Blu-ray Review: Torso (1973)

"This fine Giallo is worth watching for the villa sequence alone. And the boobs. There's lots of boobs."

(aka Filthy Bitches!)
Release Date: Jan 4th, 1973.
Country: Italy.
Rating: NR
Written by: Sergio Martino.
Directed by: Sergio Martino.
Starring: Suzy Kendall, Tina Aumont, Luc Merenda, John Richardson, Angela Covello, Carla Brait, Conchita Airoldi, and Patrizia Adiutori.

Director Sergio Martino never earned the acclaim that other directors like Argento and Fulci did, but he had a way with his films that made them both titillating and fun, and he deserved more love from Horror fans. Shame, that, because the guy's got skills.

After an opening that features an out of focus threesome involving dolls and automatic photography with a shutter camera, we're taken to a lecture at a school in Perugia. In attendance are a bunch of hot coeds, two of whom were involved in that threesome. Later, one of them is strangled to death by a masked killer wielding a red scarf, who opens her shirt after she's dead, rubs her breasts, and then stabs her. Shortly after that, another girl is killed in the same way, except after the creeper rubs her dead body up, he pokes her eyes out, and then he stabs her. Variety is truly the spice of life.

IT JUST DOESN'T PAY TO BE A COED IN PERUGIA.

Another girl, Dani, gets a call from the killer where he threatens to kill her because she knows too much about scarves. Then, a bunch of other people are killed because they saw the killer wearing a scarf around town, or sold him a scarf, or maybe bought a scarf for themselves. With the entire school in hysterics over the murders, and scarves, Dani's friends decide to head to a secluded villa to help her hide out, because that sounds like a safe plan with a scarf manic on the loose.

THERE'S THAT DAMN SCARF!

At the villa, the girls massage each other after taking baths; drink; smoke; do some nude sunbathing; have lesbian sex; and trip down long staircases, severely  inuring their legs. All the while, the killer is still out there killing people, and chucking them down a well. When he finally makes his way to the villa where the girls are smartly secluded, all alone, a bloody rampage ensues culminating in a cat-and-mouse game between he and the Final Girl, in which we learn that he thinks all girls are dolls and filthy bitches.

Listen, it doesn't make that much sense to us either, so just go with it.

THIS FILTHY BITCH DOLL LOOKS SHOCKED.

We've been on a roll lately with the old Gialli that we've been watching, and Torso is another excellent example of why the Italians did Horror better than just about anyone else in the 70's. All the usual Giallo conventions are present here, but it's a far more exploitative effort than most of its counterparts. I honestly can't recall seeing a Giallo that had as much gratuitous nudity in it. This one operates on a different level in that respect.

LOOK OUT, SHE'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU!

Torso is a typical Giallo/Italian Horror film in many ways, but the one thing that really struck us about it was the way that Sergio Martino shot and paced certain scenes. The scene where Carol is being stalked through a muddy forest was fantastic; it was slow and deliberately paced, and it ratcheted the tension up with every step she took.

Even better was the scene towards the end at the villa, which was just superb. It goes on for a good 25 minutes, unfolds slowly, and builds up a mad amount of tension too. It was so good, that the ending that it sets up felt underwhelming in comparison. The part with the key was genius. Suzy Kendall owned the entire last act of Torso, and she played the entire villa segment perfectly. We love how her character was smart enough to hide, be quiet, and stay alive while the killer moved through the house around her.

BRILLIANT.

What the hell was the deal with the scarves? The flashback scene where the killer's motivation was revealed explained the dolls, and his hatred for women ( I suppose), but it didn't really explain why scarves were such a big thing for him.

It's worth noting that during that scene, the kid flying off of the cliff, and then the sudden cut to the doll and his dead body made us laugh... as did the girl falling down the stairs, and the crazy wannabe karate fight at the end. Man that was all some good, ridiculous stuff.

THIS IS NO TIME FOR A PHOTOBOMB, ASSHOLE!

Why were all the men so angry in this movie? Innocent coeds, hookers, even toy dolls weren't safe from their rage!

ROMANCE.

Lots of people are strangled and slashed in this one, but it's not crazy gory as we expected it to be.

METHOD ACTING.

There are naked girls everywhere in this one, and we do mean everywhere. It was crazy.

THANK YOU, ITALY. THANK YOU.

The Torso Blu-ray is one that we were fine with, but that some Audio/Videophiles will probably take issue with.

For us, this is the best that Torso has ever looked. There is some trace evidence of DNR here and there, but overall this is a balanced transfer that didn't distract us too much with its flaws. The audio is a different matter though, as it wasn't exactly as crisp and clean as we thought it should be. It's an older movie, and we weren't pumping it through out 7.1 system or anything, so it didn't bother us all that much. Again, purist will probably not dig it as much though.

Special Features:

• Muders in Perugia - Interview with Co-Writer/Director Sergio Martino.
• U.S. Opening Credits. 
• Theatrical Trailers: U.S., International, and Italian. 
• TV Spots
  
• A Radio Spot.
• Poster & Still Gallery.

Issues and all, this is another solid Blu-ray release by Blue Underground, who are quickly becoming one of our favorite release houses.

DAVID COPPERFIELD AND ESPOSITO FROM WELCOME BACK KOTTER WERE GREAT IN THIS MOVIE.

We were actually surprised at how good Torso was. Not that it's a masterpiece or anything, but it was truly clever in places, and dare we even say artistic. It was all kinds of sleazy, exploitative fun, which is really why we watch these old Italian Horror flicks; for the craziness of it all. 

B+

Torso is available now on Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD.

There's a bevy of sexy women in Torso, and we've given them their own Hottie post right over HERE.