'Lisa and the Devil' is a strange yet ambitious supernatural Italian/Spanish horror film directed by the legendary filmmaker Mario Bava who manages to create something fractured and brilliant at the same time which is quite an achievement. The movie thrives in its dreamlike atmosphere and surreal imagery as it draws you into its nightmarish fantasy world and never lets up until the final climax.
The Plot = Lisa Reiner (Elke Sommer) is a tourist sightseeing through Toledo Spain until she sees a painting of the devil on a local mural and then she sees a man Leandro (Telly Savalas) who looks exactly like the image she then flees in terror and gets lost and later becomes stranded at a strange mansion that's seemingly held in a supernatural grip.
This is not a straightforward horror flick by any means due to its somewhat fractured narrative and almost lacking in any sort of cohesive sense, but it's bizarre and intriguing enough to keep you invested throughout its runtime thanks to its morbid beauty and interesting cast performances. This is a prime example of filmmaking gone wild a stunning work of art and Mario Bava manages to create something really compelling here and it's such a shame this underrated gem isn't talked about more.
The performances here are top notch from everyone involved. Telly Savalas gives an outstanding performance as the sinister yet charismatic butler who steals every scene, he's in. Elke Sommer gives a strong and alluring performance as the female lead. Alida Valli provides a standout performance as the blind countess, and Alessio Orano provides a stranger and off-kilter performance as Max.
Overall 'Lisa and the Devil' is a strange yet compelling supernatural horror classic and a firm highlight in Mario Bava's filmography. The less said about the re-cut version titled 'The House of Exorcism' the better, stick to this one.
The Plot = Lisa Reiner (Elke Sommer) is a tourist sightseeing through Toledo Spain until she sees a painting of the devil on a local mural and then she sees a man Leandro (Telly Savalas) who looks exactly like the image she then flees in terror and gets lost and later becomes stranded at a strange mansion that's seemingly held in a supernatural grip.
This is not a straightforward horror flick by any means due to its somewhat fractured narrative and almost lacking in any sort of cohesive sense, but it's bizarre and intriguing enough to keep you invested throughout its runtime thanks to its morbid beauty and interesting cast performances. This is a prime example of filmmaking gone wild a stunning work of art and Mario Bava manages to create something really compelling here and it's such a shame this underrated gem isn't talked about more.
The performances here are top notch from everyone involved. Telly Savalas gives an outstanding performance as the sinister yet charismatic butler who steals every scene, he's in. Elke Sommer gives a strong and alluring performance as the female lead. Alida Valli provides a standout performance as the blind countess, and Alessio Orano provides a stranger and off-kilter performance as Max.
Overall 'Lisa and the Devil' is a strange yet compelling supernatural horror classic and a firm highlight in Mario Bava's filmography. The less said about the re-cut version titled 'The House of Exorcism' the better, stick to this one.
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