The Beyond (1981)

A young woman inherits an old hotel in Louisiana where, following a series of supernatural "accidents", she learns that the building was built over one of the entrances to Hell.

Director:

Lucio Fulci

Writers:

Dardano Sacchetti (story), Dardano Sacchetti (screenplay)

Stars:

Catriona MacColl, David Warbeck, Cinzia Monreale

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Catriona MacColl	...	Liza Merril (as Katherine MacColl)
David Warbeck	...	Dr. John McCabe
Cinzia Monreale	...	Emily (as Sarah Keller)
Antoine Saint-John	...	Schweick
Veronica Lazar	...	Martha
Larry Ray	...	Larry (as Anthony Flees)
Giovanni De Nava	...	Joe the Plumber (credit only)
Al Cliver	...	Dr. Harris
Michele Mirabella	...	Martin Avery
Giampaolo Saccarola	...	Arthur
Maria Pia Marsala	...	Jill
Laura De Marchi	...	Mary-Ann

Storyline

The cellar of an old hotel is built on top of the door to the beyond. Bloody zombies roam there. A young woman who is heir of the hotel wants to restaurate it. She is confronted with strange events. A painter has a lethal fall, the plumber vanishes and her friend breaks his neck. When she escapes to the hospital of a friendly doctor she doesn't know what a nightmare is waiting there...

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Plot Keywords:

hell | blindness | tarantula | surrealism | eye gouging | 

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Taglines:

The seven dreaded gateways to hell are concealed in seven cursed places... And from the day the gates of hell are opened, the dead will walk the earth.

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

11 November 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Seven Doors of Death

Filming Locations:

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$113,795, 11 September 1998

Gross USA:

$123,843

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fulvia Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min 80 min (R-rated) 82 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby (US version) Mono (original version)

Color:

Black and White (Sepia) Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The DVD commentary by actors Catriona MacColl and David Warbeck was recorded two weeks before Warbeck's death from cancer. In the commentary he talks about his illness.

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Goofs

In the credits, the character of Joe the Plumber is erroneously credited to actor Giovanni de Nava. Joe the Plumber was actually played by Tonino Pulci. Giovanni de Nava played the Zombie version of Schweick.

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Quotes

Dr. John McCabe: So, what did you do in the Big Apple?
Liza Merrill: Just about everything a girl could do without losing her good English breeding and reputation. Modeling, dancing, secretary... I almost became an unsuccessful fashion designer.

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Crazy Credits

Just after the credits, when the screen turns black, a scream is heard.

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Alternate Versions

The German DVD released by Astro in 2001 contains both the color and b/w pre-credit sequence (selectable via menu). This release is also completely uncut.

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Connections

Featured in Eurotika!: Blood and Black Lace: A Short History of the Italian Horror Film (1999)

User Reviews

In the Afterlife....

The Beyond is one of Fulci's best films. The film takes place in modern day Louisiana as a woman oversees the the renevation of an hotel that she inherits. Strange and gory things start to happen and poof the hotel just happens to be over one of the 7 doors to hell. Very bloody with a slightly incoherent plot the film is a lot of fun and I suspect that no Fulci fan should be without their copy. Visually I think this is Fulci's best film (that I've seen) and the acting is what you'd expect. 7 / 10: FULCI LIVES