Nella stretta morsa del ragno
In an attempt to convince journalist Alan Foster [Anthony Franciosa] that his horror
stories are not pure fantasy, Edgar Allan Poe [Klaus Kinski] challenges the journalist to
spend All Soul's Eve in Lord Thomas Blackwood's [Enrico Osterman] mansion, a challenge from
which no one has ever returned. Alan's evening in the uninhabited,
spiderweb-invested castle starts out uneventfully, until Alan discovers
that he is not alone. Sharing the house with him is Elisabeth Blackwood [Michèle Mercier],
sister of Lord Blackwell and the most beautiful woman he has ever seen,
along with Elisabeth's lover Julia [Karin Field], a murderer named Herbert [Raf Baldassarre], one Dr
Carmus [Peter Carsten] who writes books about metaphysical medicine, and an entire
ballroom full of dancers.Within 15 minutes, Alan and Elisabeth have fallen in love, but it is
Dr Carmas who explains the scene that begins to unfold before them. While
Elisabeth's husband William [Silvano Tranquilli] was away on business, Elisabeth took up with
Herbert. Upon William's return, Herbert stabbed him in a jealous rage.
When Herbert turned on Elisabeth, Julia killed Herbert. Elisabeth then
killed Julia in revenge. Yet, there they all are, alive and Well.It's like a snake, Carmus explains, that will continue to bite even
after having its head separated from its body, because its sense of
defense does not die when the body dies. The soul and the senses can
continue to live on, even when the body has passed and begins to
disintegrate. Now, each year on All Soul's Eve, the dead ones come to life
in search of human blood to tide them over another year.Suddenly all the players begin advancing on Alan. "We need your
blood," says Carmus. "Your blood is our life," says Julia. "It's the only
way to assure us a night of life one year from now." Alan tries to escape
but all the doors are locked. Out of love for him, Elisabeth offers to
help Alan escape. She leads him out to the front gate but, being dead, she
can go no further. Alan tries to pull her with him, but she disappears. As
Alan goes through the front gate, he is impaled on a wrought iron spike.Epilogue: Poe and Lord Blackwood ride by the gate in their carriage.
Seeing Alan impaled on the gate, Lord Blackwood pronounces him the loser
of the wager. Elisabeth's voice is heard asking Alan whether he stayed for
her, and Alan replies, "Yes, Elisabeth." [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl.]
gothic, murder