Nuda per Satana

Even though the time since I watched this piece of cinematic history fades away I feel compelled to document my personal experience with the motion picture.

Even though this film is bound by about as much storyline as the ingredients on a packet of Special K, it manages to keep the mild interest of the viewer through a string of scantily clad females, naked dancing and what could only be described as bouts of randomness.

The film starts off with an old fellow heading up to a castle, and I think I pretty much lost the plot from thereafter. It may be a combination of poor scripting or the fact I was rather tired at the point of watching this... in either case, I was unable to twig to the supposed outline of 'A doctor and the Devil battle for the soul of a beautiful woman'.

Another 'glueing' factor of the film is that throughout one feels compelled to keep watching in the event of anticipated intercourse. To the credit (or not) of the director, the nudity remained tasteful throughout the film.

A roller-coaster ride which keeps you coming back for more.

Undoubtedly the key word to fully describe "Nude for Satan" is … RANDOM! The film opens with images of a girl randomly running through the woods naked, but there's absolutely no connection with the events later depicted in the story. After the opening credits, a male doctor and a ravishing female randomly crash their car on an open road and they both end up – once again … randomly – in an old ramshackle castle inhabited by no less than Satan himself and a couple of His sex-orientated disciples. The doctor and the women are both enticed by doppelgangers (have some random sex in the meantime) and it takes them quite a long time before they realize they're trapped inside a nightmarishly psychedelic and satanic paradox. Then later in the film, and purely for reasons of padding, there are random sequences involving a hilariously fake giant spider and the doctor aimlessly running through the caste's gardens. Now we all know that sleazy (Italian) 70's exploitation movies are not so much about substance but mainly about style, but Luigi Batzella really exaggerates here. I challenge anyone to find a movie is more confusing and pointless than "Nude for Satan" and, besides, it's not even that stylish or trippy as it hopes to be. What the film does offer plenty, however, is gratuitous sleaze and nudity. The DVD version I own, a brand new fancy Dutch release, even has X-rated footage (randomly, héhé) edited into the story. This is quite a hilarious sight, as the actresses as well as the decors obviously differ from the rest. But even without the pointless adult material "Nude for Satan" is super-sleazy stuff. Main starlet Rita Caldana walks around for half of the movie with one of her breasts hanging out of her top, but it doesn't seem to bother her at all. Then there also is some slightly more tasteful lesbian action and the movie ends in a gigantic orgy. Lovely, ain't it? The horror elements in "Nude for Satan" fail miserably. The aforementioned paper-mâché spider looks like a big potato with straws for legs and red berries for eyes. It doesn't move its legs, yet it "frightfully" approaches the poor dame in distress. I wouldn't recommend watching this film unless you're an avid fanatic regarding 'lost' cult treasures of the rancid 70's, and even then it isn't priority viewing. Mindless, undemanding fun for sick puppies like myself.

Other than a dim caped figure who is a voyeur and laughs menacingly, there doesn't appear to be a "Satan" in this movie, nor is there that much nudity - although there is a good bit. Actually, this is a gothic italian horror film with alot of style to spare. Granted , it's rather unsubtle style, like slowly rotating the camera from left to right and back to skew the picture and presumably 'unsettle' the viewer. Nonetheless, it's an attempt to truly create an arty film, with lots of colors and striking images. Though the story is slow and confusing for a bit, that's pretty standard for what I have seen of Italian films of this genre. Not to constantly throw out comparisons to Argento just because he is the Italian director I am most familiar with, but this is definitely in that vein, without quite as much directorial talent but a little more acting talent and story cohesion. The print is decent on the DVD, and I think my cheap DVD player switched to dubbed English from the Italian when I restarted the movie after a break (it tends to reset the subtitle choice for some crazy reason), so I got the effect of both - go with the Italian.

...definitely, but also amusing and easy to see why it is an Italian cult classic. I have it on DVD (bought with a gift card), and it is worth watching if you're interested in blatent nudity, sexuality, and a strange story with some bizarre scenes. This really is one to watch with a few friends. Fun. Classic.

I don't agree with those who say this film is just another sleaz-fest. Is it Exploitation cinema? Heck yes! But like many films of that sort, there is more to it than just showing a beautiful woman's bare bodkin. There is interesting cinematography and actual honest to goodness character development. I'm not saying there was a crime committed by shutting this film out of the Oscars, but I think it's a good film.

The lovely Rita Calderoni does a good job in her double role as Good Susan/Bad Evelyn and thank God we get to see her without being bludgeoned or maimed (al la Delerium). This is perhaps the best and most inspired work of director Batzella and is a must see for all fans of the genre.