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Saturday, May 18, 2013

An Angel For Satan (1966)

Starring Barbara Steele, Claudio Gora, Ursula Davis, Anthony Steffen, Marina Berti
Directed by Camillo Mastrocinque
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

A sculptor is hired to restore a statue rescued from the bottom of a lake, but the superstitious villagers fear it will bring a terrible curse upon them.

This quality horror film offers another opportunity for Barbara Steele to play a dual role although encapsulated in the same character, a young heiress who seems to be possessed by the vengeful spirit of  a spurned female ancestor.  This results in one of her most predatory performances using her sensuality to ensnare her male victims in traps that will result in tragedy.  Steele's performance is augmented by a fine supporting cast, beautiful photography, and an effective music score, making this a very memorable film.  I'm not quite sold on the final moments of the screenplay, which tries to tie everything together in a not entirely believable explanation, but this was a fun journey into Italian gothic horror.

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