Interacting with Horror: Archaeology of the Italian Horror Genre from Its Origins Until the Eighties
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Durham E-Theses Interacting with Horror: Archaeology of the Italian Horror Genre from its Origins until the Eighties. Riccardo Freda, Mario Bava and Dario Argento CONTI, GIANPIERA How to cite: CONTI, GIANPIERA (2015) Interacting with Horror: Archaeology of the Italian Horror Genre from its Origins until the Eighties. Riccardo Freda, Mario Bava and Dario Argento, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/11016/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 Interacting with Horror: Archaeology of the Italian Horror Genre from its Origins until the Eighties. Riccardo Freda, Mario Bava and Dario Argento Gianpiera Conti Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Modern Languages and Cultures 2014 1 Interacting with Horror: Archaeology of the Italian Horror Genre from its Origins until the Eighties. Riccardo Freda, Mario Bava and Dario Argento ABSTRACT This research examines Italian horror cinema from its origins (1957) until the late 1980s, with particular focus on the productions of three Italian directors: Riccardo Freda, Mario Bava and Dario Argento. My research is divided into two distinct parts: theoretical and analytical. By adopting a variety of theories, which mainly follow three hermeneutic traditions – psychoanalytical (Freud, 1919; Abraham & Torok, 1994), pragmatist (Wiley, 1994) and social interactionist (Collins, 2000, 2004) – the first section of my project aims to outline three distinct phases of the circulation of horror symbols. The second part is devoted to a series of case studies, which function as exemplary illustrations of the elaborated theoretical framework. In order to define the field of analysis, my attention focuses on four thematic discourses: spaces, objects, identities and actions. A critical examination of selected films from Freda, Bava and Argento’s productions delineate the directors’ constant and extensive use of intertextual references to symbols already circulated at a first level. The theoretical framework of this thesis, in conjunction with filmic analysis, will contribute to a more exhaustive understanding of the archaeology of the genre. After establishing that singular theories do not supply sufficient information on genre issues, this study aims to address the gap in critical knowledge, reviewing the potentiality of the Italian horror cinema through a multidisciplinary discourse. An interpretation of the Italian horror genre can only exist in relation to a series of interplays with a multitude of factors. Hence, discussing the genre through filmic and extra-filmic schemes (including editing and marketing processes, censorship and spectatorship issues and intertextual references to external and internal archives of horror), this work acknowledges interactionism as a space of debate, which, encompassing several perspectives at a time (psychoanalytic, pragmatist, sociologic, etc.) allows a dialogic and exhaustive investigation of the Italian horror genre. 2 Key terms: Italian horror cinema, interaction ritual chains, intertextuality, uncanny, gothic, genre, censorship, religion, mythology, natural and supernatural, gender role, exploitation, cinema industry, psychic phantoms, double, permanent and temporary visitors, internal conversation, archives of horror, visual art, identity, monster, victim. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 2 KEY TERMS 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 DECLARATION 8 STATEMENT OF COPYRIGHT 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 9 DEDICATION 11 INTRODUCTION 12 CHAPTER 1: Archives of horror 28 Introduction 28 1.1 Archiving horror. Interaction ritual chains and emotional energy 29 1.2 External archives of horror 34 1.2.1 Religious archives 35 1.2.2 Folklore: myths, legends and fairy tales 38 1.2.3 Literary archives: fantastic, gothic and mystery 43 1.2.4 Visual archives: horror through images 49 Conclusion 56 CHAPTER 2: Archaeology of a genre 58 Introduction 58 2.1 Framing genre issues 59 2.2 The Italian gothic tradition: the Golden Age (1957–1966) 63 2.3 Horror subgenres between hybridism and intertextuality 70 4 2.3.1 Exploiting fears and moral taboos: the sexualization of violence 74 2.3.2 Psychological horror: the gialli 81 2.4 Horror fandom and rituals 88 2.4.1 Fans’ performativity and censorship issues 91 2.4.2 Signature and auteurism 96 Conclusion 98 CHAPTER 3: The power of silence: internal conversations and the choral voices of the Self 100 Introduction 100 3.1 Internal archives of horror 101 3.2 Uncanny presences as monstrous