1.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
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Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of feature films and television programs. Its headquarters are in Beverly Hills, California and it is one of the worlds oldest film studios. In 1971, it was announced that MGM would merge with 20th Century Fox, over the next thirty-nine years, the studio was bought and sold at various points in its history until, on November 3,2010, MGM filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. MGM Resorts International, a Las Vegas-based hotel and casino company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MGM, is not currently affiliated with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In 1966, MGM was sold to Canadian investor Edgar Bronfman Sr. whose son Edgar Jr. would later buy Universal Studios, the studio continued to produce five to six films a year that were released through other studios, mostly United Artists. Kerkorian did, however, commit to increased production and a film library when he bought United Artists in 1981. MGM ramped up production, as well as keeping production going at UA. It also incurred significant amounts of debt to increase production, the studio took on additional debt as a series of owners took charge in the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1986, Ted Turner bought MGM, but a few later, sold the company back to Kerkorian to recoup massive debt. The series of deals left MGM even more heavily in debt, MGM was bought by Pathé Communications in 1990, but Parretti lost control of Pathé and defaulted on the loans used to purchase the studio. The French banking conglomerate Crédit Lyonnais, the major creditor. Even more deeply in debt, MGM was purchased by a joint venture between Kerkorian, producer Frank Mancuso, and Australias Seven Network in 1996, the debt load from these and subsequent business deals negatively affected MGMs ability to survive as an independent motion picture studio. In 1924, movie theater magnate Marcus Loew had a problem and he had bought Metro Pictures Corporation in 1919 for a steady supply of films for his large Loews Theatres chain. With Loews lackluster assortment of Metro films, Loew purchased Goldwyn Pictures in 1924 to improve the quality, however, these purchases created a need for someone to oversee his new Hollywood operations, since longtime assistant Nicholas Schenck was needed in New York headquarters to oversee the 150 theaters. Mayer, Loew addressed the situation by buying Louis B. Mayer Pictures on April 17,1924, Mayer became head of the renamed Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with Irving Thalberg as head of production. MGM produced more than 100 feature films in its first two years, in 1925, MGM released the extravagant and successful Ben-Hur, taking a $4.7 million profit that year, its first full year. Marcus Loew died in 1927, and control of Loews passed to Nicholas Schenck, in 1929, William Fox of Fox Film Corporation bought the Loew familys holdings with Schencks assent. Mayer and Thalberg disagreed with the decision, Mayer was active in the California Republican Party and used his political connections to persuade the Justice Department to delay final approval of the deal on antitrust grounds
2.
Oedipus complex
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In psychoanalysis, the Oedipus complex is a childs desire, that the mind keeps in the unconscious via dynamic repression, to have sexual relations with the parent of the opposite sex. The Oedipal complex originally refers to the desire of a son for his mother. A childs identification with the parent is the successful resolution of the complex. Men and women who are fixated in the Oedipal and Electra stages of their psychosexual development might be considered mother-fixated and father-fixated, in adult life, this can lead to a choice of a sexual partner who resembles ones parent. Oedipus refers to a 5th-century BC Greek mythological character Oedipus, who kills his father, Laius. A play based on the myth, Oedipus Rex, was written by Sophocles, modern productions of Sophocles play were staged in Paris and Vienna in the 19th century and were phenomenally successful in the 1880s and 1890s. The Austrian psychiatrist, Sigmund Freud, attended. ”Freud described the character Oedipus, A six-stage chronology of Sigmund Freuds theoretic evolution of the Oedipus complex is, Stage 1. After his fathers death in 1896, and having seen the play Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, as Freud wrote in a 1897 letter, I found in myself a constant love for my mother, and jealousy of my father. I now consider this to be an event in early childhood. Proposes that Oedipal desire is the complex of all neuroses. Complete Oedipus complex, identification and bisexuality are conceptually evident in later works, applies the Oedipal theory to religion and custom. Investigates the feminine Oedipus attitude and negative Oedipus complex, later the Electra complex, in the phallic stage, a boys decisive psychosexual experience is the Oedipus complex—his son–father competition for possession of mother. The boy directs his libido upon his mother, and directs jealousy, psycho-logic defense—In both sexes, defense mechanisms provide transitory resolutions of the conflict between the drives of the id and the drives of the ego. The first defense mechanism is repression, the blocking of memories, emotional impulses, the second defense mechanism is identification, in which the boy or girl child adapts by incorporating, to his or her ego, the personality characteristics of the same-sex parent. As a result of this, the boy diminishes his castration anxiety, in the case of the girl, this facilitates identifying with mother, who understands that, in being females, neither of them possesses a penis, and thus are not antagonists. Therefore, the satisfactory parental handling and resolution of the Oedipus complex are most important in developing the male infantile super-ego. This is because, by identifying with a parent, the boy internalizes Morality, thereby, he chooses to comply with societal rules, rather than reflexively complying in fear of punishment. Moreover, his admitting to wanting to procreate with mother was considered proof of the sexual attraction to the opposite-sex parent
3.
