxious teen-
La maschera del demonio, as the demon’s rebirth
ager is having a birthday party, a pregnant
is caused by blood from a wound dripping over
woman is left alone by her partner, a kid is home
its face, as in the sequence of Asa’s resurrection
alone, a family is watching television, a prostitute
in the earlier film. Then, while Sally (Coralina
is meeting a client, a group of bodybuilders are
Cataldi Tassoni) is watching the movie, a demon
slowly advances to a close- up until it pushes
the screen from behind and comes out of it.
Bava renders effectively the transition by way
of alternate point- of-view shots of Sally
watching TV and a subjective shot of the
demon from inside the television set, advanc-
ing toward her, an alternance which recalls
La maschera del demonio’s celebrated open-
ing. The effect looks very much like Rick
Baker’s famous “animated” television screen
in Videodrome, but Bava maintained that he
hadn’t seen the movie3; he was very proud of
the craftsman- like quality of the effect itself,
worthy of his father. “Stivaletti and I had even
thought of putting a TV set inside a bathtub
with someone inside it … then one night—
because these ideas come at night—I came
up with a Mario Bava–like trick: an empty
TV set, a latex screen, a previously shot scene
projected on it, and behind the screen some-
body who, when the demon arrives in close-
up, pushes it and comes out. That’s my
father’s basic concept: the simpler the trick,
the more effective the illusion.”4 The effect
worked so well that what we see in the film
is the first take. It was so good that Bava
didn’t have to shoot a second one.
As with the first episode, Argento didn’t
interfere in the shooting. “Dario, like few
Italian locandina for Dèmoni 2 ... l’incubo ritorna
people, is one of those who persuades you to
(1986, Lamberto Bava).
give your best … and I must say that at the
1986: Dèmoni 2
4
same time he fully respected my role as the di-
from the first film—Bobby Rhodes and Lino
rector,” Bava pointed out. “He showed up every
Salemme—turn up in different roles, and Rhodes
once in a while, as were shooting, and watched
(as a gym owner) once again plays the strong and
the material like every producer does, but he
charismatic leader of the survivors, while new
never came over and said, ‘Do this, do that.’”
cast members include Marina Loi (Zombi 3) and
The director claimed that he liked Dèmoni
Michele Mirabella (Tutti defunti … tranne i morti,
2 even more than its predecessor, possibly also
L’aldilà). Argento’s daughter Asia turns up in a
as a reaction to the critics, who were quite severe
small role in her second film after the made- for-
with the film. The makers stick to the repetition
TV Sogni e bisogni (98, Sergio Citti), and An-
of a winning formula, and the script and direc-
tonio Cantafora (Baron Blood) plays her father.
tion go a long way to try and recreate the things
Unlike the first film, this time Argento and
that worked in the previous chapter, such as the
Bava consciously toned down the gore to get a
shot of the demons advancing in slow- motion,
V.M.4 rating, not least because they were aware
their eyes glowing in the dark; but this time
that a conspicuous part of the profits would
the plethora of ideas borrowed from other films
come from television sales. Rather than to
become more tiresome, devoid of the wild bold-
blood, they often resort to colored pus and slime
ness displayed by Dèmoni. For instance, the sub-
(even corrosive, as in Alien), which gives the re-
plot about four types driving around town on
sult a certain comic- book quality; even the light-
their way to the birthday party is superfluous,
ing, with much of the movie taking place in par-
and the use of pop and rock songs in the sound-
tial darkness, was conceived in order not to
track—The Cult, Peter Murphy, Gene Loves
show too much blood. Nevertheless, box- office
Jezebel, Dead Can Dance—is debatable: The
grosses were slightly inferior to the original, with
Smiths’ “Panic” commenting a scene of people
little over . billion lire. Like its predecessor, it
panicking is close to self- parody.
was sold abroad and show theatrically in the
Even the direction leaves something to be
major European countries (this time the BBFC
desired. Besides some inexplicable out- of-focus
passed it uncut) and overseas.
scenes possibly shot by a second unit, the camera
Dèmoni 2 was released theatrically less than
over- relies on close- ups of the drooling demons
a month after the debut of a new horror comic
making faces and growling at the camera. With
book, created by writer Tiziano Sclavi and cen-
too many characters and too much buildup, the
tered on a self- styled “detective of the paranor-
movie fails to reach the tension it aims for, and
mal.” The first issue of Dylan Dog, “L’alba dei
the most effective bits are isolated sight gags
morti viventi,” came out in September 986 and
which are conceived and shot like showpieces in
was a smash it. Dylan Dog comics were charac-
themselves, a bit in the way Argento does with his
terized by a postmodernist approach, for each
murder scenes. See, for instance, the opening se-
story was filled to the brim with references and
quence, where a menacingly- looking butcher’s
homages to (mostly) horror films and literature,
knife and a suspicious blood- red liquid turn out
and the mixture of splatter, humor, romanticism
to be the tools of a pastry chef, and the birthday
and philosophical antics proved to be irresistible.
