Due occhi diabolici (1990)

Country of Origin: Italy
Year of Production: 1989
Running Times: 105m (France - theatrical; USA - video)/112m (Italy - video)/114m 59s (UK - video)/115m (Italy - theatrical; USA - theatrical)
Length:
Format: 35mm
Colour Format: colour
Aspect Ratio:
Sound: Dolby Stereo

DIRECTION

Director: George Romero (La verità sul casa di mister Valdemar), Dario Argento (Il gatto nero)

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: ADC/Gruppo Bema

Two episodes

La verità sul casa di mister Valdemar

SCRIPT
Script: George Romero

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Peter Renniers
Colour: Cinecittà
Raw Stock: Kodak Eastmancolor

CAST
Adriene Barbeau (Jessica Valdemar)
Ramy Zada (Dr Robert 'Bob' Hoffman)
Bingo O'Malley (Ernest 'Ernie' Valdemar)
Jeff Howell (policeman)
E.G. Marshall (Steven Pike)
Tom Atkins (Grogan)
Christine Forrest (nurse)
Chuck Aber (Mr Pratt)
Barbara Byrne (Martha)
Anthony DiLeo Jr (taxi driver)
Mitchell Baseman (boy at zoo)
Larry John Meyers (old man)
Mario Caputo
Bill Dalzell III
Charles McPherson
Jeff Monahan
Fred Moore
Christina Romero
Ben Tatar

Il gatto nero

SCRIPT
Script: Dario Argento, Franco Ferrini

DIRECTION
2nd Unit Director: Nicola Pecorini

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Beppe Maccari
Steadicam Operator: Nicola Pecorini
Colour: Cinecittà
Raw Stock: Kodak Eastmancolor

CAST
harvey Keitel (Roderick Usher)
Madeleine Potter (Annabel)
John Amos (Detective Inspector LeGrand)
Sally Kirkland (Eleonora)
Kim Hunter (Gloria Pym)
Julie Benz (Betty)
Lou Valenzi (editor)
Peggy Sanders (young policewoman at crime scene)
J.R. Hall (2nd policeman)
Scott House (3rd poleman)
Jeffrey Wild (delivery man)
Lanen Charters (Bonnie)
Ted Worsley (desk editor)
James G. MacDonald (Luke)
Jonathan Adams (Hammer)
Tom Savini (the monomaniac - uncredited)

Shared Credits

PRODUCTION
Executive Producers: Claudio Argento, Dario Argento
Production Supervisor: Andrea Tinnirello
Production Manager: Fernando Franchi, Carol Cuddy
Unit Manager (Rome): Fabrizio Cico Diaz

DIRECTION
1st Assistant Director: Nick Mastandrea
2nd Assistant Directors: Maria Melograne, Fred Donatelli
Script Supervisor: J.S. Shoe

PHOTOGRAPHY
Camera Operator: Frank Perl
1st Assistant Camera: Michael Latino, Erik Brown
2nd Assistant Camera: John Moyer
Gaffers: Ed Letteri, Fernando Massaccesi
Best Boy: Frank McGough
Electricians: Joe Abelin, Barry Kessler, Brian Haughin, Ted Wiegand
Key Grip: John Janusek
Grips: Nick 'Bomba' Tallo, Rich Sieg, Bert Flaherty, Joseph 'Bruno' Pelle
Leadman: Jim Schneider
Generator Man: Fred Pope
Stills: Beth Kukucka
Processing Laboratory: Technicolor (Rome and New York)

EDITING
Editor: Pasquale Buba
Assistant Editor: Ray Boniker
1st Assistant Editor: Lorenzo Franco
2nd Assistant Editor: John S. Bick
Post Production Co-Ordinator (Rome): Fabrizio Cico Diaz

MUSIC
Music: Pino Donaggio
Conductor: Natale Massara
Music Performed By: paolo Stefan
Music Editor: Lorenzo Franco
Music Producers: Faso Edizioni Musicali s.a.s.
Music Recording: Forum (Rome)
Music Mixer: Sergio Marcotulli
Choreography: Kathy Carthers-Wayne

SOUND
Production Sound Mixer: Felipe Borrero
Boom Operator: Tommy Louie
Dialogue Editor: Cesare D'Amico
ADR Editor: Nick Alexander
Re-Recording Mixer: Romano Checcacci
Additional Sound Effects and Foley Artists: Luciano Anzellotti, Massimo Anzellotti
Post Production Facility: Fono Roma
Dolby Stereo Consultant: Federico Savina

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Make Up / Hair: Jeannee Josefczyk
Make Up Assistant: Terrie Godfrey
Costume Designer: Barbara Anderson
Wardrobe Supervisors: Kathy Borland, Nancy Palmetier
Wardrobe Assistant: Mindy Eshelman
Seamstresses: Diane Collins, Debra Marks

SPECIAL MAKE UP
Special Make Up Effects Supervisor: Tom Savini Ltd, Tom Savini
Special Make Up Assistants: Everett Burrel, John Vulich, Will Huff

