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Spirits of the Dead
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Spirits of the Dead

1968
Horror
Mystery
2h 1m
Three renowned European directors (Federico Fellini, Roger Vadim and Louis Malle) each adapt a Poe short story to the screen: "Toby Dammit," (Fellini) featuring Terence Stamp as a disheveled drugged and drunk English movie star who nods acceptance in the Italian press and his producers fawn over him. "Metzengerstein" (Vadim) with Jane Fonda (Mrs. Vadim at the time) as a Mediveal countess who has a love-hate relationship with a black stallion - who, it turns out is really her dead lover... (imdb)
Directed by:
Federico Fellini Federico Fellini Louis Malle Louis Malle Roger Vadim Roger Vadim
+2 more
Written by:
Daniel Boulanger Roger Vadim Roger Vadim Bernardino Zapponi Bernardino Zapponi Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe
+3 more
Starring:
Alain Delon Alain Delon Terence Stamp Terence Stamp Peter Fonda Peter Fonda Jane Fonda Jane Fonda Brigitte Bardot Brigitte Bardot Umberto D\ Umberto D'Orsi Françoise Prévost Salvo Randone Salvo Randone James Robertson Justice James Robertson Justice Katia Christine
More
Genres:
Horror, Mystery
AKA:
Histoires Extraordinaires
Countries:
France, Italy
Languages:
English, French, Italian
imdb More information at IMDb
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Spirits of the Dead

1968
Horror
Mystery
2h 1m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 49.6% from 253 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

(252)
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beedubBeeDub
Rated 30 Jul 2023
78
40th
This is aimed at a very different audience than most horror anthologies, and I'm not part of that audience.
Rated 30 Jul 2023
joojooJooJoo
Rated 31 Oct 2008
3
31st
Fellini is what it this shindig is all about, and it's worth it even after the ridiculous [Malle {has its great moments, specifically due to Delon & Bardot, but lacks credibility}] and pointless drivel [Vadim] that this film subjects you to earlier. Badly dubbed, no less. This is Fellini at his most surreal. A barrage of imagery assaults your senses from its inception and never gives you a moments rest with its jump-cuts and disturbing atmosphere; bizarre, haunting, and unforgettable.
Rated 31 Oct 2008
cclzaCCLZA
Rated 22 Oct 2008
65
40th
55 for the campy Metzengerstein (those costumes are amazingly ridiculous and effective at the same time). 65 for William Wilson (the card game and the medicine class are worth seeing the boring rest of the short); and finally 85 for the eery, atmospheric and masterfuly shot Toby Dammit (Fellini at his very finest).
Rated 22 Oct 2008
yiannosYiannos
Rated 28 Feb 2021
63
54th
Score is for Fellini's contribution only. Moments inspired by Bava while the long driving scene was something of a precursor to the superior one in Roma. In the end, a mixed bag, but it stands out in Fellini's filmography, and Stamp really did mesh well with Italian directors.
Rated 28 Feb 2021
kasperlKasperL
Rated 06 Mar 2020
70
65th
The first two shorts in this anthology are pretty weak, but definitely check out the nightmarish little gem "Toby Dammit" by Fellini. It has one of the creepiest (and downright coolest) incarnations of the devil ever committed to celluloid.
Rated 06 Mar 2020
dean_franzDean Franz
Rated 16 Jun 2008
99
96th
Vadims segment is laughably bad. Malles segment disappoints. It plays like a shoddy episide of TZ. But "Toby Dammit" by Fellini... Hoe-Lee-Shitt. Could this be the best piece of cinema ever? It has a wildly talented filmmaker, finally just letting go and enjoying himself and letting every random thought that falls into his head loose on the viewer, trusting his instincts and whatever fine spirits he had running through his veins. This is Fellini's "Trout Mask Replica". His "Rain Dogs". Hail!
Rated 16 Jun 2008
paradigmaParadigma
Rated 28 Sep 2008
65
60th
"William Wilson" was good.
Rated 28 Sep 2008
walkearthwalkearth
Rated 12 Sep 2014
70
81st
First segment was weaker than the rest. Great Alain Delon and Terence Stamp.
