I Vampiri is a 1956 Italian horror film loosely based on the story of Elizabeth Báthory. Directed by Riccardo Freda and Mario Bava, the film stars Gianna Maria Canale as Giselle du Grand, Carlo D’Angelo as Inspector Chantal and Dario Michaelis as Pierre Lantin.
I Vampiri was the first sound era Italian horror film. Mid-way through production, director Riccardo Freda left the project, and was replaced by the films cinematographer Mario Bava.The film was released in the United States in 1963 under the title The Devil’s Commandment and has since been released under more titles including Lust of the Vampires and The Vampires.
Trivia:
This was the first Italian made horror film of the sound era.
Director Cameo: [Riccardo Freda] autopsy doctor
Italian censorship visa #23894, dated April 3rd 1957.
La Strage dei Vampiri (a.k.a Curse of the Blood-Ghouls) is a 1962 Italian horror film, starring Walter Brandi, Graziella Granata, Luigi Batzella, and Dieter Eppler. Written and directed by, Roberto Mauri.
Plot: On their wedding night, a newlywed couple find themselves menaced by a bloodthirsty vampirer.
Dèmoni 2 (Demons 2) is a 1986 Italian horror film directed by Lamberto Bava and co-written and produced by Dario Argento. It is a sequel to Bava’s 1985 film Dèmoni and stars David Edwin Knight, Nancy Brilli, Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni, as well as Argento’s youngest daughter Asia Argento in her debut film performance at age ten. In this sequel, Bava opted to use British New Wave bands such as the Smiths, the Cult, Dead Can Dance, and the Art of Noise on the soundtrack as opposed to heavy metal bands in the original Dèmoni.
A group of tenants and visitors are trapped in a 10-story high-rise apartment building infested with demons who proceed to hunt the dwindling humans down.
Trivia:
Bobby Rhodes, who played Tony the pimp in Dèmoni (1985), returns as a completely different character in this sequel. Lino Salemme also reappears, this time as a security guard.
The scene where Hannah (Nancy Brilli) has a baby was not part of the original script. Originally, Hannah’s baby would become a demon inside her and claw its way out of her. This scene was taken out when Lamberto Bava and Dario Argento decided they wanted a happier ending.