cake scene with Tassoni transforming after blow-
Within two years of its debut, sales sky- rocketed,
ing on the candles. But the supposed centerpiece,
with peaks of over 00,000 sales, and over the
with the p
regnant Hannah (Nancy Brilli) pursued
course of a few years it even outsold the classic
in her apartment by a grotesque- looking winged
Western comic Tex.
demon (which Bava and Stivaletti baptized
Significantly, Bava’s original idea for the
“Menelik”6) erupted from a demonic child’s chest,
third part of the series was to shift the source of
in a blatant rendition of the Amelia episode in
the contagion to paper. “It had to be a triptych:
Dan Curtis’ Trilogy of Terror (97), with the
demons in movies, in television and on the
demon standing in for the Zuni doll, is let down
printed page,”7 namely a book whose pages,
by Stivaletti’s unconvincing creature effects. The
soaked with human blood, would give birth to
scene perhaps had an antecedent in Bava’s un-
the demons. But things took quite a different di-
filmed project Gnomi, which he had scripted in
rection, and not by chance television had a big
the early 980s with Roberto Gandus and Alessan-
part in reshaping events. This time, however, no
dro Parenzo (see entry for Macabro).
demons came out of a TV set, but rather a di-
The acting is worse too, with David Knight
rector—Bava himself—was sucked into it.
making for a very unimpressive hero. Two actors
42 1987: La croce Notes
5. Ibid.
6. Menelik was an infamous name for Italians. Menelik
1. According to Rome’s Public Cinematographic Reg-
had been the first emperor of Ethiopia, and Menelik II (em-
ister. Alan Jones reports May 26 (Alan Jones, Dario
peror of Ethiopia between 889 and 93) had declared war
Argento. The Man, the Myths & the Magic [Surrey: FAB
against Italy in late 800, which led to the Italian army
Press, (2004/202) 206], ).
being defeated in the infamous battle of Adua, on March
2. Morsiani, “Conversazione con Lamberto Bava,” 2.
, 896.
3. Ibid., 7.
7. Gomarasca, “Intervista a Lamberto Bava.”
4. Gomarasca, “Intervista a Lamberto Bava,” 4.
1987
La croce dalle 7 pietre (Cross of the Seven
at the station was not Carmela, but her friend
Jewels)
Elena. At a disco, Marco meets a girl called Maria,
D: Marco Antonio Andolfi. S and SC:
who falls for him. He goes to a fence, Totonno O’
Marco Antonio Andolfi; DOP: Carlo Poletti; M:
Cafone, in the hope of retrieving his cross, but
Paolo Rustichelli (Ed. C.A.M.); E: Marco Anto-
finds out that the jewel has already been pur-
nio Andolfi; PD, SD: Massimo Corevi; SE: Eddy
chased by a Camorra boss, Don Raffaele Esposito.
Endolf [Marco Antonio Andolfi]; C: Renato
While Marco is questioning Totonno, midnight
Doria; AC: Lucio Granelli, Andrea Doria; SS:
strikes: the young man undergoes a horrific trans-
Marisa Agostini; MU: Lamberto Marini, Angelo
formation, turning into a werewolf, and kills the
Mattei, Alfonso Cioffi; Hair: Claudia Bianchi;
fence. It turns out Marco is the offspring of a
CO: Gilian; W: Liana Dentini, Anna Cirilli; PM:
member of a devilish cult impregnated by the
Amato Gabotti; G: Gualberto Franceschini,
demon Aborym, and that he is destined to turn
Michele Fedele; El: Aldo Mercenaro, Francesco
into a werewolf every night at midnight; the cross
Piccardi. Cast: Eddy Endolf [Marco Antonio
is a talisman given to him by his mother, which
Andolfi] (Marco Sartori), Annie Belle [Annie
can stop the transformation. Desperate, Marco
Brillard] (Maria), Gordon Mitchell (Black Mass
continues his search and comes upon the presence
Leader), Paolo Fiorino, Giorgio Ardisson (The
of Don Raffaele Esposito, but the boss mistakenly
Sicilian), Zaira Zoccheddu (Armisia, the Clair-
believes him to be an undercover agent, investi-
voyant), Glauco Simonini, Giulio Massimini
gating the Camorra traffics, and takes him pris-
(Minister), Stefano Muré, Irmgard Konnertz,
oner. At midnight, the transformation takes place
Marco Merlo, Giò Batta Merlo, Cristoforo Vet-
and Marco slaughters Don Raffaele and his men.