Black Sabbath (film)
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Black Sabbath is a 1963 horror film directed by Mario Bava. The film is centered on three separate tales that have an introduction and conclusion from Boris Karloff, the film stars an international cast in three short stories. The first, titled The Telephone, involves Suzy who continually receives threatening calls from an unseen stalker. The second is The Wurdulak, where a man named Gorca returns to his family claiming to have slain a Wurdulak. Black Sabbath follows the 1960s trend of Italian film productions, being a low budget horror film with an international cast. The film is credited to various authors but is based on several uncredited sources. Several changes were made to the script even after the film had gone into production, American International Pictures suggested changes to Mario Bava during filming to make the film acceptable for the American target audience. The company created their own English language dub of the film that removed scenes involving violence and this version greatly changed the plot of The Telephone, giving it a supernatural story element and removing any reference to lesbianism or prostitution. A follow-up to Black Sabbath titled Scarlet Friday was originally going to be directed by Bava, plans for a remake were announced in 2004 with Jonathan Hensleigh attached to write the script. Black Sabbath has received reviews from critics. In the early 2010s, Time Out magazine conducted a poll with several authors, directors, actors, Black Sabbath placed at number 73. Note, This plot summary refers to the original Italian version of the film Rosy and she receives a series of strange phone calls. The caller eventually identifies himself as Frank, her pimp who has recently escaped from prison. Rosy is terrified, it was her testimony that sent Frank to prison, the women have been estranged, but Rosy is certain that only Mary can help her. Mary agrees to come over that night, seconds later, Frank calls again, promising that no matter what Rosy does he will have his revenge. Rosy doesnt realize that Mary is impersonating Frank on the telephone, Mary arrives at Rosys apartment and attempts to calm Rosys nerves. Mary provides Rosy with a knife for protection before she goes to sleep. As Rosy sleeps, Mary writes a confession explaining that she made the calls to force a reunion, while she is writing, an intruder enters the apartment
4.
Danger: Diabolik
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Danger, Diabolik is a 1968 action film directed by Mario Bava based on the Italian comic series Diabolik. The film is about a criminal named Diabolik who plans large-scale heists for his girlfriend Eva, Diabolik is pursued by Inspector Ginco who blackmails the gangster Ralph Valmont into catching Diabolik for him. An adaption of the Italian comic book was originally envisioned by producer Tonino Cervi, Cervi hired director Seth Holt and had an international production with a cast that included Jean Sorel, Elsa Martinelli and George Raft. After producer Dino De Laurentiis saw the footage that had shot, he halted production on the film and had a new director, cast. This resulted in Bava directing the film on a smaller budget with more well known actors taking smaller roles. Many of the cast and crew members were brought in from Barbarella De Laurentiis other comic book adaptation of that year. The film did not do as well at the box office as De Laurentiis had expected and received negative reviews on its release from The New York Times. With the re-evaluation of Bavas filmography, contemporary reception of the film has been more positive, two new adaptions of Diabolik were announced in the 2000s, but none went into production. After an armored car leaves a bank with ten dollars, it is attacked en route by Diabolik who manages to steal the money. Leaving the money in their hideout, Diabolik and Eva attend a press conference held by the Minister of the Interior which they disrupt by releasing laughing gas. Due to the level of crime, the death penalty is brought back. The police cannot find Diabolik, and gang leader Valmont suffers at their hands from a clampdown because of his actions, realising things can only get worse because of Diaboliks crime spree, Valmont contacts Inspector Ginco and makes a deal to catch him for the police. At his hideout, Diabolik decides to steal the famous Aksand emerald necklace from the Saint Just Castle for Evas birthday, Valmont builds up an identikit picture of Eva and circulates it as a means of capturing Diabolik. Diabolik scales the walls of Saint Just Castle where he finds the police lying in wait and he manages to steal the necklace by fooling the police officers with mirrors on the road and dummy decoys of himself. Valmont has made plans to lure Diabolik out of hiding by having one of his henchmen kidnap Eva. To rescue her, Diabolik boards Valmonts airplane with the ten million dollars and he is ejected from the plane but manages to grab Valmont just before a bomb he had placed earlier explodes. Diabolik rescues Eva as the close in on them. Eva makes her escape as Diabolik kills Valmont, but Diabolik is then trapped, the police find him and pronounce him dead
5.
