This deceptively-titled early giallo who-dunnit plays out as a pretty rote affair until a surprisingly tense and harrowing third act elevates the end result. While there's nothing here to make Torso a certified classic, for at least 20 minutes it succeeds as a truly intense thriller. Unfortunately, this momentum is negated during the climax, which erupts into a karate showdown (yes, I'm completely serious).
Perhaps I'm just jaded from watching too many of these movies, but I guessed who the killer was the first time I saw them, so the reveal sort of seemed like a "let's get it over with" moment. The explanation for the several murders we see committed throughout the course of the film is a flimsy back-story at best, and since we seem to be promised a dramatic unmasking after our investment in the plot and the few macabre flashback images we're shown along the way, the ultimate trigger for the bloodshed is bound to be a disappointment. The final twist is partially effective, however, since it brings us full circle with the opening scene of the film.
One of the key components of this film is best summed up by a particularly perceptive extra: "Look at all those knockers." When the first shot in the film is of a woman revealing her breasts, and the ensuing scene is a fairly graphic threesome, it's immediately made clear that director Sergio Martino isn't primarily interested in presenting a horror outing. The cast is populated by several attractive actresses, and nearly all of them shed their clothes freely to frolic in the water and explore carnal activities, sometimes with each other. The abundance of nudity in Torso is beyond gratuitous, and while most male viewers aren't likely to complain about this, I can more wholeheartedly recommend a different genre for those whose enjoyment of this film is dependent on the ample displays of bared female flesh.
When Dario Argento basically took over and mandated the rules of the giallo film, fast-paced progressive rock became the norm in these kinds of offerings. However, the score in Torso is much more subdued and traditional, and the music augments the horror aspects of the film quite well. The early-70's soft-core porn themes that accompany the diversionary nude scenes haven't aged nearly as gracefully though.
Despite the fact that this film was reportedly heavily censored in the U.S. until its DVD debut, there is actually relatively little graphic violence in Torso. Only a couple of scenes will even raise the eyebrows of devoted gore-o-philes, and if you've seen any Lucio Fulci film, the rather subdued splatter on display her seems quaint by comparison. Even during the most savage scenes, the effects are clunky and unimpressive, and it's never hard to spot the shots where a plastic dummy has been substituted for the actor. There is a solidly unsettling dismemberment sequence that is mostly played off-camera, which allows us to fill in the blanks and ends up being one of the more grisly moments in the film. But overall, Torso is ultimately rather tepid, and nothing in the movie makes good on the gruesome promise implied by the title.
The killings alternate between fairly suspenseful scenes with a decent build-up to ludicrously obvious set-ups in which characters get stoned and wander into a swamp all alone. Torso never quite finds the sweet spot, and the film is enjoyable more for its ambiance and historical value than it is for presenting a coherent and challenging murder mystery.
Discerning horror fans have certainly seen a lot worse than this, but nothing in Torso reaches too far beyond the standard masked killer fare the plot dictates. Still, the last reel has some fantastic moments, and the film does try its hardest to insert some red herrings along the way. If that sounds appealing to you, you will most assuredly find a modestly entertaining outing here. But since the running time of Torso could more reasonably be spent watching Tenebrae again, I can't help but conclude that this isn't mandatory viewing by any means.
Perhaps I'm just jaded from watching too many of these movies, but I guessed who the killer was the first time I saw them, so the reveal sort of seemed like a "let's get it over with" moment. The explanation for the several murders we see committed throughout the course of the film is a flimsy back-story at best, and since we seem to be promised a dramatic unmasking after our investment in the plot and the few macabre flashback images we're shown along the way, the ultimate trigger for the bloodshed is bound to be a disappointment. The final twist is partially effective, however, since it brings us full circle with the opening scene of the film.
One of the key components of this film is best summed up by a particularly perceptive extra: "Look at all those knockers." When the first shot in the film is of a woman revealing her breasts, and the ensuing scene is a fairly graphic threesome, it's immediately made clear that director Sergio Martino isn't primarily interested in presenting a horror outing. The cast is populated by several attractive actresses, and nearly all of them shed their clothes freely to frolic in the water and explore carnal activities, sometimes with each other. The abundance of nudity in Torso is beyond gratuitous, and while most male viewers aren't likely to complain about this, I can more wholeheartedly recommend a different genre for those whose enjoyment of this film is dependent on the ample displays of bared female flesh.
When Dario Argento basically took over and mandated the rules of the giallo film, fast-paced progressive rock became the norm in these kinds of offerings. However, the score in Torso is much more subdued and traditional, and the music augments the horror aspects of the film quite well. The early-70's soft-core porn themes that accompany the diversionary nude scenes haven't aged nearly as gracefully though.
Despite the fact that this film was reportedly heavily censored in the U.S. until its DVD debut, there is actually relatively little graphic violence in Torso. Only a couple of scenes will even raise the eyebrows of devoted gore-o-philes, and if you've seen any Lucio Fulci film, the rather subdued splatter on display her seems quaint by comparison. Even during the most savage scenes, the effects are clunky and unimpressive, and it's never hard to spot the shots where a plastic dummy has been substituted for the actor. There is a solidly unsettling dismemberment sequence that is mostly played off-camera, which allows us to fill in the blanks and ends up being one of the more grisly moments in the film. But overall, Torso is ultimately rather tepid, and nothing in the movie makes good on the gruesome promise implied by the title.
The killings alternate between fairly suspenseful scenes with a decent build-up to ludicrously obvious set-ups in which characters get stoned and wander into a swamp all alone. Torso never quite finds the sweet spot, and the film is enjoyable more for its ambiance and historical value than it is for presenting a coherent and challenging murder mystery.
Discerning horror fans have certainly seen a lot worse than this, but nothing in Torso reaches too far beyond the standard masked killer fare the plot dictates. Still, the last reel has some fantastic moments, and the film does try its hardest to insert some red herrings along the way. If that sounds appealing to you, you will most assuredly find a modestly entertaining outing here. But since the running time of Torso could more reasonably be spent watching Tenebrae again, I can't help but conclude that this isn't mandatory viewing by any means.