Nella stretta morsa del ragno (1971)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Antonio Margheriti

Writers:

Giovanni Addessi (screenplay)
Bruno Corbucci (screenplay)

Release Date:

1972 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Based on Edgar Allen Poe's "Night of the Living Dead"

Plot:

A Londra l'americano Alan Foster, di professione giornalista, incontra lo scrittore Edgar Allan Poe per avere un'intervista...

Plot Keywords:

Actual Animal Killed | Remake

Cast

Anthony Franciosa	...	Alan Foster
Michèle Mercier	...	Elisabeth Blackwood
Klaus Kinski	...	Edgar Allan Poe
Peter Carsten	...	Dr. Carmus
Silvano Tranquilli	...	William Perkins
Karin Field	...	Julia
Raf Baldassarre	...	Herbert
Irina Maleeva	...	Elsie Perkins
Enrico Osterman	...	Lord Thomas Blackwood
Marco Bonetti	...	Maurice
Vittorio Fanfoni
Carla Mancini
Paolo Gozlino

Also Known As:

And Comes the Dawn... But Colored Red (International: English title)
Dracula im Schloß des Schreckens (West Germany)
Dracula in the Castle of Blood (International: English title)
E venne l'alba... ma tinto di rosse (Italy)
Edgar Poe chez les morts vivants (France) (reissue title)
In the Grip of the Spider (International: English title)
Le prisonnier de l'araignée (France) (reissue title)
Les fantômes de Hurlevent (France) (reissue title)
Web of the Spider (International: English title)

Runtime:

102 min | Italy:109 min

Country:

France | Italy | West Germany

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

France:-12 | Italy:VM14 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Company:

Paris-Cannes Productions

Trivia:

Although advertised as being "based on the story Night of the Living Dead by Edgar Allan Poe", there is no such actual story by Edgar Allan Poe concerning the events in the film. Like the classic The Black Cat (1934) with Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, this film (and 1964's Danza macabra (1964)), scriptwriters Bruno Corbucci and Giovanni Grimaldi drew from Poe's literary traditions rather than a specific text. The most direct use of Poe's writings was the presence of an actor playing the writer and having him recite one of Poe's actual stories -- specifically, the short verse "Berenice". But there is no story called "Night of the Living Dead" by Poe, and no story relating the events shown in either film version.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Danza macabra (1964)

Beautifully photographed Gothic horror story.

Although I haven't seen CASTLE OF BLOOD, the earlier film version of this movie. I can still say that it was beautifully photographed, and painfully atmospheric. Which is a good thing. I picked this film up in a 20 movie- 10 DVD boxed set titled NIGHTMARES FROM THE CRYPT. From what I hear, this movie was extremely rare to come by. I'm glad to see that it has a new DVD release. I say stop by Sam Goody, pick up the boxed set for $30 and have a horror film weekend with some friends. And be sure to watch this film first, with all the lights off. You'll love it. Now, I'm going to go pick up CASTLE OF BLOOD so I can compare. Have fun!