I didn't initially think I would enjoy Mario Bava's Lisa and the Devil. I much prefer his earlier, black-and-white work. But I decided to give Lisa and the Devil a try after all. Depending on which version of the film you watch, Lisa and the Devil is about one of two things. If you watch the horribly butchered US release, the film is a rip-off of The Exorcist (1973). But if you watch the original Italian version, the plot is completely different. Lisa Rainer is a tourist who gets lost in Toledo, Spain and takes refuge in a decrepit mansion owned by a blind Countess. Once there, she finds herself caught in a web of murder, necrophilia, and mysterious false identities. The film moves much slower than other Italian horror films of the era. Lisa drifts throughout the mansion in a kind of trance as she makes horrific discoveries. And yet, the film isn't very graphically violent. Even during scenes of great horror and gore, Bava maintains a rhythmic lilt that lulls the viewer into a stupor. I found myself strangely entranced by Lisa and the Devil. Most Italian horror films use style and atmosphere as a place-setting to underscore different acts of violence and debauchery. In Lisa and the Devil, the violence is almost secondary. I admire that. As I mentioned before, I didn't originally think that I would like this film. I'm glad that Bava proved me wrong.
7/10
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