"The Eerie Midnight Horror Show," one of several titles for writer & director Mario Gariazzo's "The Devil Obsession" (1974), aka "L'ossessa," chronicles the descent into utter insanity of the vulnerable heroine, Danila (Stella Carnacina of "The Magnificent Dare Devil"), after she witnesses the life-like carved wooden statue of a man come to life before her incredulous eyes. Indeed, this colorful but derivative Italian exploitation epic was inspired by the global success of director William Friedkin's "The Exorcist," but Gariazzo and co-scenarists Ambrogio Molteni of "Violence in a Women's Prison" and Ted Rusoff of "Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eyes" generate enough interesting moments to merit special mention.
The premise of "The Devil Obsession" is an attractive, young, female art student at a university buys a wooden statue of a man crucified on a cross in the same manner as Christ. Late one evening, as Danila is touching up a painting, this inanimate carved man comes to life, and everything spirals into turmoil for Danila. Gariazzo generates mild tremors of suspense as we-the spectators-watch with baited breath, as Danila paints while in the background the man achieves mobility. "Big Gundown" lenser Carlo Carlini positions his camera so we are looking past Danila to the wooden man awakening. This makes for some eerie seconds until Danila realizes what has happened and pierces the air with a caterwauling screen! Inevitably, she becomes vile but not nearly as repellent as Linda Blair in "The Exorcist." Mind you, "The Devil Obsession" frolics about with a minor amount of kink. An adulterous wife, Luisa (Lucretia Love of "She Beast"), has permission from her husband to cheat on him with a brawny young stud. This beefcake Romeo (Gabriele Tinti of "Cannon for Cordoba") plucks rose petals and then scatters them across Luisa's svelte body as she squirms and squeals with glee. Indeed, Love does cavort about unabashedly in her birthday suit! Eventually, wielding those depleted thorny rose stems, Romeo whips Luisa repeatedly with rigor. Although he draws blood, Luisa relishes every stinging second, oozing moans of joy. Were this not enough, Gariazzo takes this exhibition in sadomasochism one step farther. Danila happens to be outside on the street while Luisa and her boyfriend are entertaining each other. Our heroine pauses out of curiosity to peer into a bedroom that she is passing. Lingering, she watches in stupefaction as Mr. Beefcake whips her mom into a lather of ecstasy. Clearly, as her later exploits suggest, Danila shares her mom's sense of kink!
Sometimes, casting can really pay off, and this is the case with Gariazzo's film. The actor who steals the show is Luigi Pistilli who is cast as Father Xeno. This clergyman will cross metaphysical swords with Danila in the film's finale. Danila does her fair share of chucking up guacamole-looking puke and looking obstinate. Pistilli stands out because he has carved out a reputation for himself playing villains. He clashed with Clint Eastwood in "For A Few Dollars More," and he tangled with Lee Van Cleef in "Death Rides a Horse." Gnashing his lean, hungry jaws and scanning adversaries with his beady, predatory eyes, Pistilli was the epitome of wickedness. Here, Gariazzo has cast Pistilli against his image. "The Devil Obsession" allowed him a change of character. The scenes in Father Xeno's private chambers when he flogs himself in an apparent act of contrition for his lack of religious fervor is striking. This ranks as one of Pistilli's more memorable performances because he plays not only a believable but also a sympathetic character.
Comparatively, "The Devil Obsession" qualifies as a lukewarm melodrama with all the usual trappings. Gariazzo doesn't go beyond good taste like Friedkin did. This poor girl develops stigma-like wounds on her hands and feet and pukes up the usual porridge of slop as she writhes in agony from possession. Her bedroom antics aren't as shocking as Regan's in "The Exorcist." Danila has visions of the Devil (Ivan Rassimov of "Jungle Holocaust") surrounded by flames as the handsome dastard entices her to commit evil, immoral acts. At one point, Danila tries to seduce her father, Mario (Chris Avram of "Escape from Galaxy 3," but he rebukes her evil invitation. Usually, Italian rip-offs hurtled such discretionary barriers and went full tilt. Could there be a director's cut of Gariazzo gathering dust in a vault?
The premise of "The Devil Obsession" is an attractive, young, female art student at a university buys a wooden statue of a man crucified on a cross in the same manner as Christ. Late one evening, as Danila is touching up a painting, this inanimate carved man comes to life, and everything spirals into turmoil for Danila. Gariazzo generates mild tremors of suspense as we-the spectators-watch with baited breath, as Danila paints while in the background the man achieves mobility. "Big Gundown" lenser Carlo Carlini positions his camera so we are looking past Danila to the wooden man awakening. This makes for some eerie seconds until Danila realizes what has happened and pierces the air with a caterwauling screen! Inevitably, she becomes vile but not nearly as repellent as Linda Blair in "The Exorcist." Mind you, "The Devil Obsession" frolics about with a minor amount of kink. An adulterous wife, Luisa (Lucretia Love of "She Beast"), has permission from her husband to cheat on him with a brawny young stud. This beefcake Romeo (Gabriele Tinti of "Cannon for Cordoba") plucks rose petals and then scatters them across Luisa's svelte body as she squirms and squeals with glee. Indeed, Love does cavort about unabashedly in her birthday suit! Eventually, wielding those depleted thorny rose stems, Romeo whips Luisa repeatedly with rigor. Although he draws blood, Luisa relishes every stinging second, oozing moans of joy. Were this not enough, Gariazzo takes this exhibition in sadomasochism one step farther. Danila happens to be outside on the street while Luisa and her boyfriend are entertaining each other. Our heroine pauses out of curiosity to peer into a bedroom that she is passing. Lingering, she watches in stupefaction as Mr. Beefcake whips her mom into a lather of ecstasy. Clearly, as her later exploits suggest, Danila shares her mom's sense of kink!
Sometimes, casting can really pay off, and this is the case with Gariazzo's film. The actor who steals the show is Luigi Pistilli who is cast as Father Xeno. This clergyman will cross metaphysical swords with Danila in the film's finale. Danila does her fair share of chucking up guacamole-looking puke and looking obstinate. Pistilli stands out because he has carved out a reputation for himself playing villains. He clashed with Clint Eastwood in "For A Few Dollars More," and he tangled with Lee Van Cleef in "Death Rides a Horse." Gnashing his lean, hungry jaws and scanning adversaries with his beady, predatory eyes, Pistilli was the epitome of wickedness. Here, Gariazzo has cast Pistilli against his image. "The Devil Obsession" allowed him a change of character. The scenes in Father Xeno's private chambers when he flogs himself in an apparent act of contrition for his lack of religious fervor is striking. This ranks as one of Pistilli's more memorable performances because he plays not only a believable but also a sympathetic character.
Comparatively, "The Devil Obsession" qualifies as a lukewarm melodrama with all the usual trappings. Gariazzo doesn't go beyond good taste like Friedkin did. This poor girl develops stigma-like wounds on her hands and feet and pukes up the usual porridge of slop as she writhes in agony from possession. Her bedroom antics aren't as shocking as Regan's in "The Exorcist." Danila has visions of the Devil (Ivan Rassimov of "Jungle Holocaust") surrounded by flames as the handsome dastard entices her to commit evil, immoral acts. At one point, Danila tries to seduce her father, Mario (Chris Avram of "Escape from Galaxy 3," but he rebukes her evil invitation. Usually, Italian rip-offs hurtled such discretionary barriers and went full tilt. Could there be a director's cut of Gariazzo gathering dust in a vault?