Lisa And The Devil (1974)

Set in Spain, a pretty young tourist (Elke Sommer) gets lost in the city of Toledo. She accepts a ride from a married couple (Sylva Koscina, Eduardo Fajardo) but when the car breaks down in front of a decaying mansion in the country, they are invited to spend the night. But it's a house of death where bizarre activity is ongoing. Directed by Mario Bava (BLACK SUNDAY), this surreal nightmare makes absolutely no sense at all so it's best not to even try. Bava's unique gift is his stylish visuals and sense of atmosphere, there's no depth at all to his material. He walks a fine line between solid horror and shallow silliness. If you're okay with that, then there's much to hold your attention. This is one of his best efforts. Not especially admired at its first release, the film's reputation among horror buffs has grown and the movie is quite appreciated today. Inexplicably, the film's producers filmed some new scenes for a framing story and released the movie as HOUSE OF EXORCISM which dissipates Bava's dreamlike landscape. With Telly Savalas as a lollipop sucking butler (a habit he would use for his Kojak character), Alida Valli, Gabriele Tinti and Alessio Orano.