The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963 film)
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The Girl Who Knew Too Much is a 1963 Italian giallo film. Directed by Italian filmmaker Mario Bava, the film stars John Saxon as Dr. Marcello Bassi, the plot revolves around a young woman named Nora, who travels to Rome and witnesses a murder. The police and Dr. Bassi dont believe her since a corpse cant be found, several more murders follow, tied to a decade-long string of killings of victims chosen in alphabetical order. The Girl Who Knew Too Much is considered to be the first giallo film, the film was re-cut on its American release by American International Pictures where it received a new score by Les Baxter, some added comic elements, and the new title Evil Eye. On vacation, Nora Davis arrives by plane in Rome to visit her ailing aunt. Noras aunt is being treated by Dr. Marcello Bassi, Noras aunt passes away on the first night of Noras visit and she walks to the nearby hospital to notify Dr. Bassi. On the way, she is mugged and knocked out in Piazza di Spagna, when she wakes up, she sees the body of a dead woman lying on the ground near her, a bearded man pulls a knife out of the womans back. Nora reports this to the police in the hospital, who dont believe her when they find no evidence, later, at a cemetery, Nora meets a close friend of her aunts, Laura Torrani, who lives in the Piazza di Spagna. Laura plans to soon and allows Nora to stay in her house for the remaining time of the vacation. The killer has already murdered victims whose last names begin with A, B, Nora also finds that the last victim is Lauras sister, whom Nora had seen in a vision. According to the reports in the paper, this took place ten years ago. Nora then receives a call, in which an anonymous voice tells her that D is for death. Nora receives help from Dr. Marcello, who takes her on a trip to various Roman tourist sites to calm her down as they become romantically interested in each other. When they return to the Craven house, she receives a call from a person who orders her to go to a particular address, Nora goes there, and she is guided to a vacant room. With Dr. Marcello, she discovers that the voice that guided her to spot is tape recorded. Nora and Marcello discover that the room is leased to Landini, after several unsuccessful attempts to locate Landini, Nora and Marcello go to the beach to relax. Upon their return to the Craven house, they find Landini, investigative reporter Landini has secretly been following them since he spotted Nora in the square. The reporter wrote about the story when it first broke
6.
