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Ornella Vanoni |
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- Carroll Baker, BabaYaga(UK: The Devil Witch, US: Baba Yaga, Devil Witch), Italy-France, 1973. For the titular witch, director Corrado Farinaknew what he wanted: “Somone more androgynous and skinnier thna Carroll Baker!” That was the Italian singer Ornella Venoni. “She had a masculine face structure. She wasthe Baba Yaga of the Guido Crepax cartoon books.”She made 13 other films, instead. Farina then chose Heywood, a UK actress enjoying a brief Italian career. But her husband, producer Raymond Stross pulled her out of the deal, sent her Africa for Trader Hornwith Rod Taylor and paid the penalty-fee for contract-breaking. “We had three days to find a substitute!”He chose Baker, for her work - the Actors Studio, Baby Doll, etc. - not her looks. “Carroll had the very round and healthy looking American face of a girl raised on a farm and popcorn. Totally opposite to the skeletal image we needed… We shot her from certain angles, using special make-up and she became a believable underground witch. Wonderful!”
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