This French-Italian anthology brings together three titans of European cinema—Federico Fellini, Louis Malle, and Roger Vadim—to adapt three macabre tales by the master of Gothic horror, Edgar Allan Poe. The result is a visually stunning triptych that moves from decadent period drama to psychological obsession and, finally, to surrealist nightmare.
The Synopsis
The film is divided into three distinct segments, each re-imagining a Poe story through the unique stylistic lens of its director:
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Metzengerstein (Dir. Roger Vadim): In a medieval setting, the cruel and debauched Countess Frederica (played by Jane Fonda) lives a life of hedonistic excess. After being rejected by her cousin, a tragic accident leads to the arrival of a mysterious black stallion at her castle. The Countess becomes obsessed with the animal, leading to a fiery confrontation with her own dark legacy.
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William Wilson (Dir. Louis Malle): Set in 19th-century Northern Italy, a sadistic Austrian officer named William Wilson (Alain Delon) is haunted by a “double”—a man with his same name and face who appears at every pivotal moment of his life to thwart his cruellest impulses. Their lifelong rivalry culminates in a high-stakes card game and a final, fatal encounter with his own conscience.
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Toby Dammit (Dir. Federico Fellini): In a modern, hallucinatory Rome, a washed-up, alcoholic English actor (Terence Stamp) arrives to star in a “Catholic Western.” Dazed by fame and drugs, he is haunted by a vision of a young girl playing with a white ball. The segment follows his frantic, neon-lit drive through the city toward a literal and metaphorical dead end.
Cast & Crew
| Segment | Director | Lead Actors |
| Metzengerstein | Roger Vadim | Jane Fonda, Peter Fonda |
| William Wilson | Louis Malle | Alain Delon, Brigitte Bardot |
| Toby Dammit | Federico Fellini | Terence Stamp, Salvo Randone |
Production Notes
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Fellini’s Masterpiece: While all three segments are notable, “Toby Dammit” is widely considered one of Fellini’s greatest achievements. It marked his return to film-making after a period of illness and is praised for its nightmarish, saturated colors and its scathing critique of the vapid nature of celebrity culture.
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The Fonda Connection: Metzengerstein features real-life siblings Jane and Peter Fonda playing cousins. It was filmed shortly before Jane Fonda achieved international superstardom in Vadim’s other cult classic, Barbarella.
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European Superstars: The middle segment, William Wilson, paired two of the era’s biggest sex symbols, Alain Delon and Brigitte Bardot, though Bardot’s role is a departure from her usual “bombshell” persona, featuring her in a black wig as a formidable card player.
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A Shift in Horror: The film is significant for moving Poe’s work away from the dusty, Victorian “cobweb” aesthetic typical of 1960s horror and into the realm of high-art, European art-house cinema.
