Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989)

by Roberto Curti

  The script stems from an oft- employed

  under the a.k.a. Eddy Endolf: “It was simply nec-

  Gothic cliché, a curse from the past which per-

  essary so as not to show that I was the protago-

  secutes the hero. The theme is reminiscent of

  nist as well, otherwise the distributors would

  many other werewolf films, from The Wolf Man

  not even take me into consideration!”3 He also

  to the Waldemar Daninsky cycle, but Andolfi

  did the editing, the special effects, and per-

  adds more to the recipe, as the supernatural el-

  formed a couple of stunts which another actor

  ement is bizarrely inserted into a sketchy crime

  was scared to attempt. Without any assistant di-

  story about the Neapolitan crime syndicate, the

  rector, he acted also as general manager and, for

  Camorra, which aims at exposing its ties with

  much of the shooting, as script supervisor. Dur-

  politicians. A subplot has a commissioner in-

  ing post- production he was the dubbing director

  vestigating the Camorra’s involvement with a

  for both the Italian and English language ver-

  Senator, who maneuvers them for political as-

  sions, and even dubbed seven characters; he per-

  sassinations and violent acts; “Tomorrow night

  sonally took care of the film’s theatrical release

  Italy will tremble!” enthuses the commissioner’s

  (which apparently took place in Sicily, in the

  aide, after learning that many powerful names

  cities of Palermo and Trapani) and took the film

  have been exposed. This climaxes in a dialogue

  to Milan’s MIFED fair to sell it abroad. “Since it

  confrontation between the commissioner and

  was my first movie and I came from the stage I

  the politician, who rebukes the accusations by

  was considered an incompetent, a fanatic able

  objecting that “there are so many congregations,

  only to waste money. Everyone felt compelled

  or lodges, that nowadays like to put decent peo-

  to act like slackers, alluding, stealing and other

  ple into trouble,” a reference to the 98 “P2

  pettiness … they did not know that I had an iron

  Lodge” scandal that, if nothing else, underlines

  fist, I was able to direct a thousand people like

  that Andolfi’s story was several years old by the

  44 1987: La croce time it was filmed. Incidentally, the political-The Sardinian- born Zoccheddu—a hair-

  crime subplot is dropped at this point, and never

  dresser- turned-actress who became one of Italy’s

  mentioned again in the film. The happy ending

  first porn starlets after her appearance in 98’s

  features Andolfi (proudly wearing his cross on

  Gocce d’amore—is one of several familiar faces

  his chest) strolling with his girlfriend and their

  that turn up during the movie. The female lead,

  dog in St. Peter’s Square, presumably on their

  Annie Belle (then undergoing a bad period

  way to a hearing with the Pope, under the ac-

  caused by alcohol abuse) did not remember

  companiment of a religious choir and with Jesus

  anything about the film.7 Gordon Mitchell and

  Christ’s face (looking like it was taken from a

  Giorgio Ardisson have minor roles, respectively

  holy picture) superimposed on the dome of St.

  as the cult leader, who in the end meets a grisly

  Peter’s Basilica—an image which gives an idea

  fate while Marco is freed from the curse (the

  of Andolfi’s delusions of depicting the eternal

  melting effect achieved via drawing exposed

  struggle between Good and Evil…

  parts of skull over his face), and as the “Sicilian,”

  The special make- up effects consist prima-

  an Italian- American Mafia boss. “Mitchell and

  rily of a fur mask that covers the upper half of

  Ardisson were professionals,” Andolfi recalled.

