Italian Giallo starring Farley Granger and a bunch of familiar faces such as Femi Benussi and Sylvia Koscina. Tagline: "One day you'll get closer to the violence of death... but THIS IS AS FAR AS WE DARE TAKE YOU... with any hope of bringing you back!"
Inspector Capuana (
Farley Granger) examines the body of a victim at a crime scene. She's a general's wife and has been having an affair.
The general's wife is played by
Kim Pope, who was in a bunch of great seventies sexploitation, but almost never as the lead role. Among her credits:
The Clamdigger's Daughter (1974), The Love Object (1970) and
Little Orphan Sammy (1977).
You'll note the pictures next to the body; that's the killer's calling card - pictures of the victims during their extra-marital affairs.
The general's daughter's autopsy: the doctor explains how she was killed. Take note of the physician's assistant in the back. We'll see him again later.
Serena (
Femi Benussi) is another well-to-do wife who's having an affair. So, we know her days are numbered. She makes out with her lover in the woods.
Femi Benussi provides a nice nude scene as the couple completes their tryst in a beach tent.
But when the man leaves, the killer appears.
He chases her down the beach; she's stabbed, stumbles a few paces and dies.
Next, we find Serena in the morgue. Gastone (
Luciano Rossi) is the guy that prepares the bodies for the funerals.
Gastone likes his cadavers a little too much, you might say.
Inspector Capuana interviews Gastone and finds him to be even creepier. Could he be the killer?
Inspector Capuanas' wife, Barbara, and friends get a massage and discuss the killings.
Renata (
Krista Nell) says it's just not worth it to have affairs with this sort of thing going on. However, we know she's cheating on the daily.
Paolo Santangeli (
Silvano Tranquilli) tells his wife, Franca (
Annabella Incontrera), whom he knows is cheating on him, to go to her mother's, out of town where it's safe. She gets on a train, and is killed.
Of course, the real reason Paolo wants Franca gone is so he can get with his neighbor, Lilly (
Nieves Navarro).
They have sex.
There is a more explicit version of this film which shows Navarro's bush as she gets out of bed (and spliced in hardcore courtesy Harry Reems). However, that version has not been fully restored and looks horrible. So, we'll have to make do with the infuriating peacock feathers as
scenery censors.
Later, Paolo's daughter, Bettina Santangeli (
Angela Covello), sees a murder take place next door....
Lilly is killed by her backyard pond. Take note of the swans - there are always animals associated with giallos.
The next day, Inspector Capuana examines the crime scene.
Once again, they find she's been cheating, and there are photographs to prove it.
Renata (
Krista Nell), evidently unfazed by all the murders in her circle of unfaithful wives, calls up her lover.
She gets ready for a bath.
We watch Renata jiggle around the house in her bathrobe, getting a cigarette, etc.
As she wipes away the fog from the mirror, she sees the killer is right behind her.
A truly graphic and horrific scene, as the killer slashes at Renata.
She climbs up the circular stairs, but doesn't make it to the tob. The photographs of her infidelity are, as usual, placed beside her.
Inspector Capuana shows Barbara the news of Renata's death.
The police zero in on a crazed man with explicit pictures all over the wall. He's arrested, and the press is informed that they've apprehended the killer. But we know better.
Presuming the killer is behind bars, Barbara goes to visit her lover, who isn't home yet.
Another nice topless scene from Sylva Koscina.
The killer shows up and starts hacking away at Barbara.
Interesting twist: Inspector Capuana is watching the whole thing, and letting it happen! He realized that Barbara had been unfaithful, so followed her to her lover's house. Now he just lets the killer do his thing.
She's killed and the photographic proof is thrown on her.
Inspector Capuana then shoots the killer - who turns out to be the doctor from the beginning of the film. A stupid reveal, but whatever.
Inspector Capuana looks at the photos of his wife's infidelity, cries for a moment, then walks away. THE END
A very fine example of the genre; a really interesting story, beautifully filmed, with tons of nudity. If you're a fan of giallos, this is without question a must-see.
★★★★★★★★☆☆
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