''Katarsis'' ( it, Sfida al diavolo), is a 1963 Italian horror film directed and written by Giuseppe Vegezzi. It is his only film. A group of people enter an old castle where they come across an old man (Christopher Lee) who turns out to be the Devil.

Cast

Credits adapted from the book ''Italian Gothic Horror, 1957-1969''. *

Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Horror films, ultimat ...

as Lord of the Castle *

Giorgio Ardisson Giorgio Ardisson, best known as George Ardisson (31 December 1931 – 11 December 2014), was an Italian actor. Life and career Born in Turin, Ardisson debuted in a minor role in Mauro Bolognini's 1959 film ''Arrangiatevi!''. After several s ...

(credited as George Ardisson) as Gugo * Vittori Centroni (credited as Lilly Parker) as Maga * Anita Cacciolata (credited as Anita Deyer) as Jenny * Alice Paneque (credited as Bella Cortez) as Frie * Mario Polletin (credited as Mario Zacarti) as Gian *

Adriana Ambesi Adriana Ambesi was an Italian film actress of the 1960s.Weisser p.307 She is sometimes credited as Audrey Amber. Selected filmography * ''Samson and the Sea Beast'' (1963) * ''Terror in the Crypt'' (1964) * ''Mission to Hell'' (1964) * '' Guns of ...

as Castle lady * Pietro Vidali (credited as Piero Vada) as Peo

Production

''Katarsis'' was shot at

Odescalchi Castle Castello Orsini-Odescalchi is a castle in Bracciano, Lazio, Italy. It is located on the southern shore of Lake Bracciano. It was built in the 15th century, and combines the functions of a military defence structure and a civilian residence of the ...

Bracciano Bracciano is a small town in the Italian region of Lazio, northwest of Rome. The town is famous for its volcanic lake ( Lago di Bracciano or "Sabatino", the eighth largest lake in Italy) and for a particularly well-preserved medieval castle Cast ...

and

Montelibretti Montelibretti is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Rome in the Italian region Lazio, located about northeast of Rome on the slopes of Monti Sabini. Montelibretti borders the following municipalities: Capena, Fara in ...

and Olympia Studios in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

between 14 May and 7 June 1963. It had a low budget of 46 million

Italian lira The lira (; plural lire) was the currency of Italy between 1861 and 2002. It was first introduced by the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy in 1807 at par with the French franc, and was subsequently adopted by the different states that would eventually f ...

was one of the few name actors in it; he was on-set for one week. In Lee's autobiography, he states that he never saw the film or its dailies and that it was later split into two films. This is incorrect; however, the film was released in two versions, the later one with more footage.

Release

''Katarsis'' was released in Italy on September 9, 1963 where it was distributed by Mangusta. Shortly after it received its distribution visa, its production company I Della Films filed for bankruptcy. ''Katarsis'' was then purchased by Eco Films and re-released in a re-edited version, ''Sfida al diavolo,'' in 1965. This latter version runs 78 minutes and includes new scenes involving a dancer.

Reception

Roberto Curti, author of ''Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1957-1969'' described the director's work ranging between "naive and terrible".

References

Footnotes

Sources

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External links

* {{IMDb title, 0276499 1963 horror films 1963 films Italian horror films Films shot in Rome Films set in Italy Gothic horror films Films scored by Berto Pisano Films set in castles 1963 directorial debut films 1960s Italian films