Pensione paura

This giallo is a film which has a good reputation despite its relative obscurity. I, therefore, had high expectations going into this one and have to say I came out of it a little disappointed. Firstly, it is a little questionable whether this truly qualifies as a giallo at all. It might just be me admittedly but I tend to think that films of this sub-genre need to be set in contemporary times (at the time of filming), whereas this feature has an atypical period setting. This simple detail gives it a different tone from other typical gialli, meaning it feels like a film somewhat apart from the others. Set in an Italian hotel during the latter stages of the Second World War, it focuses on a teenage girl who helps her mother run the establishment as she waits for her father to return from the front. Meanwhile, her mother hides a traitor in the attic, who is her secret lover, and the hotel is otherwise filled with an assortment of guests who could charitably be described as oddballs and more honestly be categorised as sleaze-bags, with all of them seeming to be using the hotel as a means of hiding from the horrors of the war. Murder, sexual assault and dark secrets soon follow.

This one was directed by Francesco Barilli, who was responsible for the earlier The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974), which was a more traditional giallo which remains one of the most visually beautiful in the genre. Pensione Paura is definitely less impressive for me. It is very slow to get going with little actually happening for a long time, so much so it really had me wondering just where exactly this one was going. The murder/mystery side of the story almost felt tagged on in order to tie it in with others in giallo category, as a means of marketing it easier. But this side of the story is too under-developed to have much impact both in terms of the murders themselves which are either off-screen or very brief and also the mystery aspect which only really is detailed very late on and makes little sense. Although admittedly, the senseless part is one thing that does tie this one in with its giallo brethren, as does its cast of unlikable characters. By no means is this a bad film, it's just one whose reputation suggests it will add up to more. It's odd ambiance and hotel setting reminded me a little of the earlier giallo Death Falls Lightly (1972), which was a film which improved on a re-watch; perhaps this one will be the same.

Francesco Barilli had already proved a great talent for creating a nightmarish atmosphere with his most famous film "Il Profumo Della Signora in Nero" (1974), and while that film is a true gem I liked his second Giallo, "Pensione Paura" of 1977 even more. With only few murders and an obscure storyline that is not mainly concerned with a murder series, "Pensione Paura" is no typical example for the Giallo-genre, but an incredibly moody one. Set in a guest house in rural Italy in the final stages of WW2, "Pensione Paura" maintains a thick and nightmarish atmosphere that makes the film seem like a gloomy fever dream at times. Beautiful yet incredibly eerie, the film oozes a constant atmosphere of doom that is intensified by beyond demented characters and a magnificent score that stands out even in the good company of Italian genre soundtracks.

When World War 2 nears its end, Rosa (Leonora Fani) and her mother Marta (Lidia Biondi) are keeping their eerie old guest-house open for a bunch of demented guests, among them the sleazy and sinister playboy Rodolfo (Luc Merenda), as well as Marta's lover (Francisco Rabal) who is hiding out from someone. Rosa, who is eagerly awaiting her father's return from the war is writing letters to him on a daily basis... Giving too much information about the plot would spoil a part, which is why my plot description ends here. As in any Giallo, of course, there is a series of murders involved, and the beautifully but decaying old rural guest-house is the eeriest setting imaginable. Leonora Fani is great in her leading role of the innocent teenage girl, a character it is easy to feel and be scared for. The rest of the characters are almost entirely demented, and the performances are great. Regular Italian cult leading-man Luc Merenda ("Torso", "Milano Trema", "L'Uomo Senza Memoria",...) is brilliantly sinister in his sleaziest role as the pencil-mustached womanizer Rodolfo, who has an older girlfriend but is also pursuing the innocent young Martha. The great Spanish character actor Francisco Rabal ("Dagon", "Nightmare City",...) is equally great.

"Pensione Paura" is a fantastic example for the atmospheric power of Italian Horror film. Without showing anything explicitly 'horrible' in the first half, the film maintains an eerily beautiful and uniquely nightmarish atmosphere of pure gloom from the very beginning to the very end. The remote rural setting with the gloomy guest-house and the nearby picturesque village create a menacing mood of seclusion and being lost. The brilliant score by Adolfo Waitzmann must be one of the most mesmerizing ever. While the film is not very gory by Italian Horror standards, it is completely uncompromising. I am not sure why Francesco Barilli regrettably has not directed many more films that were released in cinemas, a possible explanation could lie in the lack of gory and spectacular murders in comparison to the films other Italian Horror/Giallo masters. Overall, "Pensione Paura" is a must-see for anyone interested in Eurohorror, Giallo and Cult-Cinema. Very Highly Recommended!

