Tracks the production, release, and obscurity of a 1974 Italian thriller.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Self-Funded Production
Ettore Elio Aricò financed the low-budget thriller himself to secure the lead role. Filming primarily took place at a private residence rather than a professional studio.
Key Events
Self-Funded Production — Ettore Elio Aricò financed the low-budget thriller to secure the lead role.
Location: Rome
Private Filming Phase — Filming predominantly occurred at a private residence despite studio credits.
Location: Isarco Ravaioli's home
Theatrical Debut
The film premiered across Italian cinemas in August 1974 under RCR distribution. Initial audience reach remained limited due to low-budget constraints.
Key Events
Theatrical Debut — The film premiered theatrically on August 24, 1974, distributed by RCR.
Location: Italy
Circulation Withdrawal
Aricò pulled the movie from circulation following disputes over distribution terms. The withdrawal triggered years of obscurity and unverified market rumors.
Key Events
Distribution Dispute — Aricò withdrew the film from circulation due to dissatisfaction with distribution terms.
Location: Industry
Home Video Rumors — Unverified claims circulated about added hardcore content on home video releases.
Location: Market
Modern Rediscovery
Decades later, the thriller saw a rare revival screening at a Rome cinema. This event cemented its status as a seldom-seen cult artifact.
Key Events
Home Video Rumors — Unverified claims circulated about added hardcore content on home video releases.
Location: Market
Modern Rediscovery — The thriller experienced a rare theatrical screening in May 2007.
Location: Trevi cinema, Rome
Story Breakdown
Self-Funded Production — Aricò financed the project to secure his lead role.
Lead Actor Investment — Aricò provided most funding personally.
Private Filming Location — Shot at Ravaioli's home instead of studio.
Theatrical Release — Initial distribution through RCR in Italy.
August 1974 Premiere — Released theatrically across Italian cinemas.
Limited Audience Reach — Distributed by RCR with minimal marketing.
Distribution Conflict — Aricò withdrew the film over business disputes.
Aricò Dissatisfaction — Producer unhappy with distribution terms.
Film Withdrawal — Movie pulled from circulation entirely.
Market Rumors — Unverified claims about altered home video versions.
Explicit Content Claims — Rumors of added hardcore sequences.
Years of Obscurity — Film remained unseen by general public.
Modern Rediscovery — Rare screenings brought the film back to light.
2007 Rome Screening — Rare theatrical showing at Trevi cinema.
Cult Status Recognition — Acknowledged as a seldom-seen thriller.
Critical Reception — Historical and critical assessment of the film.
Louis Paul Review — Described as a rare thriller example.
Director Attribution — Renato Polselli credited as writer-director.
Professor Brecht, a renowned scientist, is obsessively experimenting in his isolated villa. The object of his studies is "apparent death", with the intention that the human body in a cataleptic state can be cured more easily. He lives with his wife Lisa and several other people: his twin brother Germano; Katia, the waitress; Lailo, his assistant and young student Erina. Having discovered his brother's affair with Lisa, Brecht sets up a plan to kill Germano and take his place. The shock makes Erina dumb. Bercht's persecution of Lisa soon turns the woman mad, while Lailo, wandering in the villa's surroundings, vainly tries to find the key to the mystery. A psychiatrist, Louis, firmly believes Lailo's madness is caused by her inner anguish and seems confident in her recovery. But he's wrong: the demented woman kills Katia and then throws herself out of a window. Brecht takes back his own identity, but his actions will have further tragic consequences...
