Tourists should take care not to get lost in a strange city. You could run into the Devil himself, as Lisa did in 1974's Lisa and the Devil (Lisa e il diavolo). At least she was lucky enough for Satan to be played by Telly Savalas and even luckier for the director to be Mario Bava. So it's a beautiful film, even if it is nonsensical and sadly loses track of its own protagonist despite the fact that she's played by the lovely Elke Sommer.
She's part of a group of tourists in Toledo viewing a mural depicting Satan at the beginning of the film. She wanders off and spots Leandro (Savalas), who happens to look just like the painted Devil.
One of the best parts of the film follows as Lisa finds herself suddenly wandering endless, empty, unrecognisable streets in the old Spanish city. Finally, she ends up at a mansion where the bulk of the movie is set. It's inhabited by a countess (Alida Valli) and her handsome son, Maximilian (Alessio Orano). From here on, the movie becomes primarily about him and his derangement. The Devil, meanwhile, is the butler.
There are also two other guests, one of whom is played by the always ravishing Sylva Koscina. I wish she were more prominently featured in the film but she tears through a rapid, bloody subplot.
Dramatic things seem to happen in the mansion without ever quite pulling together into a cohesive whole. There's something about ghosts, something about possessed dummies, and, of course, the Devil is mischievously up to . . . something. It's all beautifully shot and of course Bava was a fountain of great composition ideas.
Lisa and the Devil is available on Shudder.
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