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 | Mystery | Thriller

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:

Tourist | Mansion | Female Stockinged Legs | Skeleton In A Bed | Murder

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)
• Alpha Video Distributors (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Elite Entertainment (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• 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)
• Image Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Lorber Films (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Lorber Films (2012) (USA) (DVD) (remastered edition)
• Amvest Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Control Productions (????) (Australia) (DVD)
• Home Video Center (????) (Greece) (VHS)
• IVC (????) (Greece) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Maljack Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Redemption (????) (UK) (VHS)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (????) (USA) (VHS)
• 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:

Australia:R | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1980) | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Iceland:16 | Germany:BPjM Restricted | 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)

Filming Locations:

Barcelona Airport, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Company:

Euro America Produzioni Cinematografiche

Trivia:

Lisa's friend was played by Kathy Leone, the daughter of producer Alfredo Leone. It was her only film role.

Movie Connections:

References Blood and Roses (1960)

Soundtrack:

Concerto of Aranjuez

Eerie, surreal, and strangely beautiful - one of Bava's best!

Lovely tourist Lisa becomes lost in a European town and soon finds herself at an isolated estate where she's plagued by bizarre and frightening occurrences. The handsome master of the house seems to think Lisa is the reincarnation of his dead lover, a phantom stranger may or may not be a ghost, and the smug family butler is possibly the devil himself!

Lisa and the Devil is perhaps the most unique of the great Mario Bava's horror films. It broods with the lavish and colorful direction that the great filmmaker was well known for and it has a terrifically weird atmosphere. The story is a compelling mosaic of mystery, murder, and otherworldly surrealism as it provides for one effectively nightmarish journey. The fluid camera-work is excellent, the Gothic scenery and sets are nicely captured, and the haunting music score is perfectly pitched to give this film a stylish and chilling atmosphere.

The cast is also quite good. Gorgeous Elke Sommer gives a strong performance as bewildered Lisa. Dashing Alessio Orano is terrific as the master of the house. Veteran actress Alida Valli is great as the blind countess. However the biggest show-stealer is Telly Savalas as the charismatic and possibly fiendish butler. The supporting cast is also quite solid.

Lisa and the Devil is simply a must-see for all fans of Bava and particularly for fans of surrealist horror. It's a truly original horror gem and one of Bava's greatest works.

Footnote: Avoid a terribly re-edited and re-worked version of the film re-named House of Exorcism. This was a poorly constructed version of the film forced onto the market after distribution problems. Stick with the film that Bava intended to make instead!

**** out of ****