Daria Nicolodi
(Sylvia Hackett)

Jasmine Maimone
[as Jasmine Main]
(Kate)

Pascal Persiano
(Daniel)

Maria Cristina Mastrangeli
(Lavinia, the producer)

Michele Klippstein

Pietro Genuardi
(Mark Singer, the director)

Luana Ravagnini

Roberto Giannini

Giada Cozzi
(Sylvia as a young girl)

Donald Pleasence
(Mr. Pickett)

Director:
Luigi Cozzi
[as Lewis Coates]

Screenplay:
Luigi Cozzi and
Daria Nicolodi

Story by:
Raimondo Del Balzo

Producer:
Fabrizio De Angelis

For this film, I wrote a great screenplay, but I had to shoot a poor film. Paganini Horror sure is not a masterpiece.

---Luigi Cozzi interviewed in VIOLENT VISION #1

XPLOITED CINEMA: US based seller offers the DVD in Region 2 format.

THE INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE: Cast and crew information is available at this popular film database.

Luigi Cozzi's Paganini Horror [ also known as Il Violino Che Uccide ] is generally considered as being a total fiasco and one to avoid. If so, I must apparently go see my doctor more often, because I sort of enjoyed it. Actually, I found it to be much more fun than the director's more recent turds, like the unwatchable Argento homage The Black Cat, which Cosmic Cozzi himself is mostly proud of. Paganini Horror has a simpler plot, about some female rock group who is about to shoot a video - source of inspiration: Wacko Jackson's Thriller - in an old house. For this purpose, they buy an original notesheet by a weird guy played by Donald Pleasence (no kidding). This sheet of music once belonged to Nicolo Paganini, once famed violinist with a said pact with the Devil. The group records one of the songs from the notesheet and, surprise, they are soon killed one by one in mysterious ways. Some of the opticals are laughably stupid, although creative. Like a woman being mashed against the wall by an invisible pane of glass. At least, we are spared from plastic Sergio Stivaletti puppets. And you can say much about the talent of Cozzi, and many do, but he always manages to hire a first-rate crew. Both the photography (by Franco Leca) and set design look good. The actors are good enough, although Daria Nicolodi is somewhat wasted. All in all Paganini Horror is fun enough and much more entertaining than any of Lamberto Bava's similar efforts from recent years. As for the badly dubbed Donald Pleasence, he's standing on top of a building throwing out money.

Edited version of a review that appeared in THE INZOMNIAC'S MOVIE MADNESS REVIEW.
Review submitted by Peter Danielsson.
Review © 2000 Peter Danielsson / THE INZOMNIAC'S MOVIE MADNESS REVIEW. All Rights Reserved.

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