Laura Betti
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Laura Betti was an Italian actress known particularly for her work with directors Federico Fellini, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Bernardo Bertolucci. She had a friendship with Pasolini and made a documentary about him in 2001. Particularly notes her roles as Emilia, the servant, in Pier Paolo Pasolinis Teorema and Mildred, born Laura Trombetti in Bologna, she grew up to be interested in singing. She first worked professionally in the arts as a jazz singer, Betti made her film debut in Federico Fellinis La Dolce Vita. In 1963, she became a friend of the poet. In 1976, Betti portrayed a cruel and eroto-maniacal fascist in Bernardo Bertoluccis Novecento and she also played Miss Blandish in his Last Tango in Paris, though her scenes were deleted. In 1973 she dubbed the voice of the Devil for the Italian version of William Friedkins The Exorcist, from the 1960s, Betti dedicated much of her time to literature and politics. She became the muse for a number of leading political and literary figures in Italy and came to personify the revolutionary, in 2001, she made a documentary about Pasolini, Pier Paolo Pasolini e la ragione di un sogno. This Centro, strongly wanted by Betti, owns also thousands of photograph and all the works of Pasolini, poetry, literature, cinema and journalism. After her death in 2004 her brother Sergio Trombetti has donated all the documents of her career to the Centro that has absorbed them under the name Fondo Laura Betti. La Dolce Vita, directed by Federico Fellini The Witches, produced by Dino De Laurentiis Teorema, for her role as Emilia, La commedia è finita/La canzone del giramondo/La canzone del tempo/Una venere ottimista Quattro canzoni con Laura Betti. Amare vuol dire mentire/ I hate Rome/ Lucciola/ Satellite Laura Betti con lorchestra di Piero Umiliani, quella cosa in Lombardia/Piero/Io son una Laura Betti con lorchestra di Piero Umiliani. Macrì Teresa detta Pazzia/Valzer della toppa/Cocco di mamma Laura Betti con lorchestra di Piero Umiliani, venere tascabile/Vera signora/E invece no Laura Betti dal film Cronache del 22. Nel 22 sognavo già lamore/Proprio oggi/Sulla strada che va a Reggio/La prima volta Laura Betti N.1, je me jette/La parade du suicide/Je hais Rome/La belle Léontine Laura Betti N.2. Je sais vivre/Piero/Maria le Tatuage/Une vraie dame Laura Betti e Paolo Poli, La bambinona/Guglielmino/La bella Leontine/Io Corpus Domini 1938/Mi butto/Donna bocca bella/Donna Lombarda/Orrenda madre/La Lisetta/La Ninetta/La Morettina/La Gigiotta Ordine e disordine
7.
Giallo
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Giallo is a 20th-century Italian thriller or horror genre of literature and film. It usually has elements and is often combined with slasher, crime fiction or, less frequently. In Italy, the term denotes thrillers, typically of the fiction, mystery. In English-speaking countries, the term refers to a particular style of Italian-produced murder mystery film which often includes elements of horror fiction. The genre developed in the mid-to-late 1960s, peaked in popularity during the 1970s and it has been considered to be a predecessor to, and significant influence on, the later American slasher film genre. The word giallo is Italian for yellow, the term was derived from a series of cheap paperback mystery novels, popular in post-fascist Italy, which were published with yellow covers. The term giallo derives from a series of pulp novels entitled Il Giallo Mondadori, published by Mondadori from 1929. The series consisted almost exclusively of Italian translations of novels by British. These included Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, Edgar Wallace, Ed McBain, Rex Stout, published as cheap paperbacks, the success of the giallo novels soon began attracting the attention of other publishing houses. They published their own versions and mimicked the yellow covers, the popularity of these series eventually established the word giallo as a synonym for a mystery novel. In colloquial and media usage, it applied to a mysterious or unsolved affair. For Italian audiences, giallo has come to refer to any kind of thriller-horror, thus, American, British or other thriller-horrors such as Psycho, Vertigo or Peeping Tom are considered gialli. English-speaking audiences have used the term to specifically to the type of Italian-produced thrillers known to Italian audiences as thrilling allitaliana or spaghetti thrillers. The film subgenre began as literal adaptations of these mystery novels, directors soon began taking advantage of modern cinematic techniques, to create a unique genre which veered into horror and psychological thrillers. Many of the characteristics of these films were incorporated into the later American slasher genre. Critics disagree on characterization of a giallo film. however, despite the resistance to clear definition there are nevertheless identifiable thematic and stylistic tropes. These distinct thematic and stylistic tropes constitute a definition of the genre which is broadly consistent. Directors and stars often moved between both genres and some films could be considered under either banner, such as Massimo Dallamanos 1974 film La polizia chiede aiuto, most critics agree that the giallo represents a distinct category with unique features
8.