  Andolfi’s face: during his werewolf scenes he

  “They knew better, and they soon realized that

  wears a pair of furry gloves and nothing else, ex-

  I could improve upon them. They were always

  cept for a much welcome stretch of fur above

  punctual, obedient, professional, although their

  his private parts. The central transformation

  scenes could be shot in no more than two or

  scene brings the viewer back to the glorious days

  three takes.”8

  of Universal 930s horror: for about 90 seconds,

  The rating board gave La croce dalle 7

  during a lingering close- up of Andolfi grinding

  pietre.9 a V.M.4 certificate after a minor cut (4

  his teeth, wolf- like fur appears progressively on

  seconds) during the scene between Marco and

  his face via a series of cuts. The goriest bit has

  a man’s face inexplicably melt down while the

  wolfman strangles him, while another scene

  shows a woman’s face inflating and putrefying

  in real time under Aborym’s demonic influ-

  ence. Both effects were created by Lamberto

  Marini and Angelo Mattei, with decidedly

  poor results.

  If Andolfi’s acting leaves a lot to be de-

  sired, he is certainly not devoid of a good

  dose of narcissism. Despite his far from out-

  standing looks, all the girls fall for him in the

  blink of an eye (“Look at that hunk!” a couple

  of them comment as he sets foot in a disco).

  On top of that, he has a lengthy nude sex

  scene with a prostitute named Madame

  Armisia (Zaira Zoccheddu), which climaxes

  in Marco transforming into a monster and

  killing the woman while still humping her:

  Madame Armisia’s moans of pleasure turn

  into horror and pain as the wolfman abun-

  dantly drools on her. Speaking of which, the

  author’s view on the opposite sex is problem-

  atic to say the least: “I will forever have a neg-

  ative memory of women. In La croce dalle 7

  pietre there are many negative female char-

  acters and only a positive one… . 90% of the

  experiences I’ve had in Italy with women

  Italian poster for La croce dalle 7 pietre (1987, Marco

  were negative. All of them sex- hungry, or du-

  Antonio Andolfi). the tagline promises “Mistero,

  plicitous, or aiming at something, and so on.

  intrigo, amore, orrore” (Mystery, intrigue, love, hor-

  Treacherous. Evil.”6

  ror).

  1987: La croce

  4

  Armisia—quite surprisingly, given Andolfi’s in-

  senior” he is his older self, whereas as “Eddy En-

  sistence on demented sex encounters between

  dolf Junior” he appears in the footage from La

  women and monsters, also in the flashback that

  croce delle 7 pietre. Finally, he is credited as

  graphically depicts Marco’s mother mating with

  “Marco Antonio Andolfi” for the role of Abo-

  the grotesque demon Aborym. The movie dis-

  rym. The author’s ideas and delusions are well

&nb
sp; appeared almost immediately and turned up

  expressed in the following excerpt from a 2008

  only several years later among collectors, where

  interview:

  it acquired an underground cult fame under the

  Riecco Aborym can be seen as a short film, a TV

  phony title L’uomo lupo contro la camorra (The

  movie, but also as a fiction documentary. It was born

  Wolf Man vs. the Camorra).