Rated 12 Sep 2014
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 28 Nov 2012
70
37th
Vadim: 55 - Intermittently intriguing, but ultimately a self-indulgent showcase for Mrs Vadim; an overall air of sleaze taints the production. Malle: 71 - Well crafted segment has some terrific moments, and charismatic performances from Bardot and Delon, but is ultimately too long, with a payoff not justifying the build-up. Fellini: 82 - Genuinely creepy and atmospheric horror story, with a wonderful performance from bedraggled Stamp. Leads to a haunting and disturbing climax.
Rated 28 Nov 2012
sweekodenSweekoden
Rated 21 Apr 2010
58
41st
Metzengerstein was entertaining. It's not exactly superbly put together or that well-realized of a concept, plus it just sort of fizzles out, but hey, I dug the costumes. William Wilson took an intriguing premise and managed to make it uninspired and boring. Fellini's contribution is interesting; I think I would've taken to it more had I seen it independently from the two films that preceded it.
Rated 21 Apr 2010
salomaordsalomaord
Rated 02 Jan 2015
50
0th
Filmes Coletivos #2
Rated 02 Jan 2015
muutanetmuutanet
Rated 23 Nov 2008
64
57th
Three different points of view to the Edgar Allan Poe stories. I've seen this flick long, long time ago, but still remember them good. Jane Fonda part's got good scenes but the story is not the strongest one. Alan Deloin is after his dobbelgänger. But the most impressive one is the last, Federico Fellini's unique story of the she-devil. A famous movie star meets his destiny with the appearance of an odd girl. Girlies eyes are creepy.
Rated 23 Nov 2008
supergloosupergloo
Rated 10 Jul 2007
9
76th
Vadim's segment is the weakest, though its overtones of incest and bestiality make it a somewhat interesting watch. Malle's "Twilight Zone" segment actually seems better than it is because it follows Vadim's lackluster effort. Fellini's contribution, though, is pure genius and is primarily responsible for the high score I give this film.
Rated 10 Jul 2007
pyrosexualpyrosexual
Rated 24 Jan 2022
75
43rd
Fellini's part is one of the cooler Fellini things I've seen and Jane Fonda is smoking hot for her part, kudos to her wardrobe person.
Rated 24 Jan 2022
backwardsuitbackwardsuit
Rated 26 Mar 2017
73
59th
Overall classy Poe anthology with varying levels of good. Vadim's film relies heavily on the strength of the source. Stagey and campy but nicely lean and sparse. Fonda carries it well enough. Malle's work has a strong & intriguing directorial touch but doesn't quite find the emotional sticking power to match. Fellini's short is the most unmindful towards Poe. A feverish masterpiece of anxiety delivered equally by his unfiltered sensuality & Stamp's brilliant portrayal of a drunken wreck.
Rated 26 Mar 2017
rnevesrrnevesr
Rated 08 Feb 2012
77
46th
It gets gradually better as stories progresses and ultimately Fellini held this on his back.
Rated 08 Feb 2012
helfen419helfen419
Rated 24 Dec 2011
65
26th
The first one was garbage, I really liked the second one, and Fellini's was well shot but lacked good acting.
Rated 24 Dec 2011
atomdrumbopatomdrumbop
Rated 26 Feb 2012
80
70th
"Toby Dammit" is worth 95, Malle was pointless and Vadim was visually interesting but generally unappealing
Rated 26 Feb 2012
notitlenotitle
Rated 31 May 2008
77
62nd
First story was bad.. My favorite segment is second one, William Wilson.. Fellini's Toby Dammit was also very good.
Rated 31 May 2008
rojatumerojatume
Rated 29 Aug 2016
68
29th
I enjoyed the first two stories because, although they were somewhat mediocre/confusing/dumb, they were so different from other movies. The final story blew me away. It's very charming and funny in its way, and, though the ending left me a bit cold, it was certainly the best of the trio.
Rated 29 Aug 2016
hazelhawkshazelhawks
Rated 03 Sep 2020
60
46th
Not familiar with the source material (shame on me) but Vadim and Malle bits taste like standard Roger Corman fluff while I guess Fellini went and used Poe as a spring board for a midnight dive into a murky pool filled with bioluminescent creepy-crawlies. 40 for Vadim and Malle. 82 for Fellini.
