Mill of the Stone Women

Date: 1960
Director: Giorgio Ferroni
Production Company: C.E.C. Films, Explorer Film ’58, Faro Film

Stars: Pierre Brice, Scilla Gabel, Wolfgang Preiss, Dany Carrel, Herbert A.E. Bohme, Liana Orfei, Marco Guglielmi, Olga Solbelli, Alberto Archetti
Location(s): Amsterdam, De Ronde, De Bilt

Region(s):

Storyline:

Hans arrives in a town near Amsterdam to write a story on the reclusive sculptor, Professor Val, who lives on an island in the old mill house the locals call the Mill of the Stone Women. Hans meets the professor’s beautiful and seductive daughter and begins feeling passion for her despite his true love for Lisa Lotta. Slowly he becomes aware of the nefarious experiments being conducted by Val and his furtive assistant Dr. Boles, and local women continue to disappear.

Additional Information:

Screen captures and uncredited “now” shots by Frank van den Berg uploaded by Richard Lovejoy.

This is the first Italian horror movie shot in full colour.

 

 

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  • 'Now' required

Hans von Arnim (Pierre Brice), a writer, arrives in a small village named 'Veeze' in the film, near Amsterdam. He asks one of the locals for Professor Gregorius Wahl (Herbert A.E. Böhme) who turns out to be a famous sculptor. The local tells him that he lives on the other side of the canal in the Mill of the Stone Women. From the bank along Rijksstraatweg the view across the river Angstel towards the windmill named 't Hoog- en Groenland outside of Baambrugge, a village in the province Utrecht, situated about 14 kilometers southeast of Amsterdam. Location provided by Michiel Hooijberg of 'Allemolens.nl' with thanks to Manuel Gurtner. The 'now' address of the windmill is Molen ‘t Hoog- en Groenland, Rijksstraatweg 2, JL Baambrugge, De Ronde Venen (Utrecht)

  • 'Now' required

He arrives at the mill by boat, located "beyond the cemetery of Veeze". Pierre Brice walks along Westbroekse Molenweg towards the windmill named De Kraai, located outside of Westbroek, a village in the province of Utrecht and at that time part of the municipality Maartensdijk. The flour mill was built in 1839 and was first located in Amsterdam before moving to its current location in 1880. Again, location provided by Michiel Hooijberg of 'Allemolens.nl' with thanks to Manuel Gurtner. The "now" is Molen De Kraai, Westbroekse Molenweg 28, 3615 AH Westbroek, De Bilt (Utrecht)

  • 'Now' required

Hans enters the mill and he is received by Selma (Olga Solbelli) and he tells her that he has an appointment with Professor Wahl. The Professor’s daughter Elfie Wahl (Scilla Gabel) is watching him and Hans is obviously attracted to her. The mill is full of creepy statues of women. Later that evening Hans meets their old time friends Ralf (Marco Guglielmi) and Liselotte Kornheim (Dany Carrel) in a local pub. Even then the Molen De Kraai had a side extension in brick construction. The actual home of the mill operator can be seen in the far right background. With thanks again to Michiel Hooijberg of 'Allemolens.nl' and Manuel Gurtner. The "now' address is Molen De Kraai, Westbroekse Molenweg 28, 3615 AH Westbroek, De Bilt (Utrecht)

The following day Hans finally meets the mysterious Elfie and a romance blossoms between the two. But there is another strange person in the mill, Dr. Loren Bohlem (Wolfgang Preiss), who is also attracted to Elfie. Dr. Bohlem is there to take care of Elfie because she has ‘some kind of illness’. Ralf and Liselotte do visit the mill and there used to be a romance between Hans and Liselotte. Elfie is jealous. Other visitors for Professor Wahl's macabre carousel of statues can be seen approaching the De Kraai mill at the end of Westbroekse Molenweg, outside of Westbroek village. Location provided by Michiel Hooijberg of 'Allemolens.nl' and added detail by Manuel Gurtner.