  a bit like La croce dalle 7 pietre. I went to Kiev, looking

  In 99 Andolfi assembled a re- edited ver-

  for a job; I had to script and direct about 20 films, and

  sion, called Talisman, with money from foreign

  I was in talks with the local State television. There

  investors. The new edit partially reshaped the

  was a woman involved and … I was kidnapped. All

  story, turning Marco Sartori’s curse into a

  this happened to me in early 2007, and I wrote the

  cosmic tale of evil. The prologue opens in the

  script for the small fiction documentary some time

  year 962 with a line that reads as follows: “In

  later. I asked for a financing to IMAIE and I built the

  the heart of Africa, a precious talisman was kept,

  movie around my misadventure—to be kidnapped

  which radiated well- being. One day it was

  and betrayed by the woman who went to bed with me

  stolen, and all over the world famines, war and

  and seemed mad with love, and who at the end even

  disaster started.” The new edit features shot- on-

  wanted to kill me. Instead of the Ukranians, I put Ro-

  manians in my film, also to give the story an actual

  video scenes of African tribal dances taken from

  feel, which is not so far removed from the facts you

  some newsreels and documentaries, plus footage

  hear every day—of Romanians sneaking into houses

  from the 990s Balkan wars, as well as excerpts

  and stealing everything, because they are like night

  from other films (a snake coming out of a skele-

  wolves. And then, she, who looked so much in love,

  ton’s mouth comes from The Serpent and the

  and is supposed to have undergone so many misfor-

  Rainbow) mixed with the original black mass

  tunes with Eddy, because of the cross, the evil, the

  prologue. Accordingly, Andolfi could even use

  Romanians etc., at the end it is she who betrays me.2

  some outtakes given to him by the producers of

  The NeverEnding Story. An epilogue dated 999

  Notes

  shows someone putting away the cross in its

  1. “My starring role in Il delitto Matteotti was 00%

  case, followed by more documentary footage

  sure. Then Franco Nero fell in love with the role, and he

  (windy mountains and tropical fish swimming

  played Matteotti. That was a film where I played the whole

  in the ocean) and African dances, hinting that

  second part, and in the movie, everyone talked about me

  (perhaps) the world is now at peace.

  [as Matteotti].” Luca Ruocco, “Riassumendo Marco

  Antonio Andolfi,” Rapporto Confidenziale #0, December

  In the new opening credits, Mitchell is

  2008, 2.

  credited under his real name Charles Pendleton

  2. Ibid.

  (misspelled as “Pendelthon”), while Annie Belle

  3. Luca Ruocco, “Discutendo con Marco Antonio An-

  becomes “Annie Silvie”; the music is credited to

  dolfi [Eddy Endolf] dell’importanza di avere uno pseudon-

  imo e delle molteplici forme del demonio,” Rapporto Con-

  “Jay Horus and Raphael Pike” thus confirming

  fidenziale #0, 23.

  the rumors that have Horus as an a.k.a. of Paolo

  4. Marco Antonio Andolfi interviewed in CineWalk

  Rustichelli (who scored the original version);

  OfShame (https:// cinewalkofshame. wordpress. com/ tag/

  the direction is credited to “Allan Fleming.” The

  eddy- endolf- intervista/).

  5. Not counting, of course, Claudio Fragasso’s Monster

  film is listed as a “United Artists Company Pro-

  Dog, a.k.a Leviatán produced with Spanish funds by

  duction,” with “Seven Stars Pictures” as co-

  Eduard Sarlui and filmed in Spain.

  producer.0 Talisman was distributed abroad and

  6. Ruocco, “Discutendo con Marco Antonio Andolfi

  apparently gained some cult following in Japan.

  [Eddy Endolf] dell’importanza di avere uno pseudonimo

  But Andolfi felt there was more to tell

  e delle molteplici forme del demonio,” 24.

  7. Manlio Gomarasca and Davide Pulici, 99 donne.

  about his filmic alter ego. Twenty years later he

  Stelle e stelline del cinema italiano (Milan: MediaWord Pro-

  wrote, directed, starred in, etcetera, the 30-

  duction, 999), 73–74.

  minute featurette Riecco Aborym, which recycles

  8. Marco Antonio Andolfi interviewed in CineWalk

  footage from the previous film(s) and is, if pos-

  OfShame.

  9. The official ministerial papers and the on- screen

  sible, even more racist and misogynist—not to

  title list the film as La croce dalle 7 pietre, while the posters

  mention inept. Andolfi the actor gets all of three

  spelled it as La croce dalle sette pietre.

  distinct mentions in the credits: as “Eddy Endolf

  10. Here are the rest of the bogus credits (misspellings

  46 1987: Spettri included): The cast features Paul Travis, Jean Louis

  Note: the song “Never Change” (P.L. Ger-

  Serrault, Susan Shadix, Nicholas Muré, John Hicks, Elena

  mini—A. Cicco) is performed by Blue Visconti.

