A mother and her daughter run a hotel during the late stages of WWII. The mother suddenly dies, and the daughter finds herself alone with her sleazy guests.A mother and her daughter run a hotel during the late stages of WWII. The mother suddenly dies, and the daughter finds herself alone with her sleazy guests.A mother and her daughter run a hotel during the late stages of WWII. The mother suddenly dies, and the daughter finds herself alone with her sleazy guests.
José María Prada
- Hotel Guest
- (as Josè Maria Prada)
Máximo Valverde
- Partisan
- (as Massimo Valverde)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFrancesco Barilli recalls that when the movie came out in theaters it was forbidden to minors. "When it was acquired by television, all the most disturbing scenes were left out. For instance, the scene in which Luc Merenda's lover [Jole Fierro] lures Fani into her own room and then lets the man rape her, was cut to the bone. At a certain point, the elderly woman even stuck a finger in Luc's ass as he was fucking the girl, in order to somehow give him pleasure, too. I think I still have a "Playmen" magazine issue with the photo session taken on the set", he says.
Featured review
cloud of fear and murders
"Pensione Paura" takes place in northern Italy during the last months of World War 2 - the war is not really important for the story of the film, but rather its psychological aspects. The authorities in power are about to fall and new authorities will soon take over. There's in reality a power void, and this stimulates the people to drop their masks and live out their desires - there's just a thin veil of control holding them in place. The war is something far away. The only time the war shows its presence is during a night air raid. What really concerns the people (as always) is their own survival.
In this nowhere land, Marta (Lidia Biondi), seconded by her daughter Rosa (Leonora Fani), runs a hotel. The hotel's guests are dubious and/or shady characters. There's a man who lost all his family in a bombardment and he walks around mumbling about his family, spying on other people. What's up with him? There's also a sleazy gigolo, Rodolfo (Luc Merenda) and his rich lover (Jole Fierro). Rodolfo doesn't limit himself to exploiting rich women, he has still other plans in mind, but what really turns him on is the sight of Rosa. He lusts after her. There's Marta's lover (Francisco Rabal) hidden in a room in a distant corner of the hotel. He's in hiding for political reasons. Two noisy war profiteers (so it seems) and their lovers complete the picture.
One night we hear a shrill cry. A body is found. Now Rosa stands alone in the world.What really happened? The hotel, its dark corridors, its mysterious guests - a vague but also very real threat seems to hover around. The arrival of two unexpected guests with a very suspicious behavior (thugs? police?) thickens the plot still more.
Rosa has a father that is away fighting with the partisans. Rosa thinks of him, writes to him. She thinks that when he comes back everything will be alright again. But meanwhile, the black cloud has grown larger and larger - violence and murders...
And red becomes the color. The climax is really delirious, and by the ending of the film we are left with a great interrogation mark. So violent and yet so peaceful!
"Pensione Paura" is a showcase, particularly for Leonora Fani (her beauty and talent), but all the cast deliver good performances. Francesco Barilli directed the masterpiece "Il profumo della signora in nero" and gives us with "Pensione Paura", another worthy film. In spite of their obvious differences, both films have some striking similarities. "Pensione Paura" is an excellent film, but like "Il profumo della signora in nero" is a difficult film to write about.
In this nowhere land, Marta (Lidia Biondi), seconded by her daughter Rosa (Leonora Fani), runs a hotel. The hotel's guests are dubious and/or shady characters. There's a man who lost all his family in a bombardment and he walks around mumbling about his family, spying on other people. What's up with him? There's also a sleazy gigolo, Rodolfo (Luc Merenda) and his rich lover (Jole Fierro). Rodolfo doesn't limit himself to exploiting rich women, he has still other plans in mind, but what really turns him on is the sight of Rosa. He lusts after her. There's Marta's lover (Francisco Rabal) hidden in a room in a distant corner of the hotel. He's in hiding for political reasons. Two noisy war profiteers (so it seems) and their lovers complete the picture.
One night we hear a shrill cry. A body is found. Now Rosa stands alone in the world.What really happened? The hotel, its dark corridors, its mysterious guests - a vague but also very real threat seems to hover around. The arrival of two unexpected guests with a very suspicious behavior (thugs? police?) thickens the plot still more.
Rosa has a father that is away fighting with the partisans. Rosa thinks of him, writes to him. She thinks that when he comes back everything will be alright again. But meanwhile, the black cloud has grown larger and larger - violence and murders...
And red becomes the color. The climax is really delirious, and by the ending of the film we are left with a great interrogation mark. So violent and yet so peaceful!
"Pensione Paura" is a showcase, particularly for Leonora Fani (her beauty and talent), but all the cast deliver good performances. Francesco Barilli directed the masterpiece "Il profumo della signora in nero" and gives us with "Pensione Paura", another worthy film. In spite of their obvious differences, both films have some striking similarities. "Pensione Paura" is an excellent film, but like "Il profumo della signora in nero" is a difficult film to write about.
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- May 1, 2010
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![Leonora Fani, Jole Fierro, and Luc Merenda in Hotel Fear (1978)](https://cdn.statically.io/img/m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTAzNjBmZDItYjMyMS00MDA1LTk2MWItYjQxOGYyOWRjNzY2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUyNDk2ODc@._V1_QL75_UX90_CR0,30,90,133_.jpg)