Manuel provides this Google Earth View in support and notes that over the past 60 years, the left side canal has disappeared and the buildings around the mill have been modernised.

Intersection Realengracht and Bickersgracht, Amsterdam. Circa 1960

Elfie and Hans have an argument that evening and Elfie falls down, Hans notices that she is dead. Probably to cheer up the movie they show this fabulous shot of Amsterdam in the 60’s. Intersection Realengracht and Bickersgracht, Amsterdam in Noord Holland..

Intersection Realengracht and Bickersgracht, Amsterdam.

This used to be a place in Amsterdam where boats docked to land their cargo, it actually hasn’t changed that much during the last 50 years or so.

Intersection Realengracht and Bickersgracht, Amsterdam Circa 1960

Same position but the camera swings to the right. Intersection Realengracht and Bickersgracht, Amsterdam

Intersection Realengracht and Bickersgracht, Amsterdam

Since no boats have been docking here to land their cargo the houseboats have taken over.

Koogerpark, Koog aan de Zaan Circa 1960

Hans is full of remorse and he takes a walk to clear his head. Koogerpark, Koog aan de Zaan

Koogerpark, Koog aan de Zaan

The rear part here is now muted but it still is a beautiful spot.

Bridge between Museumlaan and Koogerpark, Koog aan de Zaan Circa 1960

This is the exact same location as in 'Secret Agent Super Dragon', Captures 8 and 9. Bridge between Museumlaan and Koogerpark, Koog aan de Zaan

Bridge between Museumlaan and Koogerpark, Koog aan de Zaan

When Frank was here there was no remorseful man. The house in the center of this photo is not original but still it looks fabulous.

Bridge between Museumlaan and Koogerpark, Koog aan de Zaan Circa 1960

Hans struggles with himself about the death of Elfie. Bridge between Museumlaan and Koogerpark, Koog aan de Zaan

Bridge between Museumlaan and Koogerpark, Koog aan de Zaan

Just like the original shot it was all quit and calm when Frank was there.

After he has cleared his head he takes the boat back to the mill. An eerie grieving woman is taking the same boat. Back at the mill he notices that there is a red rose in his room. Later he dreams or hallucinates that Elfie will resurrect. Hans cannot believe his eyes when he sees Elfie walking down the stairs. It turns out that Elfie is one of the living dead and that they need young women from the nearby village to bring Elfie back to the land of the living. Again on the bank of the canalized river Angstel along Rijksstraatweg outside Baambrugge, with the Molen 't Hoog- en Groenland in the misty background. The polder mill was built around 1680. The white painted transformer house from 1925 on the right side of the mill disappeared in 1966. Location provided by Michiel Hooijberg of 'Allemolens.nl' with thanks to Manuel Gurtner. The "now" address is Molen ‘t Hoog- en Groenland, Rijksstraatweg 2, JL Baambrugge, De Ronde Venen (Utrecht)

Manuel sends this Google Earth View in support of the identification and advises that, there is now a pedestrian drawbridge instead of the ferry, that can be seen to the side of the windmill.

From Oudeschans and we are looking at Sint Antoniesluis, Amsterdam Circa 1960

Meanwhile Hans went to Ralf and Liselotte and stays in their place instead of the mill. The insane Professor Wahl turns the dead young women from the village into statues; the stone women. Dr. Loren Bohlem finds out that Liselotte’s blood will give Elfie eternal life and she is kidnapped and brought to the mill. Hans and Ralf rush to the mill where Dr. Loren Bohlem is about to start the medical procedure that will bring life to Elfie and death to Liselotte. Hans and Ralf manage to save Liselotte and because Elfie cannot be saved the insane Professor sets the mill on fire and dies with his daughter. The shot is taken from Oudeschans and we are looking at Sint Antoniesluis in Amsterdam, Noord Holland.

From Oudeschans and we are looking at Sint Antoniesluis, Amsterdam

Can someone please remove these purple tulips here!!! Basically still intact and the same as 50 years ago except for a few houses.