Bell from Hell (1973) La campana del infierno (original title)

Director:

Claudio Guerín
(more)

Writers:

Santiago Moncada (story)
Santiago Moncada (screenplay)

Release Date:

1 October 1973 (Spain)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

A young man is released from an asylum and returns home for revenge on his aunt and her three daughters...

Plot Keywords:

Inheritance | Revenge | Aunt | Asylum | Body Hidden Behind A Wall

Cast

Renaud Verley	...	Juan (John in English version)
Viveca Lindfors	...	Marta
Alfredo Mayo	...	Don Pedro
Maribel Martín	...	Esther
Nuria Gimeno	...	Teresa
Christina von Blanc	...	María (as Christine Betzner)
Saturno Cerra	...	The Shepherd
Nicole Vesperini	...	Don Pedro's Wife
Erasmo Pascual	...	Priest
Antonio Puga	...	Don Pedro's Hunting Partner
Juan Cazalilla	...	Don Pedro's Hunting Partner
Tito García	...	Don Pedro's Hunting Partner
Rosetta Vellisca	...	The Shepherd's Daughter
Ángel Blanco	...	Dr. Junqueiro
Susana Latour	...	Juan's mother
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William Layton

Directed by
Claudio Guerín
Juan Antonio Bardem		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Santiago Moncada		(story)
Santiago Moncada		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Ausnit	....	associate producer
Claudio Guerín	....	producer

Original Music by
Adolfo Waitzman

Cinematography by
Manuel Rojas

Film Editing by
Magdalena Pulido

Production Design by
Eduardo Torre de la Fuente

Set Decoration by
Eduardo Torre de la Fuente

Costume Design by
Maiki Marín		(as Maiqui Marín)

Makeup Department
Vicenta Palmero	....	hair stylist
Julián Ruiz	....	key makeup artist
Antonio Segovia	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Ricardo Bonilla	....	unit production manager
Luis Laso	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sinesio Isla	....	assistant director
Miguel Suárez	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Juan de la Flor	....	property master
Horacio Rodríguez	....	assistant set decorator

Sound Department
Luis Castro	....	sound effects
Tomás del Barrio	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
José Luis Aguilar	....	second assistant camera
Julio Leyva	....	assistant camera (as Julio Martín Leyva)
Simón López	....	still photographer
Domingo Solano	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
María Teresa Iglesias	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
José María Biurrún	....	second assistant editor
María Teresa Mateos	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Demetrio Bravo	....	second production assistant
Isabel Ruiz Capillas	....	shooting secretary (as Maribel Ruiz Capillas)
Luis Vázquez	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Hesperia Films S.A.
• Les Films de la Boétie

Distributors

• AVCO Embassy Pictures (USA) (dubbed)
• DMEG (2004) (Sweden) (video) (as "Bell from Hell")
• Mercurio Films S.A. (Spain)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Pathfinder Pictures (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Baquero

Other Companies

• Antonio Marqués  shooting unit
• Gecisa  electric equipment
• Macasoli  camera equipment provided by
• Galindo  transportation
• Decoraciones Generales  set construction
• Arcofón  sound post-production
• Lui  costumes made by
• Cornejo  wardrobe (as Cornejo)
• Mateos  props
• Estudios Roma  studio

Also Known As:

"La campana del infierno" - Spain (original title)

Runtime:

Spain:106 min | USA:93 min

Country:

Spain | France

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

A Coruña, Galicia, Spain

Company:

Hesperia Films S.A.

Trivia:

Director Claudio Guerín Hill fell from the tower housing the title bell on the last day of shooting and was killed. The film was completed by Juan Antonio Bardem.

Quotes:

Esther:Did you practise free love?
Juan:Yes.
Esther:I want to start but mother won't let me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape (2010) (V)

A lost little horror gem

I saw this film several times on the late night local movie when I was a kid back in the 70's. With a title like 'A Bell From Hell' you would expect the worst, but it is actually a highly entertaining little Spanish horror film. The plot concerns a man returning home from an asylum bent on taking revenge on those that put him there. These revenge scenes are both horrific and comical-sort of in the tradition of "Dr. Phibes" and "Theatre of Blood"-minus the great Vincent Price! Still, the performances are above average and the plot has not one sleepy moment in it...and watch out for the ironic twist of a finale-you won't see this one coming! Not to be missed-if you can find it.