I Vampiri
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I Vampiri is a 1957 Italian horror film. The film was directed by Riccardo Freda and completed by the films cinematographer and it stars Gianna Maria Canale, Carlo DAngelo and Dario Michaelis. The film is about a series of murders on young women who are found all their blood drained. The newspapers describes the killer as the Vampire and young journalist Pierre Lantin researches the crimes, Lantin investigates the mysterious Du Grand family who lives in a castle occupied by Gisele Du Grand who is in love with Lantin. She lives with her aunt who hides her face in a veil as well as the scientist Julian Du Grand who is trying to find the secret to eternal youth. Freda made a deal with producers at the Italian film studio Titanus to create a low budget film by writing a story in one day. The producers agreed and Freda began filming, on the films release in 1957, it became Italys first horror film of the sound era. It was not successful in Italy, which Freda interpreted as an audience not interested in films made by Italians. The film was released theatrically as The Devils Commandment and Lust of the Vampire in the United States, English critics predominantly discuss the film in terms of its cinematography and place in film history. In 1957 Paris, a series of mysterious killings are committed against young women of the blood type who are found dead. These killings are reported in the press as being performed by a murderer coined The Vampire, the journalist Pierre Lantin begins to investigate, and becomes more involved when his fiancee, the dancer Nora Duval is kidnapped. As Inspector Chantal examines the scene, Lantin arrives predicting that the crime was committed by The Vampire. Lantin investigates the school that the latest murder happened at to search for clues, elsewhere, a man named Joseph begs for his fix in a dark room is told to go after a woman named Lorette and that he know what to do at Rue Saint Etienne. Joseph arrives at the location and is spotted by Lantin but manages to get away from him, Joseph arrives at the clinic of Professor Julian Du Grand and demands money to leave town or he will report whats happening to the police. He is strangled by Du Grands assistant when a woman named Marguerite arrives and states that if the police track them down. A newspaper headline reveals that Professor Julian Du Grand has died unexpectedly. After a funeral procession for Julian, a group of men arrive, josephs corpse is taken to a castle where he is experimented on by Julian who is attempting discover the secret for eternal life. Later, Lorette meets a man in the street who asks her to drop off a letter
9.
Esther and the King
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Ester e il re is a 1960 Italian / American international co-production religious epic film directed, written, and produced by Raoul Walsh. It was made in Cinemascope and DeLuxe Color, and produced at 20th Century Fox/ Raoul Walsh Productions, based on the Old Testament, this epic recreates the Book of Esther, the tale that is the basis for the Jewish celebration of Purim. The film is set in Persia in the 5th century BC, after the King’s wife is murdered, Esther comes to the attention of the recently widowed King Ahasuerus. The king has been trying to stifle and defeat the campaign of hatred against the Jews by his evil minister Haman, before the King can pair off with Esther and defeat the villainous Haman, there are several intervening adventures and an additional, attractive woman who competes for attention. Cinema Italiano - The Complete Guide From Classics To Cult
10.
