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Spirits of the Dead

Original title: Histoires extraordinaires
  • 1968
  • R
  • 2h 1m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
6.7K
YOUR RATING
Spirits of the Dead (1968)
DramaHorrorMystery

A trio of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations about a cruel countess haunted by her cousin's stallion, a sadistic soldier haunted by his doppelgänger, and an alcoholic actor haunted by the Devil.A trio of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations about a cruel countess haunted by her cousin's stallion, a sadistic soldier haunted by his doppelgänger, and an alcoholic actor haunted by the Devil.A trio of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations about a cruel countess haunted by her cousin's stallion, a sadistic soldier haunted by his doppelgänger, and an alcoholic actor haunted by the Devil.

  • Directors
    • Federico Fellini
    • Louis Malle
    • Roger Vadim
  • Writers
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • Roger Vadim
    • Pascal Cousin
  • Stars
    • Jane Fonda
    • Brigitte Bardot
    • Alain Delon
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    6.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Federico Fellini
      • Louis Malle
      • Roger Vadim
    • Writers
      • Edgar Allan Poe
      • Roger Vadim
      • Pascal Cousin
    • Stars
      • Jane Fonda
      • Brigitte Bardot
      • Alain Delon
    • 75User reviews
    • 53Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:41
    Watch Trailer

    Photos93

    Spirits of the Dead (1968)
    Terence Stamp in Spirits of the Dead (1968)
    Brigitte Bardot in Spirits of the Dead (1968)
    Spirits of the Dead (1968)
    Spirits of the Dead (1968)
    Brigitte Bardot in Spirits of the Dead (1968)
    Brigitte Bardot, Jane Fonda, Terence Stamp, Alain Delon, and Peter Fonda in Spirits of the Dead (1968)
    Carla Marlier in Spirits of the Dead (1968)
    Carla Marlier in Spirits of the Dead (1968)
    Marisa Traversi in Spirits of the Dead (1968)
    Anne Tonietti in Spirits of the Dead (1968)
    Milena Vukotic in Spirits of the Dead (1968)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jane Fonda
    Jane Fonda
    • Contessa Frederique de Metzengerstein (segment "Metzengerstein")
    Brigitte Bardot
    Brigitte Bardot
    • Giuseppina Ditterheim (segment "William Wilson")
    Alain Delon
    Alain Delon
    • William Wilson (segment "William Wilson")
    Terence Stamp
    Terence Stamp
    • Toby Dammit (segment "Toby Dammit")
    James Robertson Justice
    James Robertson Justice
    • Countess' Advisor (segment "Metzengerstein")
    Salvo Randone
    Salvo Randone
    • Priest (segment "Toby Dammit")
    Françoise Prévost
    Françoise Prévost
    • Friend of Countess (segment "Metzengerstein")
    • (as Francoise Prevost)
    Peter Fonda
    Peter Fonda
    • Baron Wilhelm Berlifitzing (segment "Metzengerstein")
    Marlène Alexandre
    • (segment "Metzengerstein")
    Marie-Ange Aniès
    • A courtesan (segment "Metzengerstein")
    • (as Marie-Ange Anies)
    David Bresson
    Katia Christine
    Katia Christine
    • Young girl on the dissection table (segment "William Wilson")
    • (as Katia Christina)
    Peter Dane
    Georges Douking
    Georges Douking
    • Le licier (segment "Metzengerstein")
    Philippe Lemaire
    Philippe Lemaire
    • Philippe (segment "Metzengerstein")
    Carla Marlier
    Carla Marlier
    • Claude (segment "Metzengerstein")
    Serge Marquand
    • Hugues (segment "Metzengerstein")
    Umberto D'Orsi
    • Hans (segment "William Wilson")
    • Directors
      • Federico Fellini(segment Toby Dammit)
      • Louis Malle(segment William Wilson)
      • Roger Vadim(segment Metzengerstein)
    • Writers
      • Edgar Allan Poe(segment Metzengerstein)
      • Roger Vadim(segment Metzengerstein)
      • Pascal Cousin(segment Metzengerstein)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In Federico Fellini's segment, Terence Stamp plays an actor arriving in Rome to do a film, and as they leave the airport to go into the city he suddenly sits up and asks where his Ferrari is; he was promised a Ferrari. This is a humorous reference to a behind the scenes situation on the film The Witches (1967) from the year before, when Clint Eastwood was enticed to play a small role in exchange for a Ferrari.
    • Goofs
      Toby is offered a magazine pictorial in which he is to portray "the young Greek god Mars" (as translated in captions). Mars was the Roman god of war. The Greek god of war was Ares.
    • Quotes

      William Wilson: It is said, gentlemen, that the heart is the seat of the emotions, the passions. Indeed. But experience shows that it is the seat of our cares. Its only generosity lies in the suffering it gives. So, when we have cut the ribs, separated the diaphragm, and folded back what is commonly called the rib cage, we can deliver the patient form the source of her woes. The doctor is a benefactor. We will thus bring her relief. Along with her heart...

      Young girl on the dissection table (segment "William Wilson"): No!

      William Wilson: We'll remove despair and the pain of love. Gentlemen, we shall restore her her pristine purity, the peace of paradise lost.

      Young girl on the dissection table (segment "William Wilson"): No!

    • Crazy credits
      After the opening title credits, the following handwritten text (from Edgar Allan Poe's first published story, "Metzengerstein" - which is also adapted as the first story of this film) is displayed: "'Horror and fatality have been stalking abroad in all ages. Why then give a date to the story I have to tell?' Edgar Allan Poe."
    • Alternate versions
      The whipping of Giuseppina was cut in the original 1973 UK cinema release (titled "Tales of Mystery"), and subsequent releases were also edited. The 15-rated 1984 video (as "Powers of Evil") completely missed the entire "William Wilson" story, and the 18-rated 1990 French Collection VHS (titled "Histoires Extraordinaires: Tales of Mystery and Imagination") received over a minute of cuts to the whipping scene and shots of Wilson caressing a girl with a scalpel. The Arrow Blu-ray release (titled "Spirits of the Dead") is the full uncut version.
    • Connections
      Edited into Toby Dammit (1968)
    • Soundtracks
      Ruby
      Sung by Ray Charles

      Lyrics by Mitchell Parish

      Music by Heinz Roemheld

      Published by Miller Music Corporation, represented by Curci

    User reviews75

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Terence Dammit Stamp
    Three Edgar Alan Poe stories, three directors, a genius director, a great director and a director. The top international stars of their day: Jane Fonda, Peter Fonda, Terence Stamp, Alain Delon and Brigitte Bardot. The Roger Vadim episode with the two Fondas is quite terrible, Jane with her left over costumes from Barbarella, is always watchable but what a mess. Delon and Bardot are fun to watch but the piece looks more a rehash of one of the weakest Hammer horror flicks than a film signed by the great Louis Malle. However, I wouldn't mind sitting through those turkeys once again for the sheer pleasure of the third segment: Fellini's "Toby Dammit" with a superlative Terence Stamp. Unique, unnerving, jaw dropping, funny, delightful gem of a film.
    helpful•94
    20
    • arichmondfwc
    • Dec 29, 2004

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 23, 1969 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Italy
    • Languages
      • French
      • Italian
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Trije koraki skozi blaznost
    • Filming locations
      • Castel Gandolfo, Rome, Lazio, Italy(segment "Toby Dammit")
    • Production companies
      • Cocinor
      • Les Films Marceau
      • Produzioni Europee Associate (PEA)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 1 minute
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.75 : 1

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