Maddalena (1971 film)

Maddalena
Theatrical poster
Directed byJerzy Kawalerowicz
Written bySergio Bazzini
Jerzy Kawalerowicz
Produced byFranco Clementi
Joseph Fryd
StarringLisa Gastoni
Eric Woofe
Ivo Garrani
CinematographyGábor Pogány
Edited byFranco Arcalli
Music byEnnio Morricone
Distributed byInternational Coproductions (U.S)
Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (Italy)
Release dates
November 1971 (New York City)[1]
1972 (Italy)
Running time
113 minutes
CountriesItaly
Yugoslavia
LanguagesItalian
English

Maddalena, also known as The Devil in Maddalena, is a 1971 drama film directed by Jerzy Kawalerowicz and starring Lisa Gastoni, Eric Woofe and Ivo Garrani.[2] The film features a notable score by Ennio Morricone, including the composition, "Chi Mai". A co-production between the Italian company Unitas Film and Yugoslavian company Bosna Film, it was released in 1971 in New York City, but release in Italy was delayed until 1972 due to censorship issues.[3]

Plot[edit]

Maddalena is a young free-spirited woman who attends erotic parties while separated from her husband who won’t grant her a divorce, after an apparent car accident. She is prone to strange and erotic themed flashbacks, some with biblical significance, which blur the line between reality and her own fantasies. At a party a blindfolded priest is led before her, and she decides to try to seduce him, seeing him as perhaps her salvation.

Cast[edit]

  • Lisa Gastoni: Maddalena
  • Eric Woofe: Priest
  • Ivo Garrani: Maddalena's husband
  • Paolo Gozlino: Fisherman
  • Barbara Pilavin: Priest's mother
  • Ezio Marano: Priest's aid

Production[edit]

Music[edit]

Despite featuring one of Morricone's best-known pieces, "Chi Mai", much of the score is described as "more psychedelic, with lots of percussion, vocalization and experimentation."[4] Lisa Gastoni herself sings on the composition, "Chi Mai", while regular collaborators, Bruno Nicolai, Edda Dell'Orso, and Alessandro Alessandroni also perform on the score.[5]

Release[edit]

Home media[edit]

One 7 Movies released Maddalena on Blu-ray on September 21, 2021.[6]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Maddalena: New Italian Film Is At the Juliet". The New York Times. November 20, 1971. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  2. ^ "Maddelena (1971)". BFI. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  3. ^ Lupi, Gordiano (February 14, 2021). ""Maddalena", a dreamlike film from the 1970s with the music of Morricone". Il Salto della Quaglia. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  4. ^ "Maddelana (50th Anniversary)". Intermezzo Media. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Ennio Morricone Maddalena OST". Light in the Attic Records. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  6. ^ "The Devil in Maddalena Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved 21 August 2023.

External links[edit]