Planet of the Vampires
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Planet of the Vampires is a 1965 Italian/Spanish science fiction horror film, produced by Fulvio Lucisano, directed by Mario Bava, that stars Barry Sullivan and Norma Bengell. American International Pictures released the film as the feature on a double bill with Daniel Hallers Die, Monster. The story follows the experiences of the crew members of two giant spaceships that have crash landed on a forbidding, unexplored planet. The disembodied inhabitants of the world possess the bodies of the crew who died during the crash, the film was co-produced by AIP and Italian International Film, with some financing provided by Spains Castilla Cooperativa Cinematográfica. Ib Melchior and Louis M. Heyward are credited with the script for the AIP English-language release version, years after its release, some critics have suggested that Bavas film was a major influence on Ridley Scotts Alien and Prometheus, in both narrative details and visual design. Two huge interplanetary ships on an expedition into deep uncharted space receive a distress signal emanating from Aura, both ships, the Galliott and the Argos, attempt to land on the surface of the fog-encased world. While entering the atmosphere, the crew of the Argos becomes possessed by an unknown force. Only Captain Markary has the will to resist, and is able to all of the others aboard his ship out of their hypnotic. After the Argos lands on the surface, the crew disembarks, thick, pulsating mists, lit by ever-shifting eerie colors, saturate the terrain. When they finally arrive at the ship, they find that the crew members have killed each other. Markarys younger brother, Toby, is among the dead and they proceed to bury as many of the corpses as they can, but several bodies are locked inside the ships bridge. Markary departs to get tools for opening the room. Some of the Argos crew are found dead, Tiona sees their corpses walking in the ship, and becomes paralyzed with fear. Markary advises the survivors that they must escape from Aura, unfortunately, the Argos incurred serious damage during the landing, and repairs will take time. During the waiting period that ensues, several more killings occur, in a private tape recording, Markary admits that he suspects none of them will survive. While exploring Aura, Wes discovers the ruins of a spaceship a few miles from the Argos. Inside the ship, they discover large skeletal remains of the dead crew. Markary and Sanya are temporarily trapped inside the ship, but manage to escape, two crew members of the Galliott, Kier and Sallis, arrive at the Argos to steal the ships Meteor Rejector device
11.
Lisa and the Devil
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Lisa and the Devil is a 1973 Italian horror film directed by Mario Bava. The film was released in Spain as El diablo se lleva a los muertos and it had an ill-fated release in the US, where a heavily edited version completed with new scenes came out as The House of Exorcism with scenes directed by another filmmaker. It stars Elke Sommer, Telly Savalas, and Alida Valli, the story involves a young American tourist, who stays the night at the home of a family of Spanish aristocrats whose house is plagued by supernatural evil and dark secrets involving necrophilia. Tourist Lisa Reiner wanders away from her group in Toledo to go shopping inside a store, where she encounters a man named Leandro, who is purchasing a dummy. Due to his resemblance to the portrait of the devil in a fresco she has just seen, Lisa flees, when she fails to find back to the tour group, she takes refuge with a couple and their driver, who agree to help Lisa get to her hotel. But their car breaks down in front of a mansion where Lisa discovers that Leandro works as the butler. The couple persuade Leandro to let them stay while the driver fixes the car, Lisa attempts to flee, but the countess son Maximilian stops Lisa and agrees to let the three stay over the objections of his mother, a blind Countess. The Countess, Maximilian, Leandro, and the mustachioed man claim that Lisa is actually Elena, through a series of waking dreams, it is revealed that Elena was secretly sleeping with Carlos and that he was plotting to leave the jealous and reclusive Countess. After seeing Leandro preparing Carlos body for burial juxtaposed with Carlos being alive, Carlos attempts one last time to whisk Lisa away but Maximilian kills him. Lisa faints as Carlos body morphs into the dummy Leandro purchased in the store, the driver is promptly killed by a mysterious figure after fixing the car. Leandro offers to cover up the crime to his employers so long as they let him dispose of the body, when the husband demands his wife leave with him -- she runs over him, only to be brutally murdered by Maximilian. While Lisa is unconscious, Leandro dresses her like Elena and he gives a speech about how he is a demon that is indebted to the Countess and her son. Lisas arrival ultimately negated his inability to find a Lisa dummy to represent her in this latest incarnation, Lisa wakes up and finds the Countess, who has discovered the young wifes corpse. Lisa intends to escape, but a defeated and browbeaten Maximilian has started to believe that Lisa is just like Elena and he takes her to his secret room, where Elenas corpse and ghost are revealed to be the mystery prisoner. Maximilian drugs Lisa, strips her naked and rapes her, only to have the ghost of Elena laugh at him mid-rape and cause him to stop. Furious, he goes downstairs and confesses his crimes to his mother, Maximilian kills his mother when he realizes that she will never let him leave her or allow him to have a relationship with Lisa. After doing so, Maximilian is shocked to find all of his victims waiting for him at a table, as his mother attempts to kill him, Maximilian jumps from a window but is impaled on the metal fence below. Leandro reveals himself behind the corpses making their appearance and says that Maximilian accidentally slipped, Lisa wakes up the next morning, naked, with the mansion in ruins
