Giorgio Cavedon created Italy’s first openly erotic fumetti — photo comic — Isabella. This tale of 1600’s France was adapted into the film Isabella Duchess of the Devils by Bruno Corbucci, which was released in the U.S. as Ms. Stiletto.
Working under the titles Self-Portrait and Portrait of a Ghost, this film finally settled on the title Ombre, which means Shadows. I’ve seen Mario Caiano credited as the co-director on this film. He also was behind the films Nightmare Castle, Shanghai Joe and Eye in the Labyrinth.
Renato is depressed and has a past filled with trauma. But perhaps things are looking up thanks to Monica, a college girl that he’s met. Unfortunately for him — and perhaps the opposite for us as we’d not have a movie to watch otherwise — she lives in a dismal home haunted by the spirit of her evil grandmother.
Ombre was a failure in theaters and has only been released n VHS in Italy. Somehow, thanks to the miracle of the internet, I’ve had the chance to watch it. Several members of the Gialloholics Facebook group got together to restore this, a movie that has no major re-release, which is amazing in the digital world that we live in today.
That said — it’s a slow-moving film that is more psychological than what I was hoping for. There is disco dancing, which I always appreciate in movies, however. Check it out for yourself and see what you think.
B&S About Movies 