La sorcière amoureuse

What is wrong with this film? Something is very wrong from the beginning, which even Richard Johnson feels from the start, and yet he stays on when he shouldn't in a kind of subconscious urge to go to the bottom of the undefinable anomaly, which he does.

He is allured by an old lady to take on the task of catalogizing the books and manuscripts of an enormous old library in the grand old palace where the lady lives, but it appears that she has a daughter who is as attractive and sensual as the old lady is not. Of course he stays on by the attraction and mystery of this daughter, but after some time it appears that he has a rival, who also is engaged in a passionate relationship with her. There the problems begin getting constantly thicker to the very end.

There is nothing wrong with the actors or the story or the very interesting and skilful cinematography, but this is a case involving suopernatural elements, so there is some magic involved, but that is what is lacking. There is no magic at all here. Rosanna Schiaffino as the daughter is not convincing but rather callous no matter how beautiful she is, Sarah Ferrati as the grand old lady is repellent in her hard inhumanity, Gian Maria Volonte is perfect enough for his passionate part like Richard Johnson, but this is great cinematography entirely without magic, which is the most important thing, especially in a story like this. Instead of being fascinated and involved in the mystery, you are disgusted and learn to hate the old lady just like Richard Johnson does, so this is not a very recommendable film, unless you like directors like Bertolucci, which has the same callous and inhuman way of screening humans in erotic involvements focussing on sex and forgetting all about love.

This is a pleasantly dated picture, the story of a womanizing linguist who is hired to sort through an old widow's sexual biography (written by her late husband) and gets tangled up with his employer's mysterious beautiful daughter and her lover. Very Italian, slightly Gothic, slightly mod, and erotic enough (for its time), this is a slow but pretty movie, which is also pretty satisfying, all things considered.

Had an opportunity to view a 16MM print of the English-dubbed version. Dubbing is often a distraction, but this is one of the better dubbed films of its era. Stylistically, this is a very slow European modern witch tale, not likely to appeal to the 'Creature Feature' crowd (which is surely why it bypassed US theaters and landed on late-nite TV). The acting, camera-work, direction and music (by IL POSTINO Oscar-winner Luis Bacalov) are all moody and well-done. Unfortunately, the slowness of the yarn (which builds the erotic tensions so well during the first half), minimizes the impact by the climax. Still, this is an intelligent, ADULT, and erotic piece which is worth searching out for high-minded horror fans.

Not perfect but at times startling and even disturbing, this is a fine 1966 b/w film from the versatile director, Damiano Damiani, who made the very different, A Bullet For The General, the same year and later several crime films, including, How To Kill a Judge. Apparently Bunuel at one point considered making this, based upon the book by Carlos Fuentes, and he would no doubt have made it a little more sinister and a little less hysterical. Anyhow, here we have the lovely Rosanna Schiaffino, who would appear in the colourful and equally strange, Check to the Queen a couple of years later. Here she is the love/sex interest, although like her worrying elderly mistress, also takes a turn at the frighteningly weird when she becomes stressed. You will have never seen anything quite like this, despite the seeming familiar theme of possession, and should definitely check it out.

Both Luis Bunuel and Carlos Saura considered transferring 'Aura' of Carlos Fuentes to the screen but here it is directed by one who is not in the same league, Damiano Damiani. Here we have superb cinematography courtesy of Leonarda Barboni and an atmospheric score by Luis Bacalov, a future Oscar winner. The cast is excellent. There is Richard Johnson, very well 'dubbed', who was in great demand in the 1960's, Sarah Ferrati, Gian Maria Volonte and the divine Rosanna Schiaffino whose husband at the time, Alfredo Bini, produced. To his credit Damiani 's film is certainly a cut above others of this type where 'supernatural forces' are at work and holds ones interest with its elegance, atmosphere and literate script. It is also extremely erotic and the 'hands free' sequence one of the film's highlights! It is a wee bit long and the ending doesn't quite come off but it is still eminently watchable, especially if you are a devotee of Rosanna Schiaffino. Needless to say Fuentes was not impressed and no doubt wished Bunuel or Saura had filmed it. I implore you to avoid the version where everyone is dubbed into American.