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[Stephen Grimes]

Anyone seen this supposedly very bizzare first effort from Avati about a crazed,deformed dwarf who practises black magic?
Was an English language version ever prepared?

[ecc]

Don't know but it looks like the dwarf is played by Avati regular Bob Tonelli who also appears in ZEDER and HOUSE WITH THE LAUGHING WINDOWS.

[Michael Blanton]

Anyone seen this supposedly very bizzare first effort from Avati about a crazed,deformed dwarf who practises black magic?

No. ...but I need to. 

[Inspector Tanzi]

Sounds facinating

[Andrew Monroe]

There`s a couple stills and a brief summary in the Bizarre Sinema! Archives book on Cine Fumetto.

"Balsamus, that is Cagliostro, and his mysterious-sexual, Bolognese-styled rites. This curious outing, marking Pupi Avati`s helming debut, already shows the filmmaker`s fascination with magic, supernatural and gothic style. All the characters are portrayed in an extremely grotesque and exaggerated manner, much like those featured in several future movies of the director. The film is also the result of the cooperation between the Bolognese filmmaker and his fellow citizen Roberto Raviola, aka Magnus, who, on this occasion, drew (w/o being credited) the sketches depicting the movie`s bizarre characters. Avati and Magnus were supposed to work together on several projects, none of which, unfortunately, ever materialized."

Yeah, you can count me in as someone who would love to see this one day.

FWIW - the book lists the year as 1968.

[Stephen Grimes]

Thanks for the info Andrew

Just been told there's an Italian language copy of this floating around,hopefully it shouldn't be too hard to find.


Edit
Copy on the way 
 

[Johan Melle]

Looks like a very interesting film, although I seem to recall reading an interview with Avati somewhere in which his expresses his great dislike of both this film as well his other early film, THOMAS E GLI INDEMONIATI with Edmund Purdom and Mariangela Melato.

[Michael Blanton]

Looks like a very interesting film, although I seem to recall reading an interview with Avati somewhere in which his expresses his great dislike of both this film as well his other early film, THOMAS E GLI INDEMONIATI with Edmund Purdom and Mariangela Melato.

Even more reason to to see it now. 

[Jens Thomsen]

As much as I respect Avati he is also record saying he dislikes Zeder and that one I personally just love.

[Inspector Tanzi]

As much as I respect Avati he is also record saying he dislikes Zeder and that one I personally just love.

I also think Zeder is great, i don't really find horrors scary that much but i do find Zeder quite scary.

[JoseADiego]

I adore this movie   








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[Stephen Grimes]

Had a feeling you'd own a copy of this,Jose 
Hopefully mine will arrive sometime during the week,feels like the French/Italian post are on a go-slow.

[Wostry]

Guys, where did you get your copy? I have a dealine delivering an article on Avati for a prestigious hungarian magazine (kind of the hungarian version of Cahiérs du Cinema) and that is the only Avati horror I didn't see (that and Thomas e gli indemoniati, because the only print is at Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografica) so my article will be pretty spotty...

[Johan Melle]

BALSAMUS sure looks interesting. Now if only some English subs existed. One can always hope.

Anyway, I just dug out my Eyeball Compendium, which contains an Avati interview conducted by Alan Jones on the set of KNIGHT OF THE QUEST (2001). The film Avati really expresses a great dislike for is THOMAS E GLI INDEMONIATI but he doesn't sound all that crazy about BALSAMUS either. Here's what he had to say about it:

"Balsamus was basically about a Christ Child whose purity is contaminated by a female presence that causes him to lose his omniotence. I like shooting in Emilia-Romagna because it has disturbing magical elements far removed from the tranquil atmosphere most visitors think the region solely has. It's peculiar discussing my early work, you know. As you get older, your priorities change, and I was very optimistic when I embarked on my directing career. My early films were protest movies in a way. Now they've become darker and a lot more pessimistic. If I see a movie I made twenty years ago, I recognise - with embarrassment - my world view at the time. It's like looking at old photos of yourself and scarcely being able to believe what you are wearing!".

And it doesn't look as if THOMAS E GLI INDEMONIATI is ever going to get a release based on what he has to say about it:

His next film was THOMAS E GLI INDEMONIATI / THOMAS AND THE POSSESSED (1970) starring Mariangela Melato and Edmund Purdom - it was virtually unseen then and is impossible to view now. Avati does have a copy on video but refuses to let anyone see it. He remarked, "I don't like the film because it's far too theatrical. Basically it was about a group of actors holding a séance during which a young child materialises. Adopted in turn by each of the participants, the child exposes their problems and vulnerabilities to the rest of the troupe. It was far too complicated and wordy and, frankly, I wish I hadn't made it".

[JoseADiego]

I also love  THOMAS E GLI INDEMONIATI / THOMAS AND THE POSSESSED (1970)....My copy is quite bad , but I like very much when I saw it...



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