Others 103 3.2.1 Uncanny presences as abjects 107 3.2.2 Uncanny presences as reconfirmation of surmounted beliefs 110 3.3 Psychic phantoms within the Ego 116 3.4 Framing internal conversations 119 3.4.1 Permanent and temporary visitors: the silent voices of the Self 121 3.4.2 Inside inner speech: third-order circulation of symbols 124 Conclusion 128 CHAPTER 4: Heterotopic spaces of fear 130 Introduction 130 4.1 Conceptualizing heterotopias 131 4.1.1 Heterotopias of crisis and deviation: a concept in evolution 133 4.1.2 Juxtaposing heterotopias and constructing heterochronies 138 4.1.3 Opening and closing heterotopias 140 4.2 Heterotopias of fear 145 5 4.3 Abjects, stigmas and superstitions 150 4.4 The evil residences 156 4.4.1 The residence of sighs (Suspiria, 1977) 158 4.4.2 The residence of darkness (Inferno, 1980) 166 Conclusion 170 CHAPTER 5: Recollection objects 172 Introduction 172 5.1 Fetish objects as metaphors of fear 173 5.2 Auratic objects (Lisa e il diavolo, 1973) 177 5.2.1 Human objectifications 181 5.2.2 Fetish objects of pleasure 186 5.3 The signature of all things 190 5.4 Revealing objects (Profondo rosso, 1975) 193 5.4.1 Objects of truth 199 5.4.2 Decontextualization and meaning extension of objects 204 Conclusion 208 CHAPTER 6: Horrific identities 210 Introduction 210 6.1 Framing monsters 212 6.1.1 Interstitial monsters 214 6.1.2 Lust for blood and revenge: diabolic women 215 6.1.3 Behind the mask (La maschera del demonio, 1960) 220 6.2 Victims and monsters. Ambiguities 231 6.2.1 The double: messenger of life or premonition of death? (La frusta e il corpo, 1963) 234 6 6.2.2 Deviant monsters (L’uccello dalle piume di cristallo, 1970) 240 Conclusion 246 CHAPTER 7: Performing actions beyond the trauma 247 Introduction 247 7.1 The secret of others (Operazione paura, 1966) 248 7.2 Psychic phantoms’ haunting transmission 253 7.3 Horror of attraction: the aestheticization of violence (Opera, 1987) 255 7.3.1 Performing death 258 7.3.2 Trapped in the gaze: the traumatic pleasure 264 7.3.3 Performing memories as traumas of the past 271 Conclusion 274 CONCLUSION 275 FILMOGRAPHY: PRIMARY SOURCES 280 BIBLIOGRAPHY: SECONDARY SOURCES 281 FILMOGRAPHY: SECONDARY SOURCES 312 VISUAL ARTS 321 FUMETTI NERI 322 7 DECLARATION I hereby declare that this thesis is a record of work undertaken by myself, that it has not been the subject of any previous application for a degree, and that all sources of information have been duly acknowledged. STATEMENT OF COPYRIGHT The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without prior written consent and information derived should be acknowledged. © Copyright 2014, Gianpiera Conti 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many things have happened and changed since I have been involved with this project. At the conclusion of this journey, I would like to say thank you to many people who, voluntarily and sometimes involuntarily, have contributed to the realization of this work. First of all I want to dedicate this thesis to the loving memory of my dear sister. Her strength and struggles during the last years of her life helped me re-estimate and revalue my own existence. She has been an invisible presence during the writing of this thesis and her example has kept me working when I wanted to give up. Many times I have addressed my silent tears to her, but today I want to offer her my satisfied smile for helping me to reach this milestone. I am aware that, even if she is not here physically, she will rejoice with me spiritually in this special day. This thesis would never have been completed without the unfailing encouragement and patience of my supervisors Catherine Dousteyssier-Khoze and Santiago Fouz-Hernández. Their help, academic support and remarkable patience helped push me through the last steps of my work. My greatest thanks go to them. My gratitude is also extended to many other people who have helped me with theories and concepts that have shaped this thesis, including Dr Stefano Cracolici, whose initial advice and brainstorming ideas have been an important source of knowledge. The Regione Autonoma della Sardegna deserves my wholehearted thanks as well for generously funding this research under a Doctoral scholarship. I would like to thank my colleagues at Durham University and all those friends in Italy, Japan and elsewhere for their support and encouragement throughout this project. Whilst it would be impossible to mention them all individually, I would like to thank in particular Emma for her kindness, friendship and support. She was one of the first friendly faces I met in Durham and I will never forget the many precious memories we shared together along the way.