Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory
| Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory | |
|---|---|
 Italian film poster for Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory | |
| Directed by | Paolo Heusch |
| Screenplay by | Ernesto Gastaldi[2] |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Renato Del Frate[2] |
| Edited by | Giuliana Attenni[2] |
| Music by | Armando Trovajoli[2] |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Cineriz (Italy) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 82 minutes[1] |
| Country | Italy[1] |
| Box office | ₤115 million |
Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory (Italian: Lycanthropus) is a 1961 Italian horror film directed by Paolo Heusch.
Synopsis
Wolves have been seen roaming around a girls' reformatory, and when the girls begin to get murdered, suspicion focuses on both the wolves and on a newly hired science teacher who might be a werewolf.
Production
Werewolves in a Girls' Dormitory was shot in 1961 around Cinecittà Studios and Rome.[1] In the film, director Paolo Heusch is credited under the name Richard Benson.[3] Heusch explained that it was mandatory to give yourself an English name in Italian productions of the time because "that's the way the producers wanted it."[4]
The German actor Curt Lowens plays the werewolf in the film.[4]
Cast
- Barbara Lass as Priscilla
- Carl Schell as Julian Olcott
- Curt Lowens as Director Swift
- Maureen O'Connor as Leonore MacDonald
- Maurice Marsac as Sir Alfred Whiteman
- Luciano Pigozzi as Walter the Caretaker
- Joseph Mercier as Tommy the Porter
- Mary McNeeran as Mary Smith
- Annie Steinert as Sheena Whiteman
- Grace Neame as Sandy
Release
Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory was released in Italy on November 9, 1961 where it was distributed by Cineriz.[2][1] The film grossed a total of 115 million Italian lira on its theatrical run.[1] The film was shown in the United States on June 6, 1963 where it was distributed by MGM.[1]
The American version of the film adds the rock song "The Ghoul in School" to the opening credits written by Marilyn Stewart and Frank Owens.[2][1][5] The song had vocals by Adam Keefe and was released on a 45 RPM record distributed by Cub Records.[5]
It was released on DVD in the United States by Retromedia and Alpha Video.[1]
Reception
The Globe and Mail stated that the film was "disfigured by bad dubbing and a silly attempt to establish the locale as the United States, it might have been a very respectable specimen of the horror school"[6]
Danny Shipka, author of Perverse Titillation: The Exploitation Cinema of Italy, Spain and France, 1960-1980 stated the film "won't convert any fans to the genre" due to a slow pace and poor dubbing in the English-language version.[7]
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Curti 2015, p. 65.
- ^ a b c d e f g Curti 2015, p. 64.
- ^ Curti 2015, p. 66.
- ^ a b Curti 2015, p. 67.
- ^ a b McCallum 1998, p. 234.
- ^ Morriss, Frank (September 30, 1963). "Dubbing, Locale Make Werewolf A Beastly Film". The Globe and Mail. p. 11.
- ^ Shipka 2011, p. 29.
References
- Curti, Roberto (2015). Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1957-1969. McFarland & Company. ISBN 1476619891.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Shipka, Danny (2011). Perverse Titillation: The Exploitation Cinema of Italy, Spain and France, 1960-1980. United States: McFarland & Company. ISBN 0786448881.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - McCallum, Lawrence (1998). Italian Horror Films of the 1960s: A Critical Catalog of 62 Chillers. United States: McFarland & Company. ISBN 0786404353.
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External links
- Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory at IMDb
- Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory at AllMovie
- Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive
