A vicious killer brutally bumps off prostitutes at a swanky Paris bordello run by the stern Madame Colette (the lovely Anita Ekberg). The hard-boiled Inspector Pontaine (an amusing performance by Humphrey Bogart impersonator Robert Sacchi) investigates the murders. Propable suspects include the hot-headed Antoine Gottvalles (moody Peter Martell), smarmy nightclub owner Pepi (slimy Rolf Eden), and sinister Professor Waldemar (Jess Franco film regular Howard Vernon). Director Ferdinando Merighi maintains a snappy pace throughout as well as delivers a smattering of sleazy soft-core sex, a sprinkling of tasty gratuitous female nudity, and a few dollops of tacky gore (a couple of cheesy decapitations rate as the definite splatter highlights). Moreover, Merighi stages the grisly murder set pieces with deliciously garish psychedelic stylistic aplomb. The always welcome and enticing presences of beautiful cult Eurobabe starlets Barbara ("Don't Torture A Duckling") Bouchet, Rosalba ("The Arena") Neri, and Evelyn ("The Mighty Peking Man") Kraft qualifies as another substantial asset. The polished cinematography by Mario Mancini and Gunter Otto makes nifty occasional use of a hand-held camera. Bruno Nicolai's pretty and melodic, yet groovy and jazzy score really hits the funky spot. Italian peblum muscleman star Gordon Mitchell pops up in a bit part as a nightclub patron. Good, trashy fun.
Review of The French Sex Murders
The French Sex Murders
(1972)
An enjoyable slice of giallo Eurotrash fun
17 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers