Horror Bites - House of the Devil

LISA AND THE DEVIL (1973)

Some Italian horror features are easily categorised but there are plenty of others which are not as simple to digest, instead luring viewers into a world of the nightmarish and perplexing. Mario Bava's most personal feature comes under the latter description and is certainly not what you'd call a commercial release. After finding success with a variety of previous efforts he was given free reign and this twisted ghost story was the result. It retains all of his signature style and shock value but is certainly not one to see before having watched the films he directed in the 1960s. The striking images, weird characters, and eerie atmosphere, form part of a dream-like narrative where any actual plot feels secondary to a series of strange goings on.

Lisa (Elke Sommer) wanders away from her tour bus in Torino and comes across an artisan's store. She asks the proprietor about a sinister clockwork model that's on display, but she's told it's not for sale and that it belongs to a sinister man called Leandro (Telly Savalas) who is purchasing some kind of creepy wax doll. Noticing that the customer's features bear a striking similarity to a fresco depicting the Devil, which the tourists had been viewing moments earlier, she makes a sharp exit. However here right at the start is where the film ceases to follow any kind of standard story structure as she becomes lost in a deserted maze of streets.

In a panic she finds that the tourists, and in fact all of the people in town, have vanished and she runs through the streets before coming across another mystery man. For some reason he seems to be the very same wax mannequin brought to life; how can this be and why does he seem to know her? Somehow unable to reach her tour group, which was just seconds away earlier, she hitches a ride with a less than happily married couple and their chauffeur. But soon their journey, and Lisa's escape, faces a predictable delay and they all end up spending the night at a nearby mansion. Which of course is the very house that Leandro happens to be working in.

He's revealed to be a housekeeper employed by a blind Countess and her reclusive son. No matter what Lisa tries it seems as though she's being funnelled towards spending time their in company. Here things get even stranger with flashbacks, murders, and weird noises coming from secret rooms. Why do the mansion inhabitants seem to recognise Lisa? Is it all some kind of trip into a distorted past memory or is it all a kind of a weird purgatory scenario? What's up with the weird funeral imagery and all the wax figures? No solid answers are ever provided; it's all up for interpretation as things slowly become even more sordid and disturbing.

However, as a horror story it's not all completely opaque and the dark history of the household is revealed as things go on. Secret affairs and hidden deaths are alluded to as things become more and more uneasy. The melodrama between the visitors is less interesting than the behaviour of Leandro himself. Savalas gives an eccentric performance which steals the show throughout. He's constantly eating lollipops and attending to the same waxworks who continue to appear as real people during the more bizarre moments. He gets the most enigmatic dialogue and seems to be enjoying himself no matter how much blood is spilled.

It's entirely his show if the stylish intro credits didn't make this obvious. His identity and motivations are never explicit but it's always the most intriguing element however you choose to interpret these events. However, while piecing all of this together is certainly an interesting experience for the audience, contemporary distributors did not agree. Like many international releases form this period it was re-cut and new footage was added. This second version renamed House of Exorcism tries to insert a new plot altogether which, in an amusing twist, is actually far less coherent. The structure is completely undone in new scenes which suggest Lisa recalling a series of past events to a priest.

Their laughable attempt at making this whole thing into yet another William Peter Blatty rip-off is by no means subtle and the result is just one big mess. Now tied to a bed Lisa constantly curses and vomits green slime just in case you didn't get the message. It even has a new ending to cap off the ridiculous new storyline. It's one for the curious completists only. Maybe you'll get a laugh out of how stupid and shameless it all is but ultimately the original cut is the one to see, even if it's not one of Bava's true greats. However, in its intended form it's still essential viewing for Italian horror fans, particularly for those looking for some intrigue and plenty of style.

Lisa and the Devil 3/5

House of Exorcism 1/5