  Patnova; Casting by Wendy Zmann and Gerarda Monie;

  Rome. A team of archaeologists led by

  Executive producer: Mark Jess Medawar; Editor: Anthony

  Schwartz; Production designer: Jhon Charris, Jr.; Director

  professor Lasky discover an ancient tomb, protected

  of Photography Ed Charters; Written by Alan Fleming and

  by an ominous inscription which alludes to an evil

  Richard Garris; Produced by Alice Wess, Sam Reeves.

  force being buried in it. Soon strange events follow,

  11. IMAIE (Istituto mutualistico per la tutela degli

  which affect not only the archaeologists, but also

  artisti interpreti ed esecutori) is an institution which pro-

  tects the rights of artists and performers of musical, cine-

  those who are close to them. Alex, a female singer

  matographic and audiovisual works that are reused or

  and the fiancée of Lasky’s assistant, Marcus, expe-

  broadcast on radio, television or any other user entity.

  riences frightening visions. Several people fall victim

  IMAIE’s activity is to collect, on behalf of the performers,

  to the evil demon: a night club owner, a member of

  the proceeds due to them following the reuse of their

  Lasky’s team, a gay antiquarian and his right- hand

  works, and, after identifying those entitled to compensa-

  tion, distribute the proceeds collected.

  man. Alex is abducted by the monster in her bed.

  12. Ruocco, “Riassumendo Marco Anto
nio Andolfi,”

  After discovering that the bones buried in the tomb

  22.

  are not human, Marcus and Lasky descend under-

  ground, to finally face the monster…

  Spettri (Specters)

  Marcello Avallone’s fourth feature film

  D: Marcello Avallone. S: Marcello Avallone,

  came a full decade after his third work, Cugine

  Andrea Purgatori, Maurizio Tedesco; SC: Marcello

  mie (976), an erotic comedy which underwent

  Avallone, Andrea Purgatori, Dardano Sacchetti,

  lots of trouble with the censors. The director

  Maurizio Tedesco; DOP: Silvano Ippoliti (Kodak);

  explained that the idea of toying with the horror

  M: Lele Marchitelli, Danilo Rea (Ed. Gatta Ci

  genre had come to him several years earlier, dur-

  Cova); E: Adriano Tagliavia; ArtD: Carmelo

  ing a work trip to the United States:

  Agate; CO: Paola Collacciani Bonucci, Maurizio

  It was just 980. I was there because Francis Ford

  Marchitelli; MU: Dante Trani; SPFX: Sergio Sti-

  Coppola’s company Zoetrope was producing a doc-

  valetti; AD: Vivalda Vigorelli; SS: Daniela Tonti;

  umentary on new American cinema, together with

  C: Enrico Sasso, Ettore Corso, Enrico Fontana;

  Marina Cervi, who represented RAI. Doing this

  AE: Graziella Zita, Delia Apolloni; SO: Davide

  work, I immersed myself in the air that you breathed

  Magara; B: Stefano Rossi; Hair: Maria Fiocca,

  there, and I understood how much this kind of cin-

  Claudia Reymond Shone; SPFXAss: Barbara Mo-

  ema—let’s call it horror, even though I don’t know if

  rosetti; ChEl: Sergio Spila; El: Marcello Cardarelli,

  we can really call it horror—met the public’s taste… .

  Franco Cardarelli; KG: Mario Occhioni; G:

  I realized how strong an impact it had in America.

  Roberto Anzellotti, Roberto Rosati; W: Emanuela

  By then, almost all the horror movies that were made

  Curatolo; Press: Anna Rosa Morri; SOE: Cine-

  there were “B” pictures, but not in a derogatory

  sound; SP: Pennoni & Serto; Mix: Danilo Moroni.

  sense… . So, I came back to Italy with the idea of

  making a horror movie.2

  Cast: John Pepper (Marcus), Katrine Michelsen

  (Alex), Donald Pleasence (Prof. Lasky), Massimo

  In the following years Avallone returned to

  De Rossi (Matteo), Riccardo De Torrebruna (An-

  the genre with a three- part TV program called

  drea), Lavinia Grizi (Barbara), Riccardo Parisio

  Il cinema della paura, co- directed with Patrizia