The House by the Edge of the Lake

The House by the Edge of the Lake (Italian: Sensitività) is a horror film directed by Enzo G. Castellari.

The House by the Edge of the Lake
Directed byEnzo G. Castellari
Screenplay by
  • José María Nunes
  • Leila Buongiorno[1]
Story byJosé María Nunes[1]
Produced byRodolfo Putignani[1]
StarringVincent Gardenia
CinematographyAlejandro Ulloa[1]
Edited byGianfranco Amicucci[1]
Music byGuido & Maurizio De Angelis[1]
Production
companies
  • Cinezeta
  • Este Films[1]
Distributed byAlpherat
Release dates
  • 28 September 1979 (1979-09-28) (Italy)
  • 11 July 1980 (1980-07-11) (Spain)
Running time
96 minutes[1]
Countries
  • Italy
  • Spain

The film was re-edited several years after, with the title Kyra, La signora del lago (Kyra, the Lady of the Lake).[2] The director Castellari defined that film as an "awful horror film with a very low cost budget".[3]

Cast

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Production

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Director Enzo G. Castellari explained that the film was developed between his friendship with an aspiring film maker named Jose Sanchez.[1] Castellari met him through his doctor and started teaching him how to write a script and took him on as an assistant.[1] Castellari stated that his script was being finished for a Spanish producer to be shot in Costa Brava which led to Castellari taking charge in directing the film.[1][4] Castellari's recollections are at odds with the film's credits which credit the film to Jose Maria Nunes a writer and director who was active in the film business since the 1950s with Sanchez only being credited as an actor in a small role.[4]

Filming began in August 1978 in Costa Brava but halted shortly after as the money for the film ran out.[4] Castellari did not initially want his named attached to the film, but in order to gain more funds he obliged to having his name attached to the project.[4]

Release

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The House by the Edge of the Lake was released in Italy on 28 September 1979.[1] It was released in Spain as Diabla on 11 July 1980.[1] Distributor Rodolfo Putignani invested money his company Cinezeta created the Italian title for the film Sensivita, a word that does not exist in Italian.[4] Castellari found that as soon as editing the film, problems with distribution began which led to further interruptions in filming.[4] Castellari stated that "[Distributor Rodolfo]Putignani and his associate Curti finished it their own way. But my name as director stayed."[4]

The film was re-released in 1986 with additional scenes shot by Alfonso Brescia with editing credited to "Jeffrey Bogart".[1] Castellari did not like the re-edit of the film, recalling he was invited to a horror convention where the film was screened and that "after six minutes I walked [out of] the theater, horrified."[5]

References

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Curti 2017, p. 211.
  2. ^ Louis Paul. Italian Horror Film Directors. McFarland, 2005.
  3. ^ Luca M. Palmerini, Gaetano Mistretta. Spaghetti nightmares. M&P, 1996.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Curti 2017, p. 212.
  5. ^ Curti 2017, p. 214.

Sources

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