[Book Review]: The Vatican Versus Horror Movies by Matt Rogerson

For as long as there have been stories committed to the artistic medium of film, there has been a strong attempt by the religious powers that be, particularly of the Catholic church to control not only the viewing habits of their congregation and followers, but also to rule over the censorship laws of whole countries. There is no other genre of cinema that has been victim to so much condemnation from the Catholic church than that of the horror film, as well as its offshoot of exploitation films. The Vatican has, since the turn of the 20th century attempted to exert its power and fight the battle against celluloid evil by deeming what was appropriate for Italian audiences through the Segnalazioni Cinematografiche, a critical film review publication, and it is this which The Vatican Versus Horror Movies by Matt Rogerson attempts to examine. 

Through his extensive research and translation of Segnalazioni Cinematografiche reviews, author Matt Rogerson pieces together a comprehensive history of not only Italian horror cinema, but also the reactions of the Vatican towards both Italian and international horror filmmakers and their art. Rogerson does an incredible job of setting up the political and religious landscape of Italy post-Mussolini, including the reasons for Italy’s mid-century mass apostasy and the reasons that drove a lot of Italian filmmakers to highlight the horrors of Italian society, which included pointing a finger towards the evils committed by the Catholic church including its association with nazism and facism, abuse of children and women etc. 

After setting the mise en scéne of the Italian landscape, The Vatican Versus Horror Movies dedicates separate chapters to different subgenres of horror and the exploitation film, exploring the filmmakers who ruffled the religious feathers of the church, and what it was exactly about those films that had their censor alarms ringing. Particular highlights are the chapters on both nazisploitation cinema and nunsploitation, both heavily diving into the sordid history of the church and their abuses of power, and how this is then reflected in these two genres through films such as Ken Russell’s The Devils (1971), Joe D’Amato’s Images in a Convent (1979), and of course Pier Paolo Pasolini’s infamous Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975).

The appropriation of the eucharist as well as the resurrection are explored in chapters on cannibalism and zombies, as well the commentary on the church’s attitudes towards infamous Italian directors Lucio Fulci, Mario Bava and Dario Argento are of particular interest to any Italian horror fan who immerses themselves in the subgenre of the Giallo and its successor, the slasher. Rogerson writes with an ease that manages to make a subject rich in political and cinematic history, accessible for both scholars and the everyday horror fan alike. The Vatican Versus Horror Movies is an ideal text for those looking to expand their knowledge on the hand in hand partnership of cinema and censorship through both an Italian and religious lens, further than the vastly acknowledged Hays Code in the United States and the video nasty era of the United Kingdom. The book also provides a fantastic watch-list for those looking to visually explore the movies that caused the Catholic church to clutch their rosary beads.

The Vatican Versus Horror Movies is published and available through McFarland at McFarlandBooks.com

4.5 Screams out of 5