Haunted Summer (1988)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Ivan Passer

Writers:

Lewis John Carlino (writer)
Anne Edwards (novel)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In 1815, authors Lord Byron, Mary Shelley and Percy Shelley get together for some philosophical discussions, but the situation soon deteriorates into mind games, drugs and sex.

Plot Keywords:

Author | Summer | Historical | Melodrama | Male Frontal Nudity

Cast

Philip Anglim	...	Lord Byron
Alice Krige	...	Mary Godwin
Eric Stoltz	...	Percy Shelley
Alex Winter	...	Dr. John William Polidori
Laura Dern	...	Claire Clairmont
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Berling	...	Maurice
Donald Hodson	...	Rushton (as Don Hodson)
Giusto Lo Pipero	...	Berger
Antoinette McLain	...	Elise
Terry Richards	...	Fletcher

Directed by
Ivan Passer

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lewis John Carlino		writer
Anne Edwards		novel

Produced by
Mario Cotone	....	associate producer
Yoram Globus	....	executive producer
Menahem Golan	....	executive producer
Martin Poll	....	producer

Original Music by
Christopher Young

Cinematography by
Giuseppe Rotunno

Film Editing by
Cesare D'Amico
Rick Fields		(as Richard Fields)

Casting by
Jose Villaverde

Production Design by
Stephen B. Grimes

Costume Design by
Gabriella Pescucci

Production Management
Alain Jakubowicz	....	post-production supervisor

Sound Department
Jim Bryan	....	sound effects editor
Richard Burton	....	sound editor
Mark Goodermote	....	boom operator
Tommy Goodwin	....	adr mixer
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
Drew Kunin	....	sound mixer
Martin Maryska	....	supervising sound editor
Preston Oliver	....	adr mixer
Janelle Showalter	....	assistant sound editor
Dean St. John	....	adr recordist
Dean St. John	....	foley recordist
Ralph Stuart	....	first assistant sound editor
Jerry Trent	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Gino De Rossi	....	special effects
Manlio Rocchetti	....	special effects makeup

Stunts
Claudio Pacifico	....	stunt performer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alberto Spiazzi	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Omneya 'Nini' Mazen	....	post-production coordinator
Pietro Scalia	....	assistant editor
Liberata Zocchi	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Virginia S. Ellsworth	....	music editor
Jeff Vaughn	....	score mixer

Other crew
Tom Calderaro	....	synthesizer programmer
Joe Straw	....	production accountant

Distributors

• Cannon Film Distributors (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• América Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Media Home Entertainment (video)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:MA (TV rating) | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Lake Como, Lombardia, Italy

Trivia:

The film was originally scheduled to be directed by John Huston before Ivan Passer was assigned the job.

Quotes:

Dr. John William Polidori: I have written a play. I think it quite good.
Lord Byron: Do shut up, John.

Movie Connections:

Version of Remando al viento (1988)

Waste of Time

Don't waste your time on this dreck. As portrayed, the characters have no redeeming values and watching them interact is sheer torture. "Gothic" was entertainment at least, this is crap. If you like watching pretentious and spoiled poets straining to outwit each other, this may be right up your alley. Lord Byron is portrayed as a complete jerk, and why the others would choose to spend more than five minutes with him is truly bewildering. Mary Shelly appears to be the only character with any spine whatsoever, but even she comes out of the whole ordeal without an ounce of respect. What a waste of time. See Gothic instead. I also remember seeing another superior movie based on the same subject matter, but didn't catch the title. I was hoping this was it, but no such luck. Not recommended.