One of the masters of film to come out of Italy is director
Lucio Fulci. While working mostly in the exploitation genre he was still able
to bring style to the films he made. This endeared him not only to the fans of
horror films in particular but to all movie fans. Known mostly for films like
CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD, THE BEYOND and ZOMBIE, Fulci also delved into the
giallo genre from time to time. This film was one that didn’t garner praise
when it was released but that fans have flocked to since its arrival on disc.
Now Blue Underground is releasing the ultimate version of film to blu-ray.
When the body of a prostitute is found slashed horribly the
case is presented to Lieutenant Fred Williams (Jack Hedley), a burned out
detective nearing retirement but one of those never give up trying to solve the
case types. A second murder occurs and Williams in talking to the coroner is
told that a style is present in both cases.
Williams is told by the police chief not to say anything to
the press for fear of alarming the public to the menace of a serial killer. To
help him learn more about the mind of the killer Williams turns to Dr. Paul
Davis (Paolo Malco), a young psychiatrist specializing in profiling criminals.
Eager to aid Williams he begins looking into the case on his own.
Running concurrently with this story we have a woman who
frequents the bawdier sides of NYC. Jane Lodge (Alexandra Delli Colli) is a
married woman who we first see masturbating in a live sex show while recording
herself on a small tape recorder. When the show ends she leaves. Backstage we
see the female performer (Zora Kerova) in her dressing room hearing a noise in
her clothing rack. She is viciously attacked and stabbed to death with a broken
bottle, the newest victim of the killer. At the apartment of his prostitute
girlfriend Kitty (Daniela Doria), Williams is called by the killer who talks in
a “duck” voice, taunting the detective and letting him know of the last murder.
We then move on to yet another story mingled in with these
two. Fay Majors (Almanta Keller) is followed on her way home by a man missing
two fingers (Howard Ross), the same man who was in the live sex show with
Kerova. She is then attacked and her leg sliced with a razor before she
escapes. She awakes the next morning with her boyfriend Peter Bunch (Andrew
Painter) there. Williams and Davis show up to question her and they learn about
the suspect with two missing fingers.
Finally bringing things together Jane (whose husband is well
aware of her sexual encounters including one that’s a bit extreme between her
theater encounter and now) is picked up by the man missing two fingers for a
sexual fling. Seeing he is being sought by the police she escapes when he falls
asleep. But will she truly escape? And will Fay just be an intended victim or
will the killer seek her out? And will Williams and Davis be able to put
together the clues before the next victim fall to the New York Ripper?
Fulci’s film is highly graphic and filled with some of the
goriest moments in film history, topping even some of the notable scenes in his
other films. So graphic were these moments that the film was banned in the UK
as long ago as 2011 when the film was first released on disc. And while I’ve
seen plenty of blood spilled in film I have to agree that this one is
particularly gruesome. I think the fact that this has nothing to do with the
supernatural and that killers like this exist in the real world might be the
cause of that.
Much has been said about Fulci not liking women and having a
need to degrade and savage them on screen and off while making films. At the
same time those who actually worked with him said this isn’t true. In one of
the extras here co-writer Dardano Sacchetti clarifies this by saying that it
wasn’t women Fulci had an issue with but bad actors who didn’t take well to
direction. Other interviews with the female cast members of this film have them
fondly recalling working with Fulci so perhaps there is much truth in those
words.
The movie is entertaining for fans of not just Fulci but for
giallo and foreign film fans as well. There are some truly gut wrenching
moments and a mystery to solve here that will keep movie goers guessing until
the end. The acting is better than usual and the intensity of the film is there
on screen. A warning to more sensitive viewers this film could qualify as
hardcore porn, at least as it was back then. The sexuality on display here from
the simulated stage sex to the sequence involving Colli as she is set upon in a
bar is more terrifying than arousing. Some will be repulsed by it and that may
have been what Fulci was going for.
While the movie wasn’t well received when it was released it
has developed quite a fan following since that time. Although banned in the UK
as I mentioned a large number of bootleg and foreign editions made their way
into that country for rabid fans seeking it out. The film did well enough when
first released on DVD and my guess is that this new Blue Underground blu-ray
edition will sell quite well. In no small part that would be due to the amazing
amount of extras to be found here.
To begin with the movie here is a 4k restoration from the
original uncensored original camera negative. Then there is a third disc
included offering the motion picture soundtrack by Francesco De Masi. A second
disc includes a ton of extras including an audio commentary track with Troy
Howarth the author of “Splintered Visions: Lucio Fulci and His Films, “The Art
of Killing” an interview with Dardano Sacchetti, “Three Fingers of Violence” an
interview with Howard Ross, “The Second Victim” an interview with co-star
Cinzia De Ponti, “The Broken Bottle Murder” an interview with Zora Kerova, “I’m
an Actress!” a 2009 interview with Kerova, “The Beauty Killer” an interview
with Stephen Thrower the author of “Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci”,
“Paint Me Blood Red” and interview with poster artist Enzo Sciotti, a now and
then location featurette, the theatrical trailer, a poster and stills gallery
and a collectable booklet with a new essay by Travis Crawford.
I’ve talked at length about the release of films from Arrow
Video. That company, based out of England, is doing amazing things. But it
appears that Blue Underground has stepped up to the plate to give them a run
for their money. They may not be releasing as many titles as Arrow but the
quality of the product they are releasing is equal to that company’s. One can
only hope that they continue to do the amazing job they’ve shown so far with
this and releases of ZOMBIE and MANIAC. If they do fans will be flocking to the
sales racks.
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