The Visitor (1979) Stridulum (original title)

Director:

Giulio Paradisi

Writers:

Ovidio G. Assonitis (story)
Luciano Comici (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

1980 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

They know we are here...

Plot:

The soul of a young girl with telekinetic powers becomes the prize in a fight between forces of God and the Devil. |

Plot Keywords:

Occult | Terror | Demon | Alien | Violence

Cast

Mel Ferrer	...	Dr. Walker
Glenn Ford	...	Det. Jake Durham
Lance Henriksen	...	Raymond Armstead
John Huston	...	Jerzy Colsowicz
Joanne Nail	...	Barbara Collins
Sam Peckinpah	...	Dr. Sam Collins
Shelley Winters	...	Jane Phillips
Paige Conner	...	Katy Collins
Ja Townsend
Jack Dorsey
Johnny Popwell
Wallace Wilkinson	...	Police Captain
Steve Somers
Lou Walker
Walter Gordon Sr.
Hsio Ho Chao
Calvin Embry
Betty Turner
Steve Cunningham
Neal Boortz		(as Neal Bortz)
Jack H. Gordon
Steve Beizer
Bill Ash
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Dorsey	...	Sheriff Paul Townsend
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	...	Himself (uncredited)
Dave Hinchberger	...	Basketball game patron (uncredited)
Franco Nero	...	Jesus Christ (uncredited)
Aron Siegel	...	Hot dog stand customer (uncredited)

Directed by
Giulio Paradisi		(as Michael J. Paradise)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ovidio G. Assonitis		story (as Ovidio Assonitis)
Luciano Comici		screenplay (as Lou Comici)
Robert Mundi		screenplay (as Robert Mundy)
Giulio Paradisi		story (as Michael J. Paradise)

Produced by
Ovidio G. Assonitis	....	producer (as Ovidio Assonitis)
A. Caponetto	....	associate producer
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Samuel Goldwyn Jr.	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Edward L. Montoro	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Franco Micalizzi

Cinematography by
Ennio Guarnieri		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Roberto Curi		(as Robert Curi)

Art Direction by
Franco Vanorio		(as Frank Vanorio)

Set Decoration by
M. Graziosi

Makeup Department
Giancarlo De Leonardis	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Mario Cotone	....	production supervisor
Jacques Goyard	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christopher Cruise	....	assistant director
Meyer Glickman	....	assistant director
Jean Ludwigg	....	assistant director

Art Department
Brian Smith	....	property master
Lynn Wolverton-Parker	....	property master (as Lynn Wolverton)

Special Effects by
Vern Hyde	....	special effects (as Vernon Hyde)
Bob Shelley	....	special effects (as Robert Shelley)

Visual Effects by
Ermando Biamonte	....	optical special effects (as E. Biamonte)

Stunts
Max Balchowsky	....	stuntman
Ted Duncan	....	stunt coordinator
Lawrence Montaigne	....	stuntman
Artie Nay	....	stuntman
Aaron Norris	....	stuntman
Don Pike	....	stuntman
Cheyenne Rivera	....	stuntman

Camera and Electrical Department
Roberto D'Ettorre Piazzoli	....	director of photography: second unit
Denny Mooradian	....	electrician (uncredited)

Animation Department
Bruno Bozzetto	....	animator (as Bozzetto)

Casting Department
Stratton Leopold	....	casting: Atlanta

Editorial Department
Andrea Gargano	....	final colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Franco Micalizzi	....	conductor
Luca di Silverio	....	soundtrack album producer (uncredited)

Other crew
Ovidio G. Assonitis	....	presenter (as Ovidio Assonitis)
Ray Berwick	....	bird trainer
Peter Shepherd	....	production services: Swan American Film Corporation California

Thanks
George Busbee	....	grateful acknowledgement: for their helpful assistance without which this film could never have been made (as Mr. George Busbee Governor of the State of Georgia)
Maynard Jackson	....	grateful acknowledgement: for their helpful assistance without which this film could never have been made (as Mr. Maynard Jackson Mayor of the City of Atlanta)

Production Companies

• Brouwersgracht Investments
• Film Ventures International (FVI) (uncredited)
• Swan American Film (uncredited)

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1980) (USA) (theatrical) (original planned release)
• Arte 7 Distribución S.A. (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Astral Films (1980) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Avis Film (1980) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• The International Picture Show Company (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1979) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Code Red DVD (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Golden Video (????) (Italy) (VHS)
• Samuel Goldwyn Home Entertainment (1982) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (198?) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Spectacular Effects International (as Spectacular Effects International, Inc.)

Other Companies

• Technospes  color (as Technospes®)
• RCA  music production and publishing
• Swan American Film  production services (as Swan American Film Corporation California)
• De System  set decoration
• Dear  film studio (as Dear International)
• De Paolis I.N.C.I.R.  film studio (as Incir De Paolis)
• Cinecittà  film studio (as Cinecitta' s.p.a.)
• Spectacular Effects International  property master (as Spectacular Effects International, Inc.)
• J.P. Allen of Atlanta  wardrobe: Ms. Neill
• Muses of Atlanta  wardrobe: Mr. Ferrer, Mr. Ford, Mr. Henriksen and Mr. Peckinpah
• Aaron Rents Patient Center  the producer wishes to thank
• Omni Coliseum  the producer wishes to thank (as The Omni)
• Eastern Airlines  the producer wishes to thank
• Omni International  the producer wishes to thank
• Grady Hospital  the producer wishes to thank (as Grady Hospital - Atlanta)
• Peachtree Plaza Hotel  the producer wishes to thank
• Greater Southern Distributing  the producer wishes to thank (as Greator Southern Distributors)
• Allen-Russel Ford  the producer wishes to thank (as Allen Russel Ford Inc.)
• Huff Furniture  the producer wishes to thank
• Sleepy Hollow Nursery  the producer wishes to thank
• Digitmovies Alternative Entertainment  soundtrack (uncredited)

Also Known As:

"Stridulum" - USA (original title)

Runtime:

Germany:101 min | USA:90 min | Argentina:100 min | USA:108 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA | Italy

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | UK:18 | USA:R | Argentina:16 | West Germany:16 (f) | Australia:M (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Dear Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Brouwersgracht Investments

Trivia:

Sam Peckinpah only worked one day on this film.

Goofs:

Continuity: After the police officer is attacked by the bird and rolls his car down the bank, we see that the car is clearly about to come to rest upright. But subsequently we see the car upside down as it catches fire.

Quotes:

Detective Jake Durham:Katy, I know you know something that was in that package, now tell me what it is and I woun't bother you anymore.
Katy Collins:Okay I will tell you but you might have to write it down. Are you ready?
Detective Jake Durham:Yes.
Katy Collins:Shove it up your ass!

atmospheric exorcist-omen derivative is NOT that bad

This movie is underrated.

OK, it is not The Omen or The Exorcist, but it has some pretty good atmospherics.

What I liked about it was the ending. It had a kind of beatific glow about it.

I like the music, even thought it is clearly outdated.

But to give it as low a rating as it has--that is just wrong, people.

C'mon it is a movie that has freakin' Jesus making a cameo!

I would like to see the less edited version.

But it has been a long time since this movie has been on TV