La Venere d'Ille (1979) (TV)

Directors:

Lamberto Bava
Mario Bava

Writers:

Lamberto Bava (screenplay)
Cesare Garboli (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

27 May 1981 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

Wealthy landowner Mr. De Peyhorrade uncovers a bronze statue of Venus on his property. Afterwards, De Peyhorrade asks an antique expert...

Plot Keywords:

Venus | Murder | Wedding | Living Statue | Based On Novel

Cast

Daria Nicolodi	...	Clara / Venus
Marc Porel	...	Matthew
Fausto Di Bella	...	Alfonso De Payhorrade
Adriana Innocenti	...	Mrs. De Peyhorrade
Diana De Curtis	...	Maria
Francesco Di Federico	...	Guide
Mario Maranzana	...	Mr. De Peyhorrade
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Massimo Pittarello	...	Capo dei giocatori di pelota
Fabrizio Bava	...	Little Boy at wedding (uncredited)
Franca Scagnetti	...	Wedding breakfast's guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Lamberto Bava
Mario Bava

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lamberto Bava		screenplay
Cesare Garboli		screenplay
Prosper Mérimée		novel

Produced by
Franca Franco	....	producer

Original Music by
Ubaldo Continiello

Cinematography by
Sebastiano Celeste		(as Nino Celeste)

Film Editing by
Fernanda Papa

Production Design by
Alessandro Dell'Orco

Art Direction by
Alessandro Dell'Orco

Set Decoration by
Alessandro Dello'Orco

Costume Design by
Sandro Bellomia

Makeup Department
Corrado Cristofori	....	hair stylist
Massimo Giustini	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Massimo Alberini	....	production manager
Gianni Federici	....	production manager
Bruno Ricci	....	production supervisor

Sound Department
Pierangelo Civera	....	dubbing director
Raffaele De Luca	....	sound
Adriano Taloni	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Fabio Conversi	....	assistant camera

Other crew
Nino Lembo	....	jewellery
Rossana Rocchi	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Rai 2

Distributors

• Rai 2 (1981) (Italy) (TV) (original airing)

Also Known As:

Venus of Ille

Runtime:

61 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Rai 2

Trivia:

The film was made as part of a series of movies commissioned by the Italian TV station RaiDue and focusing on the fantastic in 19th century literature. The texts were selected by the Italian author Italo Calvino. Mario Bava and his son Lamberto then chose Merimée's story from this selection, since it seemed to them the one most suited to film adaptation.

Movie Connections:

Version of Die Venus (1922)

THE VENUS OF ILLE (TV) (Mario and Lamberto Bava, 1978) ***

I came upon this by chance on late-night Italian TV; it was shown unannounced following a screening of the director's HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON (1970)! This rarely-seen (and, consequently, legendary) TV production emerges as a more fitting swan-song for Bava than his last disappointing feature film, SHOCK (1977)!

As in that title, the female lead is played by Dario Argento muse Daria Nicolodi – who, while no great beauty, is very well-cast here as the lookalike/reincarnation of a Greek goddess/femme fatale. On the other hand, in the role of the narrative's cultured yet bewildered hero appears Lucio Fulci alumnus Marc Porel – who, interestingly, bears an uncanny resemblance to latter-day Hammer Films star Ralph Bates! Similarly, the compactly-told supernatural tale (from Prosper Merimee' and filmed three more times in 1922, 1962 and 1980!) feels like one of Hammer's TV episodes: it was, in fact, part of a horror series (all of them with a period setting) entitled THE DEVIL'S GAMES – though Bava's involvement here, naturally, guarantees a more subtly artistic approach. While somewhat talky and languidly-paced, the meticulousness of its detail and the inclusion of a couple of classic Bava moments (the sudden appearance of the statue's reflection in a window and the eerie, intense climax) makes the film a more than suitable follow-up to the director's earlier gothics – THE WHIP AND THE BODY (1963) and KILL, BABY…KILL! (1966).

In conclusion, I'd certainly be interested in checking out other episodes in this rather obscure series – not to mention Bava's other made-for-TV effort, the "Polifemo" episode from the mini-series THE ODYSSEY (1968; which was actually broadcast some years back on early Saturday mornings). As for co-director Lamberto (son and former assistant of the Euro-Cult master), I haven't been at all impressed with what little I've caught of his stand-alone work – though, with four more titles from him that I have lined-up, I'll do better to reserve a more objective judgment for a later date...