''Katarsis'' (; also released as ''Challenge the Devil''), is a 1963 Italian horror film directed and written by Giuseppe Vegezzi. It is his only film. A group of people enter an old castle where they come across an old man (Christopher Lee) who turns out to be the Devil.

Cast

Credits adapted from the book ''Italian Gothic Horror, 1957-1969''. *

Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a career spanning more than sixty years, Lee became known as an actor with a deep and commanding voice who often portrayed villains in horr ...

as Lord of the Castle (credited as 'Cristopher Lee') * Giorgio Ardisson (credited as George Ardisson) as Gugo * Vittori Centroni (credited as Lilly Parker) as Maga * Anita Cacciolata (credited as Anita Deyer) as Jenny * Alice Paneque (credited as Bella Cortez) as Frie * Mario Polletin (credited as Mario Zacarti) as Gian * Adriana Ambesi as Castle lady * Pietro Vidali (credited as Piero Vada) as Peo

Production

''Katarsis'' was shot at Odescalchi Castle in

Bracciano Bracciano is a small town in the Italian region of Lazio, northwest of Rome. The town is famous for its volcanic lake (Lake Bracciano, Lago di Bracciano or "Sabatino", the eighth largest lake in Italy) and for a particularly well-preserved medie ...

and

Montelibretti Montelibretti is a town and (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Rome in the Italian region of Lazio, located about northeast of Rome on the slopes of Monti Sabini. Montelibretti borders the following municipalities: Capena, Fara in Sab ...

and Olympia Studios in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

between 14 May and 7 June 1963. It had a low budget of 46 million

Italian lira The lira ( , ; : lire, , ) was the currency of Italy between 1861 and 2002. It was introduced by the Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic), Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy in 1807 at par with the French franc, and was subsequently adopted by the different s ...

was one of the few name actors in it; he was on-set for one week. In Lee's autobiography, he states that he never saw the film or its dailies and that it was later split into two films. This is incorrect; however, the film was released in two versions, the later one with more footage.

Release

''Katarsis'' was released in Italy on September 9, 1963 where it was distributed by Mangusta. Shortly after it received its distribution visa, its production company I Della Films filed for bankruptcy. ''Katarsis'' was then purchased by Eco Films and re-released in a re-edited version, ''Sfida al diavolo,'' in 1965. This latter version runs 78 minutes and includes new scenes involving a dancer.

Reception

Roberto Curti, author of ''Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1957-1969'' described the director's work ranging between "naive and terrible".

References

Footnotes

Sources

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External links

* {{IMDb title, 0276499 1963 horror films 1963 films Films shot in Rome Films set in Italy Italian gothic horror films Films scored by Berto Pisano Films set in castles 1963 directorial debut films 1960s Italian films