Here's a question all us folks must face at some point: If we fell in love with a beautiful woman, should we be concerned that all of a sudden they seem possessed by another person, or should we be grateful that this other seems more kinkier and a bit filthier than the other one? This is the problem facing Anthony Steffen, a sculptor paid to stay at the requisite creepy Italian villa to restore a 200 year old statue found in the lake next to the villa. Strangely, this statue really looks like the just returned Countess Harriet (Steele, in her last Italian horror role), and Steffen was in there before she started calling herself Belinda and hitting on every living thing with a pulse.For example, local fool Victor, for whom Belinda strips off then beats around the face with a riding crop for looking at her. Or, for another example, the timid teacher Dario, whom she steals from her own maid, Kate? Or how about her maid, Kate? Or how about Carlo, who starts off as Head of the Angry Villager Witch-Baiting Team who then ends up on team Strega? She even manages to turn one of them into a serial killer (he's not very good at it, however).At first this starts becoming a little boring until everyone goes mental and starts kill themselves and each other. Only Anthony Steffen, a spaghetti Western leading man who is much better in these Giallo type films, can figure it out! Also, this is the first time I've seen Mario Brega in a non-Leone Western (He's the big fat sidekick of the bad guy in everyone of them). For a moment him and Steffen forget they are in a horror film and have a right old punch up, so that was good.This is a fairly bloodless and at first seemingly boring film that picks up a lot of steam once the corpses start piling up (including a suicide victim being found by children, and indeed children being locked up in a house and burned). It's also different in that although it does have the usual big villa, it's really Barabarabarabaarabarabrabraara Steele who is the haunted one. Nice way to finish off the career. You never get to see her boobs or bum even once.

Perhaps inspired by Mérimée's short story "La Venus D'Illeand even more by French miniseries "Belphegor" ,"Un Angelo per Satana" is solid horror movie stuff;anyway with Barbara Steele,the most fascinating actress of the genre ,you cannot be wrong.Even when the screenplay is weak,she saves something from the wreckage.Anyway the screenplay is well-constructed,with two final unexpected twists;the first pictures ,on the lugubrious lake, almost show a Dreyeresque influence .Steele is so subtle an actress you never know whether she is an angel or a demon who causes crimes,drownings,suicides and other horrors;this is a Gothic atmosphere with the De Rigueur events which happened a long time ago and became a curse for the inhabitants of the island .Recommanded for horror buffs.

The late 19th century. Skeptical and pragmatic sculptor Robert (superbly played by Anthony Steffen) arrives in a small country village to restore an ancient statue to its former glory. Roberto falls for naive and innocent heiress Harriet (a first-rate performance by the ravishing Barbara Steele), whose evil ancestor Belinda was the original model for the statue. As the statue nears completion, Harriet becomes more like the cunning, devious, manipulative and flat-out no-good Belinda. Is Harriet possessed by Belinda's vengeful and malevolent spirit? Or is there something else going on? Director Camillo Mastrocinque, who also co-wrote the clever and compelling script with Giuseppe Mangoine, relates the complex and engrossing story at a steady pace, does a fine job of creating and sustaining a spooky brooding atmosphere throughout, and delivers a potent and vivid evocation of the remote rural region and the fearful superstitious people who populate the area. Steele excels in her tasty dual role; she brings a charming grace to Harriet and portrays the devilishly enticing Belinda with splendidly nasty relish. The supporting cast likewise contribute sound work: Claudio Gora as the wise, kindly Count Montebruno, Ursula Davis as sweet, fetching maid Rita, Marina Berti as poised governess Illa, Aldo Berti as friendly school teacher Dario, and Mario Brega as brutish, ill-tempered local strongman Carlo. The surprise twist ending is genuinely startling. Giuseppe Aquari's striking black and white cinematography and Francesco De Masi's elegant score give this movie extra class. Well worth seeing.

"Un Angelo per Satana" aka. "An Angel For Satan of 1966 is the last of nine Italian Gothic Horror films starring the wonderful Barbara Steele, doubtlessly the greatest female Horror icon in cinema. Barbara Steele, who is capable of combining stunning beauty and unspeakable eeriness like none other (which makes her my favorite actress), starred in none less than three of the all-time greatest Horror masterpieces within a few years, namely Mario Bava's "La Maschera Del Demonio" (aka. "Black Sunday") in 1960, Roger Corman's "Pit And The Pendulum" (aside the great Vincent Price) in 1961 and Antonio Margheriti's "Danza Macabra" (aka. "Castle of Blood") in 1964. While "Un Angelo Per Satana" is not a masterpiece en par with the aforementioned films, or even other brilliant Gothic tales like "Nightmare Castle" ("Gli Amanti De Oltretomba", 1965), this is yet another eerie and great gem starring Steele. As in "La Maschera del Demonio" and "Nightmare Castle", Steele once again has a double-role in this one, and she is once again brilliant switching between pure innocence and pure evil.The film is set in a 19th century Italian village set next to a lake, from which an old sculpture has been recovered. Invited by the local Count Montebruno (Claudio Gora), sculptor Roberto Merigi (Anthony Steffen) has come in order to restore the artwork, and immediately finds out that the villagers are afraid of a curse which is supposed to be placed upon the sculpture. The Count's beautiful niece Harriet (Barbara Steele) bears an amazing resemblance to the sculpture... "Un Angelo Per Satana" did not have a very high budget, and actually looks a few years older than being made in 1966. This is in no way a fault, however, as the film, which is filmed in beautifully uncanny settings, nonetheless maintains a tense and creepy atmosphere. This is one of only two Horror films director Camilllo Mastrocinque ever made, the other being "La Cripta e L'Incubo" (aka. "Crypt of the Vampire", 1964) starring Horror icon Christopher Lee. Even so, Mastrocinque was obviously perfectly capable of creating genuine creepiness and a Gothic atmosphere. As stated above, Barbara Steele is once again brilliant in her double role here. I am always getting quite monotonous when this favorite actress of mine is the topic, but she simply cannot be praised enough, in my opinion. Anthony Steffen, who is best known for starring in many Spaghetti Westerns as well as Emilio Miraglia's "The Night When Evelyn Came out of her Grave" ("La Notte Che Evelyn Uscì Dalla Tomba", 1971) fits well in the role of the hero, and the cast furthermore includes Mario Brega. Brega, who was part of some of the greatest Italian Westerns, including Leone's Dollar-Trilogy and Sergio Corbucci's "Il Grande Silenzio" (1968), once again plays a grumpy ruffian here. The settings are beautiful and eerie, especially the lake, and the photography is very nicely done. The most convincing reason to see "Un Angelo Per Satana" is, of course, Barbara Steele (more than reason enough for me!), but the film is also great in other aspects. A definite must-see for my fellow fans of Italian Gothic Horror and Barbara Steele, "Un Angelo Per Satana" is a creepy and great gem that comes with my highest recommendations.