Lisa and the Devil (1974) Lisa e il diavolo (original title)

Directors:

Mario Bava
Alfredo Leone

Writers:

Mario Bava (screenplay)
Alfredo Leone (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

9 July 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Romance

Tagline:

Every corner of the soul is lost to the icy clutch of the supernatural!

Plot:

Lisa is a tourist in an ancient city. When she gets lost, she finds an old mansion in which to shelter...

Plot Keywords:

Mansion | Tourist | Gore | Italy | Priest

Cast

Telly Savalas	...	Leandro
Elke Sommer	...	Lisa Reiner
Sylva Koscina	...	Sophia Lehar
Alessio Orano	...	Max
Gabriele Tinti	...	George (the chauffeur)
Kathy Leone	...	Lisa's friend
Eduardo Fajardo	...	Francis Lehar
Franz von Treuberg	...	Shopkeeper
Espartaco Santoni	...	Carlo
Alida Valli	...	Countess
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Alda	...	Father Michael (scenes deleted)
Carmen Silva	...	Anna (scenes deleted)
Andrea Esterhazy	...	American Tourist (uncredited)

Directed by
Mario Bava		(also as Mickey Lion)
Alfredo Leone		(english version "House of Exorcism") (as Mickey Lion)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mario Bava		screenplay
Alberto Cittini		segment "House of Exorcism"
Alfredo Leone		screenplay (as Alfred Leone)
Giorgio Maulini		uncredited
Romano Migliorini		uncredited
Roberto Natale		uncredited
Francesca Rusishka		uncredited

Produced by
José Gutiérrez Maesso	....	producer (segment "House of Exorcism")
Alfredo Leone	....	producer (as Alfred Leone)

Original Music by
Carlo Savina

Cinematography by
Cecilio Paniagua

Film Editing by
Carlo Reali

Art Direction by
Nedo Azzini

Set Decoration by
Rafael Ferri

Makeup Department
Adalgisa Favella	....	hair stylist (as Gisa Favella)
Franco Freda	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Fausto Lupi	....	production manager
Faustino Ocaña	....	production manager (segment "House of Exorcism")

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lamberto Bava	....	assistant director

Art Department
Fabrizio Sforza	....	sculptor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Franco Tocci	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Giovanni Canfarelli Modica	....	assistant camera (as Gianni Modica)
Emilio Varriano	....	camera operator

Production Companies

• Euro America Produzioni Cinematografiche
• Leone International
• Roxy Film (co-production)
• Tecisa (co-production)

Distributors

• Peppercorn-Wormser Film Enterprises (1976) (USA) (theatrical) (retitled recut version) (dubbed)
• International Film Distributors (1979) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Adams Filmi (1980) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Filmhansa (1985) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Elite Entertainment (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Alpha Video Distributors (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1997) (Finland) (TV)
• Sinister Cinema (1997) (USA) (VHS) ("Lisa and the Devil" version)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD) ("Lisa and the Devil" version)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD) ("The House of Exorcism" version)
• Raro Video/Nocturno (2004) (Italy) (DVD)
• Cheezy Flicks Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Amvest Video (video)
• Control Productions (Australia) (DVD)
• Home Video Center (Greece)
• IVC
• Image Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Maljack Video (video)
• Redemption (????) (UK) (VHS)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (video)
• Suomen 3M (????) (Finland) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Lisa e il diavolo" - Italy (original title)
"The House of Exorcism" - International (English title) (recut version)

Runtime:

92 min | Italy:95 min (original version)

Country:

Italy | West Germany | Spain

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:16 (re-rating 2007) | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:18 (re-rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Italy:VM14 (original version) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (2001) (self applied) | Portugal:M/18 | Italy:VM18 (re-release) | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1980) | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Iceland:16 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Barcelona Airport, Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain

Company:

Euro America Produzioni Cinematografiche

Trivia:

Anthony Perkins was offered the role of Max, but Perkins turned it down.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Haunted Mansion (2003)

Soundtrack:

Concerto of Aranjuez

Magnifico

As oft repeated here: the version titled "Lisa and the Devil" is the more serious of the two versions of this film. "Lisa" captures perfectly that nightmarish atmosphere that Italian filmmakers such as Bava and Argento seem to have such a knack for creating. This is one of the first films I ever saw that relied on visual narrative instead of a solid script to make its point, and even at an early age this really held my interest. Of course, the argument could also be made that this film suffers from slow pacing and a telegraphed conclusion, but I still think the movie is gorgeous, and Elke Sommer is a delight.

But don't let that stop you from checking out "House of Exorcism", either! This takes the film to the other end of the spectrum, exploiting the loose narrative by forcing a possession plot that finds Elke's character now confined to a hospital bed doing her best Linda Blair impression. Everyone involved with the making of these scenes had to have known they were trashy, including Elke herself, so it's a riot to see how game she was to go over the top. She just cuts loose & goes for it, mugging for the camera, vomiting toads, and dripping lots of green bile (natch).

Compared to "Lisa and the Devil", "House of Exorcism" is an absolute abomination, but the producer was a demented genius in forcing the issue of the possession subplot, since the film in its original form was far too "art house" to make any money on the drive-in circuit. If you get ahold of the special edition DVD with both cuts of the film on it, be sure to listen in to the commentary track, which features some great chat from Alfred Leone (the film's producer) and Elke Sommer herself. The opportunity to view both versions of the film gives the viewer a unique opportunity to experience two radically different visions of one film: first as a sumptuously filmed dreamlike masterpiece, then as a masterpiece defiled, hacked to pieces for an exploitation thrill.