La setta (1990)

Country of Origin: Italy / Germany
Year of Production: 1989
Running Times: 111 mins 49 seconds (UK - video (no cuts)) 112 mins (USA - video; laserdisc) 112 mins 7 seconds (Italy - video) 115 mins (Italy - theatrical)
Format: colour
Ratio:
Sound:

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Mario and Vittorio Cecchi Gori / Silvio Berlusconi Communications / Penta Film - ADC
Executive Producer: Andrea Tinnirello
Producer: Mario Cecchi Gori, Vittorio Cecchi Gori, Dario Argento
Production Manager: Fernando Franchi
Unit Managers: Patrick Carrarin, Fabrizio Cico Diaz, Egle Friggeri

SCRIPT
Script: Gianni Romoli, Michele Soavi, Dario Argento

DIRECTION
Director: Michele Soavi
Assistant Director: Marco Guidone
2nd Assistant Director: Enrico Grassi

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Raffaele Mertes
Camera Operator: Camillo sabatini
Underwater Cameraman: Mario Bagnato
Steadicam Operators: Nicola Pecorini, Giovanni Gebbia, Sebastiano De Pascalis
Assistant Camera Operator: Fabrizio Papale
Chief Gaffer: Giovanni Galasso
Chief Grip: Roberto Mareschini
Stills: Franco Vitale
Colour: Technicolor spa
Production Equipment: Arco 2 srl
Lighting Equipment: Franco Patracca & C. sas.
Negatives: Eastmancolor Kodak

EDITING
Post Production Supervisor: Lillo Capoano
Editor: Franco Fraticelli
1st Assistant Editor: Adriana Benedetti
2nd Assistant Editor: Alessandra Guerra

MUSIC
Music: Pino Donaggio
Songs: Dewey Bunnell (A Horse With No Name); W.L. Wilson, B.S. Mason, D.R. Pfrimme (Don't Leave Me Alone)
Songs Performed By: America (A Horse With No Name)
Music Recording Studios: Bixio CEMSA, Chappell Recorder Music
Music Producers: Bixio C.E.M.S.A.

SOUND
Sound Mixer: Giancarlo Laurenzi
Boom Operator: Claudio Morra
Sound Effects: Sound Track
Sound Studios: Fono Roma
Soundtrack Producer: Gianni Dell'Orso

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Rosario Prestopino
Make Up Assistant: Laura Borzelli
Hair: Iolanda Angelucci
Wigs: Rocchetti e carboni srl
Costumes: Vera Cozzolino
Wardrobe Assistant: Roberta Cucciolla
Seamstress: Mirella Pedetti
Costume House: Gi. Elle - Gabriella Lo Faro
Footwear: Arditi

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Massimo Cristofanelli
Fantasy Creatures: Segio Stivaletti
Fantasy Creatures Assistant: Barbara Morosetti
On Set Special Effects: Fratelli Corridori
Titles and Optical Effects: Studio A.M. srl; Aldo Mafera

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: M. Antonello Geleng
Set Dresser: Giacomo Caḷ Carducci
Set Furnishings: E. Rancati snc; G.R.P. di G.R. Postiglione snc; Dedalo srl; La Teca dell'Immaginario
Carpets: Sanchini
Props: Osvaldo Monaco, Sebastiano De Caro
Painter: Giancarlo Sensidoni

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Girl: Francesca Roberti
Dialogue Coach: William Quarshie
Chief Account Cashier: Archimede Orlando
Flowers and Plants: Vivai e Piante V. Rossiello
Insurance Broker: Cinesicurtà srl
Transportation: Fratelli Cartocci
Animals on Set: Maurizio Garrone
Unit Publicists: Enrico Lucherini, Gianluca Pignatelli

LOCATIONS
Locations: Frankfurt, Germany; Marino Hills, Rome, Italy; De Paolis Studios, Rome, Italy

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks To: Frankfurter Filmproduktion

STUNTS
Stunt Co-Ordinator: Arnaldo dell'Acqua

CAST
Kelly Curtis (Miriam Kriesl)
Herbert Lom (Moebius Kelly)
Maria Angela Giordano (Katryn (Katherine in English language version))
Michel Adatte (Frank Pernath)
Carla Cassola (Dr Pernath)
Angelika Maria Boeck (Mrs Claire Henri)
Giovanni Lombardo Radice (Martin Romero)
Niels (Nils) Gullov (Mr Henri)
Tomas Arana (Damon)
Donald O'Brien (Justice Jonathan Ford)
Yasmine Ussani (Samantha Heinz)
Paolo Pranzo (Steven)
Richard Sammel (Jack)
Ralph Bola Mustapha (2nd truck driver)
Erica Sinisi (Sara)
Dario Casalini (Mark)
Fabio Saccani (bald pickpocket on tube)
Vincenzo Regina (male nurse)
Giovanna Rotellini (1st midwife)
Chiara Mancori (2nd midwife)
Carmela Pilato (woman of the sect)

PLOT SUMMARY

A Satanist sect slaughters a commune of hippies in the California desert then turn their attentions to a schoolteacher in Germany. She is targetted as the mother of the Antichrist whose birth is imminent.

Another step forward for director Michele Soavi - it may be almost wholly derivative of Rosemary's Baby (1968) but again it's so stylishly done that the lack of originality scarcely matters. As his mentor and producer Dario Argento went into something of a decline, Soavi star was in the ascendant and La setta merely confirmed what his previous fiction directorial efforts, Deliria (1986) and La chiesa (1989) had hinted at - that Soavi was the best director then working in Italian horror.

Italy
Theatrical Distributor: Penta Film
Video Distributor: Penta Video / Cecchi Gori Home Video (1013201)

UK
Video Distributor: Genesis Home Video (1995); Marquee Pictures (MQ 00021) (February 1999)

USA
Video Distributor: Republic Pictures Home Video (VHS 1012) (2 January 1992)
Laserdisc Distributor: Republic Pictures Home Video (LV21012) (1992)

Germany
Rating: 18

Italy
Rating: 14

Spain
Rating: 18

UK
Rating: 18

USA
Rating: R

1990
September
Day Unknown: Italy - shooting begins

November
Day Unknown: Italy - shooting ends

1991
March
1: Italy - theatrical release

September
7: Canada - shown at the Toronto Film Festival

1992
January
2: USA - video release

June
5: Spain - theatrical release

1999
February
Day Unknown: UK - video re-release (on Marquee Pictures)

The Sect - UK title
The Devil's Daughter - USA title
Catacombs
Demons 4 - USA title
La secta - Spanish title

SEE ALSO
Alison's Birthday (1979)
Psycho (1960)
Rosemary's Baby (1968)

BOOKS

Art of Darkness pp.292
credits

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

satanists; bikers; hippies; deserts; antichrist; teachers; omens; hallucinations; dreams