." ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁screen writer ▁Ern esto ▁Gast ald i ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁film ▁disappoint ed ▁him . ▁Gast ald i ▁described ▁that ▁he ▁felt ▁about ▁the ▁story ▁“ in ▁terms ▁of ▁a ▁psych ological ▁night m are , ▁in ▁the ▁style ▁of ▁Cl ou z ot ' s ▁films , ▁but ▁B ava ▁saw ▁in ▁it ▁a ▁bar o que ▁and ▁dec ad ent ▁drama , ▁and ▁emphas ized ▁such ▁t ones ▁beyond ▁belief .” ▁ ▁From ▁ret ros pective ▁reviews , ▁Sl ant ▁Magazine ▁gave ▁the ▁film ▁four ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁stars ▁out ▁of ▁five , ▁stating ▁that ▁the ▁film ▁found ▁" B ava ▁at ▁the ▁peak ▁of ▁his ▁visual ▁pro w ess " ▁Online ▁film ▁database ▁AllMovie ▁found ▁that ▁B ava ' s ▁" exception al ▁visual ▁style ▁helps ▁to ▁lift ▁an ▁otherwise ▁glo omy ▁picture ". ▁The ▁review ▁noted ▁that ▁the ▁film ▁contained ▁a ▁" strong , ▁w itt y ▁script ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁fin est ▁cast s ▁the ▁Italian ▁director ▁ever ▁worked ▁with " ▁resulting ▁in ▁" a ▁solid ▁horror ▁film ▁that ▁works ▁on ▁multiple ▁levels ." ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Christopher ▁Lee ▁film ography ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁French ▁films ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁horror ▁films ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁Italian ▁films ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Foot notes ▁ ▁S ources ▁▁▁▁▁ ▁</ ref > ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁▁ ▁Category : Fil ms ▁directed ▁by ▁Mario