Nick Duguay There is just something about the magic of giallo. Sergio Martino once again manages to bring a good thriller to the Italian screen. This is an early example of giallo films and probably his best after Strange Vice. Tacky and badly edited, but full of visual excess and both sexual and gory exploitation, this is a classic example of the Italian sensual thrillers that any true slasher fan has come to know and love. In most films the jumpy, confusing plot would be a detractor, but in movies like these it only adds to the overall, somehow classy, campiness. I would say that Torso is a very definitive giallo, probably a good one to show to someone unfamiliar with the genre as a starting point for what it's all about, having just the right balance of everything without too much artiness as can sometimes be hard to stomach in Argento's pieces for the newcomer. One of my favourite scenes is the one set in the swamp. It's refreshingly original and although there are some lighting issues it's fairly visually appealing. That being said, this film can feel a bit long, it does suffer from some pacing issues and the idea is stretched to create a full length film when it really needed a little more.

GL84 Following a spate of brutal murders, a group of college students fear they're being targeted by the killer and retreat to a nearby mountain-top villa to relax only to learn the killer has followed them there and must stop his deadly blood-soaked rampage.This here is quite the enjoyable giallo and remains one of the best of the style. One of the film's best features is the fact that this one manages to play so well into the confines of the giallo despite forgoing the prototypical route of the other films, as instead of the film rallying around the girls' trying to remember a clue about the killer's identity it remains far more in touch about them being in danger at the start and using the trip as a way to relax. Despite the insistence about the necktie and how important that is to the truth, it doesn't invoke the cardinal rule about sending them off investigating around that clue and doesn't really feature much detective work as a whole and turning it into a more nominal slasher effort just afforded the sleaze trappings of the remaining entries in the genre. As instead this features the group hanging out together and generally de- stressing with nude sunbathing, skinny dipping, softcore lesbian romps and other leisure pursuits of that sort instead rather than dealing with the investigations, and while that allows for plenty of seedy times here generating it's red herrings there's still plenty of fun to be had here as this one goes about its paces here. That alone makes the central murder mystery quite fun with they're being quite a few suspects which plays nicely into this one being so determined to keep it a surprise within the genre's conventions. As well, the film manages to get quite a lot right here where the traditional stalk-and-slash aspects of a giallo are employed, letting this one really get quite a few really tense and suspenseful scenes into play. The first attack on the necking couple in the car is a great mini-attack where the killer enters the car against their knowledge then runs out forcing one to give chase before doubling back and offing the other, a memorable stalking of a stoned victim tripping over herself in a misty swamp where the killer appears and disappears at random as he's concealed behind the fog and treeline of the area and a fine chase as the killer uses his car to run down a victim in the middle of the road. Still, the film's at its best with the utterly furious and chilling finale, which is truly one of the greatest bits in the genre as the terrified and alone victim is forced into hiding after discovering the dead bodies strewn around the house and has to remain hidden in order to avoid becoming like the other dead bodies forced to watch him dismember their bodies before later having to hide throughout the house in order to avoid detection. These are all nicely augmented by the various tropes of the genre throughout here and makes for a wholly engaging and watchable effort. The only issue about this one is the fact that the film cheats over the massacre of the friends in the villa leaving it only to feature the last one to stumble across the mutilated bodies which makes for quite a disappointing effort looking at the carnage featured and not getting a chance to see it. Otherwise this one was one of the genre's top efforts.Rated Unrated/R: Full Nudity, Graphic Violence, Language, Sexual Scenes and drug use.

Woodyanders Four beautiful young women seek refuge in an isolated country villa after a gruesome series of sex murders upset a college campus. However, the relentless and depraved maniac has followed the gals to said villa. Director Sergio Martino, who also co-wrote the luridly compelling script with Ernesto Gastaldi, delivers a tasty truckload of female nudity (the delectable Angela Covello, the foxy Carla Brait, the luscious Conchita Airoldi, and the comely Patrizia Adiutori all bare their sumptuous bodies in the leering name of all-out unapologetic exploitation), does his usual ace job of creating and sustaining a supremely creepy and unsettling atmosphere, stages the brutal murder set pieces with savage aplomb (the killing in the muddy fog-shrouded woods is a real vicious doozy), further spices things up with an explicit depiction of an unsparingly raw and perverse sexuality, offers a bevy of seedy male characters as likely suspects (Ernesto Colli in particular is especially memorable as slimy street vendor Gianni Tomasso), and really pulls out the suspenseful stops in the positively harrowing last twenty minutes. The lovely Suzy Kendall makes for a fetching and appealing damsel in distress as the pure Jane while the striking Tina Aumont is simply gorgeous as the feisty Daniela. Giancarlo Ferrando's slick and stylish cinematography makes neat use of voyeuristic POV shots and gives the picture an impressive glossy look. The funky'n'shuddery score by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis hits the get-down groovy chilling spot. Recommended viewing for fans of giallo fare.

ElijahCSkuggs If you ask around for the sleaziest and most violent giallos, sooner or later you'll end up hearing about, Torso. And for good reason, it's got a high amount of nudity, and some fun gore scenes. And would you believe it, the story is pretty sweet as well.The film revolves around a gaggle of girls whom are all falling at the hands of a masked/gloved killer. After a nice lil strangulation via scarf, they're usually molested in some violent way. Woohoo! Anyhoo, the film is basically revolves around figuring out who the masked/gloved killer is and trying to conjure up some decent thrills along the way.Like I previously said, the film has the goods. It has amazing looking women, super model level, getting nekkid. And these hot babes get the beat down as well. Now what's better than a hot chick getting the comuppins? Nothing, that's what! But the saving grace of this movie that really pushes it over the hump is the use of tension. There's a sequence during the last third of the film that takes place in a country-house, and I gotta admit, it was done very well.Torso, is without a doubt, a must-see film for any fan of giallo. And if you're just a fan of cinema that enjoys a well-made film with boobs and blood, then this is also gold material. If you can, get the uncut version.