La notte dei diavoli (1972)

Director:

Giorgio Ferroni

Writers:

Eduardo Manzanos Brochero (writer)
Romano Migliorini (writer)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

The patriarch of a wealthy family fears that he will show up one day in vampire form. Should this happen, he warns his family not to let him back in his house, no matter how much he begs them. |

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | House | Witch | Car Accident | Forest

Cast

Gianni Garko	...	Nicola
Agostina Belli	...	Sdenka
Roberto Maldera	...	Jovan (as Mark Roberts)
Cinzia De Carolis	...	Irina
Teresa Gimpera	...	Elena
Bill Vanders	...	Gorca Ciuvelak (as William Vanders)
Umberto Raho	...	Doctor Tosi
Luis Suárez	...	Vlado
Sabrina Tamborra	...	Mira
Rosita Torosh	...	Nurse (as Rosa Toros)
Stefano Oppedisano	...	Male Nurse
Maria Monti	...	The witch

Also Known As:

La noche de los diablos (Spain)
Night of the Devils (USA)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

Italy | Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:18

Filming Locations:

Dear Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Copercines, Cooperativa Cinematográfica

Movie Connections:

Version of Papa, umer ded moroz (1992)

Effective and atmospheric horror gem

Giorgio Ferroni's Night of the Devils (not to be confused with the 1971 film of the same title) is an extremely rare little horror film; but in spite of that, any self respecting fan of Eurohorror will recognise the plot line instantly as it was also used to great effect in the longest segment of the Mario Bava masterpiece 'Black Sabbath'. While this film is not as good as the middle of Bava's film, and does feel a little stretched at times; it managed to hold my interest throughout and I'd rate it as a success overall. The film begins with an unknown man stumbling into hospital. He doesn't make any attempt to identify himself, but soon after an unknown woman turns up and he begins to panic. From there we go back in time as the man remembers the events that lead up to him stumbling into the hospital. It emerges that he had a break down and was forced to stay with a family out in the woods. They are clearly hiding something right from the start and we soon find out that there's a witch in the woods who has taken their father.

Director Giorgio Ferroni is best known for his excellent Gothic horror film Mill of the Stone Women which he made twelve years previously. Overall, I'd have to say that the earlier film is the more successful; but there are shades of the macabre atmosphere that made Mill of the Stone Women a success in this film. It has to be said that the film is rather slow and there are times when it is not very exciting; but this time is used well in building up the atmosphere and it pays off towards the end. The plot line follows basically the same narrative as the one we saw in Bava's earlier film so the story won't be much of a surprise to anyone who has seen Black Sabbath. The setting is very well used also and the director ensures that the isolation of it is always at the forefront. The film is not very gory but this is made up for with some memorably disturbing scenes. It all boils down to a very effective ending that certainly justifies the slow build featured throughout the film. Overall, Night of the Devils is a very solid little horror film and is well worth seeing if you can find it!