then, Gino Lodero, Franco Altobelli, Mario Do-
He and Maria find out that the cross is in posses-
natone, Piero Vivaldi (Totonno ‘O Cafone), Um-
sion of a fortune teller, Armisia, who is also a
berto De Luca, Gino Serra, Antonietta Rinaldi.
prostitute: he turns into a monster again during
PROD: Compagnia di Prosa “Roma” G.C. Pic-
intercourse with the woman and kills her. It is up
tures; PM: Francesco Giorgi; PS: Tiziano Sarno;
to Maria to save Marco from his curse…
Country: Italy. Filmed in Rome, Zagarolo (Rome)
The Neapolitan- born Marco Antonio An-
and Naples. Running time: 83 minutes (m. 2270);
dolfi had acting in his blood since the time he
re- edited version: 86 minutes. Visa n. 866
was a technician at the Singer sewing machines
(7.24.986); Rating: V.M.4. Release date: 4.30.987.
company: on Saturdays and Sundays he moon-
Distribution: Compagnia Distribuzione Inter-
lighted as a thesp in a small theatrical company.
nazionale P.R. Domestic gross: n.a. Also known as:
After losing his job at Singer, Andolfi decided
Talisman (99 re- edit).
to take a leap and become an actor full- time,
Bank employee Marco Sartori travels from
and founded the Roman- based Compagnia
Rome to Naples to meet his cousin Carmela,
Roma, which then became Compagnia “Artisti
whom he hasn’t seen in years. Soon after his ar-
Riuniti.”
rival some thugs snatch a jeweled cross he carries
Andolfi’s first steps in the movie industry
on his neck. Marco and the police trace the thieves
proved more difficult. He claimed to have been
but find out they have already sold the jewel. The
just one step away from playing important roles
following day Marco discovers that the girl he met
in well- known films, such as Florestano Vancini’s
1987: La croce
43
Il delitto Matteotti (973), but this never hap-
a general. Many clashes occurred. Theater is a
pened, and he languished in obscurity, allegedly
very harsh environment,” the director recalled.
writing plays and photonovels for the Lanciostory
“Then there was the Mafia of film distribution,
magazine.
dubbing, extras, and even the Mafia of develop-
Eventually, Andolfi took the tiger by the
ment and printing labs. I had to do everything
tail and mounted his own feature film project.
by myself, I was present everywhere … there
The inspiration for the story came from an au-
were also a few slaps and criminal complaints,
tobiographical episode.
it helped me that I had a powerful physique.”4
Such a dedication to his work is truly re-
One day I went to Naples wearing a pretty nice, valu-
able cross… . I was going to meet a girl, my fiancée… .
markable, but worthy of a better cause. In addi-
And there was this snatch, which happened in a
tion to being Italy’s first werewolf movie since
rather strange way. There were two bikes, you see,
Lycanthropus (96, Paolo Heusch), La croce
one passed near me and the passenger snatched the
dalle 7 pietre has a reputation of being one of
cross from my neck. I was about to react, but the
the worst Italian movies ever made. It will take
young man passed the cross to the passenger of an-
just a few minutes for the viewer to realize that
other bike. The second motorcycle fled. I pursued it
such a title was no exaggeration. In the mind-
… I managed to reach the bike, hurl it to the ground
bogglingly inept pre- credit sequence, set in what
and have those bastards arrested! From this theft the
looks like a condo’s basement, a cult leader (Gor-
story of La croce dalle 7 pietre was born. I then soaked
don Mitchell) officiates some sort of Satanic rit-
it with other imagery, drawn from my plays, comedies
ual which consists mostly in several people in
I wrote or comics.2
S/M outfits groping or whipping each other
How Andolfi managed to get a 0 million lire
(“Your pain is my pleasure!”), and summons the
financing from the State is still anyone’s guess.
demon Aborym, who looks like a man with a
However, La croce dalle 7 pietre benefited from
papier- mâché gorilla mask and fur like a
the infamous article 28 of the 96 cinema law
Komondor dog. The rest of the film fares even
(see entry for Notturno con grida) which guar-
worse, with atrocious acting and dialogue, goofy
anteed State loans for films with cultural or artis-
direction (with a perhaps unrivalled number of
tic aspirations. As a true Renaissance man, An-
passers- by looking at the camera during exterior
dolfi undertook various tasks to carry his dream
scenes), amateurish special effects and a plot
project home. In addition to writing the story
which to call “demented” would be an under-
and screenplay, he took care of the direction
statement.
himself and played the starring role, hiding
Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989) Page 43