Rated 03 Sep 2020
lonewolf2003Lonewolf2003
Rated 31 Aug 2016
55
13th
Only the Malle/Delon part was engaging, the others bored me
Rated 31 Aug 2016
francogonzoFrancoGonzo
Rated 25 Oct 2017
9
42nd
"Metzengerstein" - 7, "William Wilson" - 7, "TOBY DAMMIT" - 16
Rated 25 Oct 2017
napolenbradynapolenbrady
Rated 15 Mar 2019
78
4th
78.00
Rated 15 Mar 2019
glm01glm01
Rated 20 Apr 2014
78
58th
78.000
Rated 20 Apr 2014
coheedCoheed
Rated 20 Feb 2016
80
78th
Mainly the Fellini entry gets the high rating, though I'll gladly defend Malle's as underrated. Vadim's even manages to improve when it becomes a strange story of a woman and a demonic horse after its incredibly shaky start.
Rated 20 Feb 2016
mrarnmrarn
Rated 25 Jan 2021
31
10th
Too surreal for me. How many costumes does Jane Fonda need?
Rated 25 Jan 2021
ehk2ehk2
Rated 09 May 2020
50
67th
Dammit. Jane Fonda is a goddess. Who else could act in similar clothes either in a medieval, western or space movie?
Rated 09 May 2020
paxtonPaxton
Rated 25 Oct 2012
70
65th
Jane Fonda's character plays a spoiled countess that kills her cousin, then falls in love with his reincarnation as a horse. Who did they cast as said love interest? You guessed it: Peter Fonda. Also, kudos to Terrance Stamp.
Rated 25 Oct 2012
empiremagempiremag
Rated 13 Apr 2009
4
71st
"Intriguing and mostly successful."
Rated 13 Apr 2009
driscarpindriscarpin
Rated 13 Feb 2007
80
64th
Histórias extraordinárias estreava há 55 anos na França. A gente sabe que esse filme só vale a pena pela pequena obra-prima que eo episódio do Fellini, né. Poe misturado a Bava não tem erro, Box Versátil Edgar Allan Poe no Cinema Volume 2.
Rated 13 Feb 2007
danilolopesDanilolopes
Rated 15 Apr 2009
66
28th
Vadims one is...jesus...argh...sad, i guess this is the right word.
Rated 15 Apr 2009
mattburgessmattburgess
Rated 20 Apr 2009
64
47th
A mixed bag which delivers exactly what you'd expect from these directors - "Metzenderstein"; entertaining high camp Eurotrash with fabulous costumes but unbelievably sloppy writing and editing, "William Wilson"; stylishly directed but generally forgettable, straight-forward and banal, "Toby Dammit"; a fever dream Fellini masterpiece that earns an almost perfect score if it were released separately.
Rated 20 Apr 2009
rexperadoRexperado
Rated 16 Sep 2018
85
79th
The third story was fantastic!
Rated 16 Sep 2018
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 10 Jun 2017
70
82nd
The first story is pretty bad and the second is interesting but still not very good , Then there is the last story directed by Fellini and starring Terrence Stamp and wow is it different.Stamp puts on a fantastic show in this equally stunning spectacle and this makes it a must see for the Fellini segment alone.
Rated 10 Jun 2017
dyannethorneDyanneThorne
Rated 13 Jul 2020
52
36th
Short as each of these stories were, I was struggling to keep myself engaged.
Rated 13 Jul 2020
jeanspillanejeanspillane
Rated 20 May 2009
59
20th
Frustrating Poe anthology film. Vadim's "Metzenderstein" is pretty but boring, Malle's "William Wilson" is decent but fails to do justice to one of Poe's finest tales, and Fellini's "Toby Dammit" is a mindblowing extravaganza that utilizes Poe as a starting point for a beautiful exploration of fame and mental collapse. Fellini's section is essential, and if you lack the time to watch the entire film, little is lost by simply bypassing sections one and two.
Rated 20 May 2009
auhasarderikauhasarderik
Rated 10 Jul 2019
6
40th
metzengerstein-5 / william wilson-6 / toby dammit-7
Rated 10 Jul 2019
jbynjbyn
Rated 30 Oct 2018
55
15th
I didn't get it; maybe it was operating at a level above my head. Spirits of the Dead works better as a drama movie, and aside from a few moments, it didn't function as a horror movie. The middle segment was my favorite, followed by the last. The first segment was visually appealing, but otherwise lacking. Aesthetically, the entire film lingers in my mind.
Rated 30 Oct 2018
kneudorfkneudorf
Rated 23 Jan 2010
85
97th
This is an 85 for Fellini's 'Toby Dammit' only.
Rated 23 Jan 2010

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