La campana del infierno (1973)

Director:

Claudio Guerín
(more)

Writers:

Santiago Moncada (story)
Santiago Moncada (screenplay)

Release Date:

1 October 1973 (Spain)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

A young man is released from an asylum and returns home for revenge on his aunt and her three daughters...

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Inheritance | Asylum | Aunt | Cousin Cousin Relationship

Cast

Renaud Verley	...	Juan (John in English version)
Viveca Lindfors	...	Marta
Alfredo Mayo	...	Don Pedro
Maribel Martín	...	Esther
Nuria Gimeno	...	Teresa
Christina von Blanc	...	María (as Christine Betzner)
Saturno Cerra
Nicole Vesperini
Erasmo Pascual	...	Priest
Antonio Puga
Juan Cazalilla
Tito García
Rosetta Vellisca
Ángel Blanco
Susana Latour	...	Juan's mother
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William Layton

Directed by
Claudio Guerín
Juan Antonio Bardem		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Santiago Moncada		(story)
Santiago Moncada		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Ausnit	....	delegate producer
Claudio Guerín	....	producer
Luis Laso	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Adolfo Waitzman

Cinematography by
Manuel Rojas

Film Editing by
Magdalena Pulido

Production Design by
Eduardo Torre de la Fuente

Set Decoration by
Eduardo Torre de la Fuente

Costume Design by
Maiki Marín		(as Maiqui Marín)

Makeup Department
Vicenta Palmero	....	hair stylist
Julián Ruiz	....	key makeup artist
Antonio Segovia	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Ricardo Bonilla	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sinesio Isla	....	assistant director
Miguel Suarez	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Juan de la Flor	....	property master
Horacio Rodríguez	....	assistant set decorator

Sound Department
Luis Castro	....	sound effects

Camera and Electrical Department
José Luis Aguilar	....	second assistant camera
Julio Leyva	....	assistant camera (as Julio Martín Leyva)
Simón López	....	still photographer
Domingo Solano	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
María Teresa Iglesias	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
José María Biurrún	....	second assistant editor
María Teresa Mateos	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Demetrio Bravo	....	second production assistant
Isabel Ruiz Capillas	....	shooting secretary (as Maribel Ruiz Capillas)
Luis Vázquez	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Hesperia Films S.A.
• Les Films de la Boétie

Distributors

• AVCO Embassy Pictures (USA) (dubbed)
• DMEG (2004) (Sweden) (video) (as "Bell from Hell")
• Mercurio Films S.A. (Spain)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Pathfinder Pictures (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Baquero

Other Companies

• Antonio Marqués  shooting unit
• Gecisa  electric equipment
• Macasoli  camera equipment provided by
• Galindo  transportation
• Decoraciones Generales  set construction
• Arcofón  sound post-production
• Lui  costumes made by
• Cornejo  wardrobe (as Cornejo)
• Mateos  props
• Estudios Roma  studio

Also Known As:

A Bell from Hell (USA)
La cloche de l'enfer (France)

Runtime:

Spain:106 min | USA:93 min

Country:

Spain | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

A Coruña, Galicia, Spain

Company:

Hesperia Films S.A.

Trivia:

Director Claudio Guerín Hill fell from the tower housing the title bell on the last day of shooting and was killed. The film was completed by Juan Antonio Bardem.

Quotes:

[Juan ties Esther's wrists and ankles]
Esther: [laughing] This is a new game!
Juan: In every tragedy, there is an innocent victim. In this case - you're it.

Odd and unique

Juan an heir to a family fortune is released from a mental institution and vows revenge on his greedy aunt who it would seem has been using his fortune to bribe those in authority to keep him locked up, so that she can claim Juan's estate. However before he can complete his vengeful plan, Juan gets his comeuppance in a delightfully sinister way, or does he? This is a rather strange and at times nonsensical euro horror, but somehow it retains an heir of intrigue and suspense, added to that the films undercurrent of incestual sexual relations and Juans's bizarre plan to dispose of his three female cousins and you have a rather unique and very stylish little film.