Malpertuis (film)

Malpertuis
Directed by	Harry Kümel
Produced by	Paul Laffargue Ritta Laffargue Pierre Levie
Written by	Jean Ferry (adaptation) Jean Ray (original novel)
Starring	Orson Welles
Music by	Georges Delerue
Cinematography	Gerry Fisher
Editing by	Richard Marden
Release date(s)	1971 (1971)
Running time	125 minutes Director's cut: 119 minutes
Country	Belgium
Language	Dutch

Malpertuis (released in the US as Horror of Doom House) is a 1971 Belgian fantasy-horror directed by Harry Kümel, based on the novel of the same name. It was entered into the 1972 Cannes Film Festival.^[1]

Plot

Malpertuis is the name of an old, rambling mansion which is in reality a labyrinth where characters from Greek mythology are imprisoned by the bedridden Cassavius (Welles). He manages to keep them (as well as his nephew and niece) prisoners even after his death, through a binding testament. As Jan, the nephew, (Carrière) unravels the mystery, he discovers that he cannot escape the house because Malpertuis is far more significant than he was led to believe.

Cast

• Orson Welles - Cassavius
• Susan Hampshire - Nancy / Euryale / Alice / Nurse
• Michel Bouquet - Dideloo
• Mathieu Carrière - Jan
• Jean-Pierre Cassel - Lampernisse
• Daniel Pilon - Mathias Crook
• Walter Rilla - Eigengott
• Dora van der Groen - Sylvie Dideloo
• Charles Janssens - Philarette
• Sylvie Vartan - Bets
• Jet Naessens - Eleonora
• Cara Van Wersch - Rosalie
• Jenny Van Santvoort - Elodie
• Fanny Winkler - Mother Griboin
• Robert Lussac - Griboin (as Bob Storm)
• Edouard Ravais - Doucedame
• Gella Allaert - Gerda
• Hugo Dellas - Hans
• Cyriel Van Gent - Thick Man

DVD release

The DVD contains both the Cannes version and the Directors Cut.

See also

• Orson Welles filmography

References

1. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Malpertuis". festival-cannes.com. http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/2333/year/1972.html. Retrieved 2009-04-13. 

External links

• Malpertuis at the Internet Movie Database