DVD Review: TORSO

"Enter if you dare, the bizarre world of the psychosexual mind" is the tagline for the film I CORPO PRESENTANO TRACCE DI VIOLENZA CARNALE, aka. BODIES BEAR TRACES OF CARNAL VIOLENCE, or better known to American audiences as the simple, TORSO. This 1973 classic was written and directed by Italian director, Sergio Martino. Martino looks like he could be a student of Dario Argento, as he has very similar styles compared to Argento's early films from the 1970's. TORSO is a stylized Giallo film, a genre popular among Italian directors during the 70's and 80's. TORSO stands apart from other Giallo films, though, in that we get a little more blood and gore than we do in typical Giallo films. Here is the plot from the Blue Underground DVD:

A series of sex murders shock a college campus, and four beautiful young girlfriends head for the safety of an isolated country villa. But as they succumb to their own erotic desires, their weekend of pleasure becomes a vacation to dismemeber at the hands-and blade-of the lecherous maniac.

A vacation to dismember...ha! I love that line. This is a great film if you are fans of the Giallo sub genre of Horror films. A few scenes stick in my mind in particular. One is a woman being chased through a muddy swamp by the killer. When the killer finally gets to her, all we see is her arm in the muddy water, and slowly, the red blood flows into the murky brown water. Very effective. Next is a scene in the vacation house when the only surviving girl is looking from an upstairs bedroom down to the 1st floor living room, where 3 of her friends lie dead at the hands of the killer. The killer enters the room carrying a saw. From her angle, all she can see is the woman's arm. Slowly, the arm moves back and forth, back and forth, and while we can't see what is happening, you know the back and forth motion is caused from the saw. These scenes are very effective and the entire movie is an experience I highly recommend.

Click HERE to watch the teaser trailer for TORSO

Click HERE to watch the RED BAND trailer for TORSO (Not safe for kids!!)