This is a kind of hard to define film, which is set during World War Two, and is more of a mystery with elements of Eurocrime that decides to turn into a giallo right at the very end.

Rosa has got a life you wouldn't wish for. Her father is off fighting in the war somewhere, and Rosa has to help out at the hotel her mother runs that is host to some of the worst guests ever. For one, there's the smarmy, chain smoking gigolo (Luc Merenda) who is really pro-active in adding Rosa to his list of conquests, much to the annoyance of his older girlfriend. Then there's the man whose family were killed in a bombing raid, who also seems to have his eye on Rosa. There's a pimp and his two hookers who aren't too fussy on who drops in on them. Plus, there's a mysterious man in the attic (Francisco Rabal) who is hiding from unknown persons.

Rosa's mother is aware of how awful the guests are, but can't get rid of them because they are the only paying guests they have, and there's a war going so Italy isn't exactly the current holiday destination. Constantly trying to avoid Merenda in particular (she has to lock her door at night and he asks her to look through the keyhole for a surprise. Thankfully, she doesn't), the plot thickens as Merenda's girlfriend has something he really needs, two shifty looking guys move into the hotel, and Rosa's mother falls down a flight of stairs and dies, leaving Rosa no protection from the weird guests...

Just like his earlier The Perfume of The Lady In Black, Francesco Barili gives us a something full of mystery that doesn't let on to the audience what's actually happening until near the end of the film, and just like Perfume, this one comes wrapped in strange visuals with an emphasis on violets, pinks and purples. Even though this is mainly thought of as a giallo, no one is murdered until well over an hour has passed, with the bulk of the film detailing Rosa's struggle with what is basically a hotel full of Harvey Weinstiens. That said, it kind of felt like Barili didn't quite know how to tie up all those loose ends.

Luc Merenda is the standout here as the absolutely vile gigolo with the pencil moustache. He spends about the half the film either naked or half naked as he attempts, and finally succeeds in raping Rosa (the grimmest part of the film by far, but it was part of the plot as it opens up the giallo part of the film. Merenda shows once again that he's got the versatility to plays other roles than the usual crime films he ends up in.

It feels like two different movies. The first 2/3 is an incredible film! Leonora Fani is great as the lead. The supporting cast play sleazy very well. Damn near everyone here is a sleazy monster. The is incredible tension. Great character moments. A real mystery afoot. And it's all directed and filmed with incredible style.

In the last third of the film, it all falls apart. It abandons everything that came before it and blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. Even worse, it squanders all the intrigue that had come before. Barilli is a skillful director. I just wish he could have gotten his hands on a good script.

In all honesty I right away have to admit this won't exactly become my most informative and insightful user-comment, as I watched "Pensione Paura" in its original Italian language print without any subtitles or dubbing whatsoever. Throughout several years of watching Italian films I picked up a few words here and there, especially horror-related ones, but of course not nearly enough to fully comprehend the convoluted plot and structure of a typical Giallo. This should also give you an idea of how rare this film is; as I literally searched all over the Internet for an original VHS copy or at least a halfway decent bootleg DVD, and all I could find was this crummy, ancient and exclusively Italian version. Luckily enough a genuine Italian 70's Giallo has plenty more to offer than just plot-complexity, and since the same guy who brought us "The Perfume of the Lady in Black" also directed this "Pensione Paura", I hoped to see an enormously stylish & visually impressive effort with gritty undertones and uncanny musical guidance. Well okay, the film didn't nearly turn out as enchanting as the aforementioned "Perfume…" but multiple scenes and set pieces are beautiful to look at and, even though I don't understand one iota of the dialogs, you can easily tell the subject matter is compelling. "Pensione Paura" translates as guest house of fear, and that's pretty much the most accurate description I can give. Rosa is timid and frigid young girl who helps her mother running the family pension whilst her father is serving in WWII. The place is filled with sleazy and ill-natured guests, including a married man who constantly attempts to abuse Rosa and the mother's secret lover who lives hidden away in the attic. When the mother is found murdered one morning, Rosa remains behind unprotected and surrounded by people with wicked intentions. She gradually loses her sanity, but just when the guests collectively plot to involve her in a giant orgy a masked and heavily armed man appears to the scene. I realize this is all rather vague, but it's better than giving false plot-information. "Pensione Paura" sadly doesn't feature many bloodily staged murder sequences or graphic sleaze, but the atmosphere is noticeably ominous and grim. Adolfo Waitzman's score is terrific and the cast features a couple of familiar faces, like Luc Merenda of "The Violent Professionals" and "Torso" and Francisco Rabal who recently (and just before passing away) starred in Stuart Gordon's "Dagon". This is a very interesting film, to say the least, and if anyone knows of an available copy with English subtitles please mail me ;)