Hotel Fear (1978) Francesco Barilli

During World War II, young Rosa and her mother run a hotel in the Italian countryside, mourning over the death of her dead father. When the mother dies under mysterious circumstances, Rosa finds herself at mercy of her sex-crazed guests, but not before a hooded assailant, lurking in the shadows of the hotel, starts killing off each and everyone that tries to harm Rosa. Could it be her dead father back from the dead to avenge his daughter?

“Pensione Paura” is a fantastic example for the atmospheric power of Italian Horror film. Without showing anything explicitly ‘horrible’ in the first half, the film maintains an eerily beautiful and uniquely nightmarish atmosphere of pure gloom from the very beginning to the very end. The remote rural setting with the gloomy guest-house and the nearby picturesque village create a menacing mood of seclusion and being lost. The brilliant score by Adolfo Waitzmann must be one of the most mesmerizing ever. While the film is not very gory by Italian Horror standards, it is completely uncompromising. “Pensione Paura” is a must-see for anyone interested in Eurohorror, Giallo and Cult-Cinema. Very Highly Recommended!

Hotel Fear (1978)