Quella villa accanto al cimitero (1981)

Director:

Lucio Fulci

Writers:

Elisa Briganti (story)
Lucio Fulci (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

1 March 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

BEWARE THE DEMON FORCES OF THE...BLOOD BEASTS

Plot:

A deranged killer lives in the basement of an old mansion and pops out occasionally to commit grisly murders that include be-headings...

Plot Keywords:

Basement | Body Part | Blood | Poker | Stabbing

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Catriona MacColl	...	Lucy Boyle (as Katherine MacColl)
Paolo Malco	...	Dr. Norman Boyle
Ania Pieroni	...	Ann, the babysitter
Giovanni Frezza	...	Bob Boyle
Silvia Collatina	...	Mae Freudstein
Dagmar Lassander	...	Laura Gittleson
Giovanni De Nava	...	Dr. Jacob A. Freudstein
Daniela Doria	...	First female victim
Gianpaolo Saccarola	...	Daniel Douglas, the librarian
Carlo De Mejo	...	Mr. Wheatley
Kenneth A. Olsen	...	Harold (as John Olson)
Elmer Johnsson	...	Cemetary Caretaker
Ranieri Ferrara	...	Steven, a victim
Teresa Rossi Passante	...	Mary Freudstein
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carolyn De Fonseca	...	Laura Gittleson (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Lucio Fulci	...	Professor Muller (uncredited)
Edward Mannix	...	Professor Muller (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Ted Rusoff	...	Mr. Wheatley (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Frank von Kuegelgen	...	Dr. Norman Boyle (voice: English version) (uncredited)

Directed by
Lucio Fulci

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Elisa Briganti		story (as Elisa Livia Briganti)
Lucio Fulci		screenplay
H.P. Lovecraft		inspiration
Giorgio Mariuzzo		screenplay
Dardano Sacchetti		screenplay

Produced by
Fabrizio De Angelis	....	producer

Original Music by
Walter Rizzati

Cinematography by
Sergio Salvati

Film Editing by
Vincenzo Tomassi

Production Design by
Massimo Lentini

Costume Design by
Massimo Lentini

Makeup Department
Carboni	....	wig maker
Maria Pia Crapanzano	....	hair stylist
Giannetto De Rossi	....	makeup artist
Giannetto De Rossi	....	special makeup effects artist
Antonio Maltempo	....	assistant makeup artist
Rocchetti	....	wig maker
Maurizio Trani	....	makeup artist
Maurizio Trani	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Fabrizio De Martino	....	unit manager
Paolo Gargano	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roberto Giandalia	....	assistant director

Art Department
Mariangela Capuano	....	set dresser
Rodolfo Ruzza	....	property master

Sound Department
Ugo Celani	....	sound engineer
Gianni D'Amico	....	sound mixer
Eros Giustini	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Giannetto De Rossi	....	special effects
Maurizio Trani	....	special effects

Stunts
Nazzareno Cardinali	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Antonio Benetti	....	still photographer
Franco Bruni	....	camera operator
Alfredo Fedeli	....	chief electrician
Maurizio Lucchini	....	assistant camera
Giacomo Tomaselli	....	key grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Claudia D'Obici	....	assistant costumes
Bertilla Silvestrini	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Pietro Tomassi	....	assistant editor
Luciano Vittori	....	color consultant

Music Department
Alexander Blonksteiner	....	composer: additional music

Other crew
Pino Colizzi	....	dubbing director
Alfredo D'Angelo	....	curtains (as D'Angelo)
Armando Pace	....	cutting room assistant
Daniela Puccini	....	continuity
E. Rancati	....	furniture
Guglielmo Smeraldi	....	production secretary
Otello Tomassini	....	paymaster
Daniela Tonti	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Fulvia Film

Distributors

• UGC Distribution (1981) (France) (theatrical)
• Almi Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Levy Films (1984) (USA: Midwest) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Diamond Entertainment Group (DEG) (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• DMEG (2004) (Sweden) (VHS)
• St. Clair Vision (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2005) (USA) (TV)
• Reel Media International (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Arrow Film Distributors (2009) (UK) (DVD) (as Arrow Video)
• Blue Underground (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• CMV Laservision (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Creative Films (2009) (Spain) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (USA) (all media)
• Video Instant Picture Company (VIPCO) (2001) (UK) (video)
• Video Invest AB (????) (Sweden) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Arredamenti Cineteatrali G.R.P.  Set furnishings
• Atelier Fotografico  still photo laboratory
• CDS  sound studios and sound synchronization
• Cinenoleggio S.p.A.  equipment and cameras provided by
• D'Angelo  fabrics
• D'Angelo  set furnishings
• L'Immaginoteca  set furnishings
• Rocchetti e Carboni  wigs
• S.A.F.A.S.  costumes
• SAT Cinecostumi  costumes

Also Known As:

The House Outside the Cemetery
The House by the Cemetery (USA)
Zombie Hell House (USA)

Runtime:

87 min | USA:82 min (2002 DVD release) | UK:85 min (cut)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 (re-rating: 1988) (heavily cut) (re-rating: 2001) (cut) | UK:(Banned) (1984-1988) | UK:X (original rating: 1981) (cut) | Sweden:18 (video rating) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | West Germany:18 (cut) | Netherlands:16 | UK:18 (uncut version, re-rating) | Italy:VM14 (DVD rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | France:-16 | Italy:VM18 | Norway:(Banned) (video rating) | USA:Unrated | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Fulvia Film

Trivia:

One of the early VHS issues of "House By the Cemetery" in America got several of the film's reels out of order, further confusing the already erratic story.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene were Laura Gittleson - the real estate agent is killed by Dr Freudstein, we see her body lying on the floor with her eyes closed and her mouth open. A few moments later we see Freudstein drag her into the basement and her eyes are now open, but her mouth is closed. Then later, when we see her hanging in the basement near the end of the film, her eyes and mouth are both open.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Mary Freudstein: Mae, time to go home and remember your manners. Now that Bob is staying with us, be sure to treat him like a Freudstein. For other guests are surely destined to drop in.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Ti ricordi di Lucio Fulci? (2006) (V)

Middle-of-the-road Fulci

In some ways, you get a sense Fulci was trying hard to make this more "respectable" than some of his other movies. The camerawork is careful, creating atmosphere as well as a sense of polish. The makeup and gore effects (except for the ridiculous bat scene) are also well-crafted, and the Dr. Freudstein character is fairly creepy to see. Also, there are fewer splatter scenes, and they come more out of the story than any gratuitous attempts to add gore. However, the story (which has shades of THE SHINING) is pretty slow-moving, so after a while you wish Fulci *would* throw in some gratuitous splatter! And like many of Fulci's other movies, a lot of things are simply not explained. (I will admit I got a good laugh at the sudden burst of "explanation" by one character at the end, which comes out of nowhere!) Quite frankly, viewers who have heard about Fulci but not seen any of his other movies will be wondering at the end of the movie why he's received so much fuss. So only for Fulci fans, or people with more than a passing interest in Italian horror movies.