(565) LOVERS OF THE DEVIL (1973) Rosalba Neri rarity
3139DVD
A
Seldom-Seen Rarity starring Euro Starlet Rosalba Neri
original
Italian title: L'AMANTE DEL DEMONIO [the Lovers of the Devil]
also known as LUCIFERA: DEMON LOVER and DEVIL'S LOVER
and DEMON'S LOVER
director:
Paolo Lombardo
starring: Rosabla Neri · Edmund Purdom · Robert Woods ·
Maria Teresa Pingitore · Francesca Lionti
The film
begins in contemporary (1972) Italy as vacationing Helga (played coyly
by Rosalba Neri) and her two friends arrive at a castle that is supposedly
owned by Satan himself. The hour is late, and the girls decide to spend
the night. Later, while roaming the halls, Helga discovers an old portrait
of a former house mistress. The woman could be her twin. She is bothered
by the similarity and has a restless sleep. In a nightmare [and alternate
reality?], Helga and her friends are transported back to the 16th century
where she is about to get married. While trying on her wedding-night garments,
Helga notices a man peering though her winder. He turns out to be the
Devil and Helga is immediately infatuated. Satan demands that she kill
her husband on their wedding night and then flee to become his lover.
Meanwhile, a spurned lover her husband-to-be (actually one of her friends)
is plotting to kill her; the other friend is about to be crucified and
tortured as a witch.
Paolo
Lombardo only helmed three films before retiring from the film industry
in 1973 at age 32. He was best known (and more successful) as a scriptwriter
(penning THE
EMBALMER (Monster of Venice) in 1965 and the Spaghetti Western
LONG
DAYS OF VIOLENCE in '67). With the movie business behind him,
Mr Lombardo became involved in investment banking and runs a European
firm today. He does not wish to talk about his studio days.
The producer
for this film is Harry Cushing. He has also been the husband of Rosalba
Neri since 1973. She began acting at age 15 in 1956 and retired 20 years
later (in 1976) after making
100 films. Rosalba is easily one of the major icons of Euro exploitation,
comfortable in a variety of genres from westerns (A
LONG RIDE FROM HELL) to thrillers (FRENCH
SEX MURDERS) to actioners (WITH
DEATH ON MY BACK). Often she appeared in Giallos and Horror films,
usually as a villainess. Rosalba is best known for SMILE
BEFORE DEATH, AMUCK!,
THE
BEAST KILLS IN COLD BLOOD [Slaughte Hotel] , Jess Franco's 99
WOMENand the Edwige Fenech shocker TOP
SENSATION.
An
Italian film with English subtitles; widescreen format 16:9, fully uncut
version (80 min.), DVD encoded for ALL REGION NTSC WORLD FORMAT, playable
on any American machine. Extras include trailers
Nudity/Adult
Situations/Sexual Brutality/Violence
Intended for Mature Audiences
