_**A Surreal Horror Film Featuring Telly Savalas and Elke Sommer**_ While traveling in Toledo, Spain, a tourist (Sommer) becomes disoriented within the city’s narrow passageways and finds herself at a manor resembling a castle. She is among several guests hosted by an indifferent countess and her welcoming son, along with a noticeably self-satisfied butler (Savalas). “Lisa and the Devil,” made in 1973, recalls “The Devil’s Nightmare” from 1971, shares elements with “Carnival of Souls” (1962), and borrows ideas from “Psycho” (1960). The film initially struggled to find distribution. To capitalize on the popularity of “The Exorcist” (1973), it was reworked with additional footage featuring a priest and a character experiencing possession, and then released as “The House of Exorcism” (1975). This review focuses specifically on Bava’s original vision, not the altered version. Under Mario Bava's direction, this is a visually striking and artistic production. I would prefer to watch it over "Carnival of Souls," though it isn’t as entertaining as “The Devil’s Nightmare” or as captivating as “Psycho.” It resembles Bava’s earlier film, "Baron Blood" (1972), but possesses a greater sense of surrealism and lacks some of its appeal. If you enjoy films like “Carnival of Souls” and "Haunts of the Very Rich" (1972), it might be worth your time; piecing together the narrative and attempting to understand it can be an engaging experience. Elke Sommer’s performance didn't particularly impress me. I am a fan of Sylva Koscina, who was 39 during filming in late 1972, but her appearance with a hairstyle and clothing from the 1920s isn’t flattering. She had been remarkable just a few years prior in “Hornets' Nest” (1970). Sadly, youth and beauty are fleeting. Telly Savalas was attempting to stop smoking during filming, so he is frequently seen sucking on a lollipop—a characteristic that would later become iconic in his television series, Kojak, which began production shortly afterward. The film has a running time of 1 hour, 35 minutes and was filmed primarily in Spain, specifically Toledo and Madrid; the airport scenes were shot at Barcelona Airport in Barcelona. GRADE: B-/C+

Source on TMDB