Spirits of Death (Italian: Un bianco vestito per Marialé/ translation: A White Dress for Mariale) is a 1972 Italian film directed by Romano Scavolini and starring Ida Galli, Ivan Rassimov and Luigi Pistilli.[2] The film was also released as Exorcisme Tragique (Tragic Exorcism).[3]

Spirits of Death
Directed byRomano Scavolini
Screenplay by
Story byGiuseppe Mangione[1]
Produced byFranca Luciani[1]
Starring
CinematographyRomano Scavolini[1]
Edited byFrancesco Bertuccioli[1]
Music byFiorenzo Carpi[1]
Production
company
KMG Cinema[1]
Distributed byRegional
Release date
  • 30 November 1972 (1972-11-30) (Italy)
Running time
92 minutes[1]
CountryItaly[1]
Box office65.564 million

Plot

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As a child, Mariale witnesses the murder of her mother at her father's hands. She later becomes a recluse, living by herself in a dark, gloomy castle. Mariale decides to invite some friends over for the weekend and stages a decadent orgiastic party. Then a series of grisly murders begin to occur.

Cast

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Style

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Although the film is often described as a giallo, film historian Roberto Curti stated it only becomes a violent murder mystery about an hour into the film.[4] Curti described the giallo trademarks of violent murders and a twist ending are marginal when compared to other films of the genre at the time.[4] Curti opined the film was one like a perverse kammerspiel which borrowed from both gothic and avant-garde theatre.[4]

Production

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Following his return from Vietnam where he was a freelance photographer, director Romano Scavolini returned to his native Italy where he started his film career again as a genre filmmaker.[4]

Release

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Spirits of Death was released in Italy on 30 November 1972.[1] The film grossed 65.564 million Italian lire in Italy on its release.[1] When the film was released in France, it was titled Exorcisme tragique to try and bank on the popular success of The Exorcist.[5]

Reception

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In a retrospective review, Curti stated that Scavolini's direction and Fiorenzo Carpi's score "cannot overcome the script's many shortcoming–namely, sketchily developed characters, pretentious dialogue, heavy-handed symbolism."[6] Scavolini later referred to the film as a film "which only deserves to be forgotten"[7]

See also

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References

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Curti 2017, p. 57.
  2. ^ Chiti, Poppi & Lancia 1991, p. 70-79.
  3. ^ Curti, Roberto (2017). Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1970-1979. McFarland. ISBN 1476629609
  4. ^ a b c d Curti 2017, p. 58.
  5. ^ Curti 2017, p. 60.
  6. ^ Curti 2017, p. 59.
  7. ^ Palmerini & Mistretta 1996, p. 127.

Sources

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  • Curti, Roberto (2017). Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1970-1979. McFarland. ISBN 978-1476629605.
  • Chiti, Roberto; Poppi, Roberto; Lancia, Enrico (1991). Dizionario del cinema italiano: I film (in Italian). Gremese. ISBN 8876059695.
  • Palmerini, Luca M.; Mistretta, Gaetano (1996). Spaghetti Nightmares (in Italian). M&P edizioni.
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