Vampires in Italian Cinema, 1956-1975

Michael Guarneri

Published by Edinburgh University Press 2020

Vampires in Italian Cinema, 1956-1975

Michael Guarneri

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781474458139

Overview
Contents

About this book

Demonstrates how and why the transnational figure of the vampire was appropriated by Italian genre filmmakers between 1956 and 1975

Actively engages in the ongoing academic debate about the cultural legitimacy of Italian genre cinema
Covers unpublished film production data (from the Archivio Centrale dello Stato in Rome), original screenplays (from the Biblioteca Luigi Chiarini in Rome), cinematic paratexts and vampire-themed paraliterature (from libraries all over Italy)
Outlines the 1945-1985 historical and industrial context of Italian cinema

Positioning itself at the intersection of Italian film history, horror studies and cultural studies, this fascinating book asks why, and how, was the protean, transnational and transmedial figure of the vampire appropriated by Italian cinema practitioners between 1956 and 1975?

The book outlines both the 1945–85 industrial context of Italian cinema and the political, economic and sociocultural context of the Italian Republic, from post-war reconstruction to the austerity of the mid-1970s. Using case studies of films by directors such as Mario Bava and Riccardo Freda, it also delves into lesser-known gems of Italian psychotronic cinema from the 1960s and 1970s, like L’amante del vampiro (The Vampire and the Ballerina) and Riti, magie nere e segrete orge nel Trecento . . . (The Reincarnation of Isabel).

With original research into hitherto unpublished film production data, censorship data, original screenplays, trade papers, film magazines and vampire-themed paraliterature, the book strongly argues for the cultural legitimacy of Italian film genres like horror, adventure, comedy and erotica, whose study has so far been neglected in favour of the Italian auteur cinema of the 1940s neorealists and their later followers.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
CONTENTS Publicly Available Download PDF	v
FIGURES AND TABLES Publicly Available Download PDF	vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Publicly Available Download PDF	viii
INTRODUCTION Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
PART I THE INDUSTRIAL CONTEXT
1. THE ITALIAN FILM INDUSTRY (1945–1985) Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	21
2. ITALIAN VAMPIRE CINEMA (1956–1975) Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	41
PART II VAMPIRE SEX AND VAMPIRE GENDER
3. FEMALE VAMPIRES Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	75
4. MALE VAMPIRES Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	107
PART III SANGUINE ECONOMY, BLOODY POLITIC
5. VAMPIRES OF THE LATE 1950S AND EARLY 1960S Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	125
6. POST-1968 VAMPIRES Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	149
APPENDIX A: THREE ITALIAN VAMPIRE FILMS THAT WERE NEVER MADE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	173
APPENDIX B: FILES FROM THE ITALIAN SHOW BUSINESS BUREAU FONDS AT THE ARCHIVIO CENTRALE DELLO STATO IN ROME Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	177
BIBLIOGRAPHY Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	179
INDEX Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	209

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
Audience: College/higher education;
Pages
- Main content: 232
Illustrations
- Other: 12 B/W illustrations
Keywords: Film, Media & Cultural Studies

eBook

Published: March 24, 2022
ISBN: 9781474458139