Lisa And The Devil (1973) is truly unlike any other horror film, or movie in general that I have ever seen and is a genuine hidden gem indeed. If you have the time, then you should by all means definitely seek it out! The music, atmosphere, cinematography, set design, acting, and dream-like narrative are all absolutely sublime as well as downright fantastique. Nobody does Gothic horror better
I don't know why people always think "Lisa and the Devil" wasn't in circulation until recently, or that Bava died thinking people would never see his original cut. I remember watching "Lisa and the Devil" on late night TV in 1977 or 1978, and Bava didn't pass away until 1980. In fact, I didn't even know about "The House Of Exorcism" until much later because it never ran on TV in the US.
According to IMDB, its real premiere "was on American TV in 1983". Bava experts say it had very limited release (both theatrically and on TV), some say that basically all the (few) screenings were largely incomplete. I don't know, I didn't exist at that time. Apparently it had a very limited release in Italy (if at all) and I think it never appeared on italian television until 2004 (it seems that the film's original italian copy had been believed to be lost until the early 2000s). Anyways, interesting story, I thought that the only people who had seen it before the '80s/90s were producers, distributors, managers and people at Cannes, before doing some research based on your comments. Thank you
I have both versions on Blue Ray. I think Bava's original version is much more moody, atmospheric and fun. The revamped American version completely goes off in a different direction and is no where near as interesting, but then I'm sure if Mary Poppins had been made then, maybe that would've had an exorcism scene in it too. Though I guess seeing Elke Sommer thrashing around in a bed throwing up all over the place is a highlight.
I noticed that it is available for streaming on Netflix. I was confused by the two different titles for what looked like the same movie......now I know the whole story. I will forget seeing Bava's Black Sunday on TV and the ominous warning at the being or the face mask with the spikes inside being driven into Barbara Steele's face with use of a very large mallet. The market for stylish horror films has seemed to faded away in favor of just full on gore flicks. Rosemary's Baby would be dull today
I know this is an old comment, but sadly they took all this stuff off Netflix now. They barely have any classic movies at all anymore, preferring to promote their original productions. Honestly, I don’t get it because it’s so cheap to license this kind of stuff and it gives your service a much wider appeal.
"Lisa And The Devil" is incredibly atmospheric and visually striking with excellent performances, especially by Telly Savalas, but the screenplay is criminally pretentious, purposely incomprehensible, artsy-fartsy twaddle. It also manages to be rather drearily dull. At least the exorcism trash from "The House Of Exorcism" was cheesily fun and at least partly made sense, and Robert Alda was damned good as the priest. Much better than the film deserved.
Lisa And The Devil (1973) is truly unlike any other horror film, or movie in general that I have ever seen and is a genuine hidden gem indeed. If you have the time, then you should by all means definitely seek it out! The music, atmosphere, cinematography, set design, acting, and dream-like narrative are all absolutely sublime as well as downright fantastique. Nobody does Gothic horror better
I don't know why people always think "Lisa and the Devil" wasn't in circulation until recently, or that Bava died thinking people would never see his original cut. I remember watching "Lisa and the Devil" on late night TV in 1977 or 1978, and Bava didn't pass away until 1980. In fact, I didn't even know about "The House Of Exorcism" until much later because it never ran on TV in the US.
According to IMDB, its real premiere "was on American TV in 1983". Bava experts say it had very limited release (both theatrically and on TV), some say that basically all the (few) screenings were largely incomplete. I don't know, I didn't exist at that time. Apparently it had a very limited release in Italy (if at all) and I think it never appeared on italian television until 2004 (it seems that the film's original italian copy had been believed to be lost until the early 2000s). Anyways, interesting story, I thought that the only people who had seen it before the '80s/90s were producers, distributors, managers and people at Cannes, before doing some research based on your comments. Thank you
I have both versions on Blue Ray.
I think Bava's original version is much more moody, atmospheric and fun.
The revamped American version completely goes off in a different direction and is no where near as interesting, but then I'm sure if Mary Poppins had been made then, maybe that would've had an exorcism scene in it too.
Though I guess seeing Elke Sommer thrashing around in a bed throwing up all over the place is a highlight.
It's on Shudder now (December 2020) as part of their Mario Bava collection! Hot damn, Shudder just gets better and better 🤘💀
Their video quality never fails to be abysmal though.
I noticed that it is available for streaming on Netflix. I was confused by the two different titles for what looked like the same movie......now I know the whole story. I will forget seeing Bava's Black Sunday on TV and the ominous warning at the being or the face mask with the spikes inside being driven into Barbara Steele's face with use of a very large mallet. The market for stylish horror films has seemed to faded away in favor of just full on gore flicks. Rosemary's Baby would be dull today
I know this is an old comment, but sadly they took all this stuff off Netflix now. They barely have any classic movies at all anymore, preferring to promote their original productions. Honestly, I don’t get it because it’s so cheap to license this kind of stuff and it gives your service a much wider appeal.
This looks like a really pretty horror movie. I'll have to hunt this one down!
Telly Savalas looks like Judge Doom in the opening illustration. Very creepy.
reminded me of Anton LaVey
I saw the original, it's a good horror movie.
"Lisa And The Devil" is incredibly atmospheric and visually striking with excellent performances, especially by Telly Savalas, but the screenplay is criminally pretentious, purposely incomprehensible, artsy-fartsy twaddle. It also manages to be rather drearily dull. At least the exorcism trash from "The House Of Exorcism" was cheesily fun and at least partly made sense, and Robert Alda was damned good as the priest. Much better than the film deserved.
Incomprehensible? They explain the movie in the first scene.