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Rain Effects: J.C. Brotherhood
Optical Effects: Perpetual Motion Pictures
Titles and Opticals: Studio A.M. - Aldo Mafera

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Cletus Anderson
Assistant Set Designer: Lawrence Bailer
Set Decorator: Diana L. Stoughton
Set Dressers: Eloise Albrecht, Francine Byrne
Construction Co-Ordinator: Lou Taylor
Chief Carpenter: Howard Jones
Set Painter: Eileen Garrigan
Art Department Co-Ordinator: Gary Kosko
Prop Master: Martin Garrigan
Prop Department: Thomas Garrigan
Props: Norman Beck
1st Scenic: Frederika Gray
Scenics: Charles Ballew, Nora Cline, Paula Payne

OTHER CREW
Assitants to Argento: Luigi Cozzi (uncredited). Michele Soavi (uncredited)
Unit Publicist (Italy): Enrico Lucherini, Fantoli
International Public Relations: Gregday, Zakiya and Associates
EPK Director: Luigi Cozzi (uncredited)
Production Office Co-Ordinator: Lisa Bradley
Production Assistant: Andrew Sands
Production Accountant: Luciano Tartaglia
Interpreter: Bert Bell
Production Secretary: Allegria Elson
Dialogue Coaches: Kenneth Gargaro, Burton White
Assistant to the Production: Mark Worthington
Cat Wrangler: Chris Peworchik Call
Transportation Co-Ordinator: John Bergholz
Transportation Captain: Anthony J. Yannone
Driver: Edward J. France
Craft Services: Grant Rinehart
Production Staff (Rome): Fabrizio Cico Diaz
Production Accountant: Carlo Du Bois
Insurance Brokers: Cine Sicurtà srl

LOCATIONS
Locastion: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, USA; Allegheny, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, USA; Fox Chapel, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, USA; Westin William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, USA; The Edgar Allan Poe House, Baltimore, Massachussetts, USA
Location Manager: Judy Matthews

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks To: Aquarius Transformation Ltd (New York)

STUNTS
Stunts: Norman Douglass, Andy Duppin, David Lomax, Phil Neilson, Mike O'Rourke, Mike Russo

CASTING
Casting: Elissa Myers, Paul Fonquet
Local Casting: Donna Belajac, Christina Romero
Extras Casting: Staci Blagovich

PLOT SUMMARY

La verità sul casa di mister Valdemar: An unfaithful wife tries to embezzle her dying husbands millions by getting her doctor lover to hypnotise the man into signing his fortune over to her. But during the process, the man dies and is trapped in limbo between life and death.

Il gatto nero: An alcoholic forensic photographer kills the stray cat adopted by his wife and slowly loses his mind when the cat appears to be haunting him. His madness causes him to hallucinate and ultimately leads him to murder.

A bit of a curate's egg. Romero's segment is bland and forgettable, despite a great bitchy performance from Barbeau as the scheming wife. Argento's section is better, though it still doesn't amount to much. As ever, it looks good, but unlike his solo work, there isn't much here that lingers in the memory. Overall, it has some good moments, nothing great and far too much that's just ordinary.

Finland
Theatrical Distributor: Finnkino

France
Theatrical Distributor: Unirecord

Italy
Theatrical Distributor: Aristi Associati
Video Distributor: Manzotti Home Video

UK
Video Distributor: Medusa Communications (1990)

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Taurus Entertainment
Video Distributor: Media Home Entertainment (23 April 1992)

Australia
Rating: R

Finland
Video Rating: K-16

France
Rating: -16

Germany
Rating: 18

Italy
Rating: 14

Norway
Video Rating: 18

UK
Rating: 18

USA
Rating: R

1989
July
10: Shooting begins

September
12: Shooting ends

1990
January
25: Italy - theatrical release

October
25: USA - theatrical release

1992
April
23: UK - video release

July
8: France - theatrical release

When I Wake You...You'll Be Dead.

Two Evil Eyes - UK / USA title
Deux yeux maléfiques - French title
Ojos del diablo, Los
Due occhi malocchio - early title
Metropolitan Horrors - early title
Poe - early title
Edgar Allan Poe - early title

SEE ALSO
Tales of Terror (1961)
Clockwork Orange, A (1971)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)

PERIODICALS

Video Watchdog no.10 p.16 (USA)
review

BOOKS

Art of Darkness pp.215-217; 251; 281; 298
illustrated review of Il gatto nero (by Chris Gallant); illustrated review of La verità sul casa di mister Valdemar (by Chris Gallant); credits; video data

Aurum Encyclopedia of Film: Horror (2nd edition) p.461
review, credits

Hoffman's Guide to Horror, SF and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.115
review, credits

Spaghetti Nightmares p.165
credits

alcoholism, anthology, bars, body in the wall, cats, doctors, dreams, freezers, hangings, hypnotism, infidelity, inheritances, photographers, wills, witches, zombies

Last Updated: 22 October, 2009