Murder Syndrome (1981) User Reviews

only the VHS is full uncut and has the correct score

[trashgang · 6/10 · 16 October 2012]

Follia Omicida is the original title of this Italian horror. Typical for Italian flicks is the use in other countries of different titles which makes it all confusing. And not even that alone. Now out on DVD and Blu Ray before that it had two versions out on the same label. It came out on Wizard Video on a T-90 cassette. That was the normal release but it also had a big box release on a T-105 cassette. That was the fully uncut version.

From there things go awry for the flick. In the UK it was released as The Wailing. But is was missing 2 minutes. The Wizard release came out under the title Fear and the Greek and Venezuelan videotapes bore the original English export title Unconscious. An alternate Greek release had Satan's Altar. Not only all those different titles and releases made it hard to know which one was correct. It also was released in English and Italian with subs.

The Blu Ray and DVD version now out is even full of mistakes (even the score is changed) so I can only advice to catch the Wizard big box release (with the Italian credits).

All that cleared out it's a weird flick. It has giallo elements but also has a few cheesy moments when for example the black mass scene where we see a big spider and a big spider web as fake as it can be. It also has a few eery moments and a lot of nudity.

Laura Gemser is in it and the first second she appears in this flick she's undressed. And one scene she's even does a full frontal nudity. There are also a few gratuitous nudity shots involved in a forest.

The story itself I can't really explain because it has so many elements of different genres. Michael (Stefano Patrizi) an actor invites his girlfriend to his remote country house. There they will have a on-location shoot. But Michael has a bad backstory which he remembers clearly at the house. His mother is possessive and Michael starts a incestuous relationship with her. But from then on once the crew is at the country house murders abound and all girls have nightmares of a black mass.

Having a lot of nudity it is for an Italian flick low on red stuff. It was Riccardo Freda's (the director) last flick. Sergio Stivaletti made his first special effects here in his first flick to move further to Demon (1985) and other Argento gialli. In the uncut version we can see the work of Sergio by an axe going into a head and a slashing and of course the mutilated body of Laura Gemser.

A collectible flick for so many reasons although it isn't really a good flick due the different elements and not knowing what it really wants to be.

Gore 1/5 Nudity 2/5 Effects 2/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5

Disappointing horror/thriller starts off interesting then begins to get silly as it tries to explain itself

[dbborroughs · 4/10 · 20 February 2006]

Michael, a successful actor with a secret in his past, returns to his family estate after a long absence.He arrives with his girlfriend in tow and he greeted by his mother who seems a bit too attentive to her son and distancing to the girlfriend. It isn't long before some more friends arrive for both business and pleasure. However ghosts of the past are reawakened and it isn't long before strange things begin happening and people begin dying.

This is Italian horror at its most silly. The film starts off interesting enough with Michael going home to a house full of eerie people and occurrences. There is a nice tension to the proceedings, however things begin to sputter a bit when the girlfriend has one of the funniest "scary" dreams ever put on film after 1965. It comes complete with fake spider web and rubber spider and is impossible to take seriously. From there things begin to move unevenly as bodies begin to pile up and the number of suspects begin to diminish. The film completely falls apart as it tries to explain and re-explain whats really going on and who these people are. Its a mess and I found myself giggling through the final 20 minutes or so.

I was disappointed. The early scenes created a nice tension that was lost when things started to become silly and illogical (I know one should not always look for reason and logic in Italian horror). It gets points for keeping me watching to the end, but that was because I kept hoping it would shift gears into reverse and go back to being the decent little thriller at the start.

4 out of 10. Disappointing thriller is probably worth watching if you stumble across it late at night and find there is nothing better on. Those who like Italian horror and giallo films can probably add a couple of points.

Confusing and frustrating

[Tikkin · 4/10 · 7 February 2007]

I would take some of the other reviews about this film with a pinch of salt - it's not that amazing and it's not that gory, at least in the version I saw under the title "The Wailing". I also suspect a bit of cheating must have occurred to get it the 5.8 rating.

On to the film... It starts with some brilliant music, the sort you used to get in the early 80's horror films. This made me excited for what was to come, but sadly it seemed to go downhill from there. The problem with The Wailing is that it is confusing and the plot meanders too much. There's some dream sequences that go on for so long you forget they are actually dream sequences. Random scenes seem to be thrown together with no connection. There's also a serious lack of lighting, making it even harder to understand what is happening. It reminded me slightly of Lucio Fulci's "The Beyond" because of the meandering plot.

It does have some good points though. As mentioned, the music is great and gives it a real horror 'feel'. However they used it too much; it almost plays through the entire film and gets tiresome after a while. The atmosphere is quite good, and had the plot been more coherent this could have been a really atmospheric horror flick.

This really isn't worth seeking out unless you're a fan of Italian horror, even then you can still do much better. The UK VHS cover is cool though - I'll give it that.

The story to this one is a mess, even by giallo standards.

[BA_Harrison · 3/10 · 23 May 2009]

Members of the cast and crew of a horror movie take a well-earned break at the family home of actor Michael, whose mother (who has obviously been keeping to a tight exfoliation/moisturising regime, since she looks no older than 40) lives a reclusive life with her creepy manservant Oliver. Whilst relaxing at the house, the group are attacked one-by-one by a leather-gloved killer, and Michael begins to fear that a horrific event from his past—one which he has kept suppressed in his mind for years—has finally returned to haunt him.

Murder Obsession opens in fine style with a gleefully trashy scene in which exploitation babe Laura Gemser has her clothes torn from her body by a mysterious assailant who then proceeds to try and strangle her. However, fans of sleazy giallo movies shouldn't get too excited, for director Ricardo Freda soon disappoints by having the camera pull back to reveal that the woman, Beryl, and her attacker, Michael Stanford (Stefano Patrizi), are actors performing their final scene in a horror flick.

Yes, it's the tired old 'movie within a movie' trick! The rest of this wearisome film is just as clichéd and deceptive in style, with numerous silly red herrings during the dull-as-ditch-water first half (nearly every character seems to own a pair of leather gloves!), mucho nudity throughout, cheesy gore towards the end, and a convoluted, logic-free script that is harder to swallow than a broken glass sandwich. Even a genre great like Argento, whose own work is rarely that cohesive, would struggle to make this inept garbage work, so what chance does Freda have?

Supposedly atmospheric dream sequences are rendered laughable by giant rubber spiders; bats flap on clearly visible wires; Michael's girlfriend (Silvia Dionisio) runs through a foggy forest with her tits out; inept gore effects (an axe in the head and a chainsaw in the throat) look as though they were created by a five year old with modelling clay and papier-maché; dreadful dialogue turns emotional scenes into unintentional moments of comedy; and a desperate attempt at shoehorning black magic and psychic powers into the muddled plot severely backfires.

Take a look if a) you dig bad Italian cinema b) you're a rabid Gemser fan, or c) if you absolutely must see every giallo in existence—but be warned.... it ain't great.

Watchable Italian horror film by Riccardo Freda.

[HumanoidOfFlesh · 7/10 · 19 March 2009]

Michael is a successful actor,but he has a scandal in his past:it seems that at a tender age he knifed his father to death.He and his girlfriend Deborah go to his mother's for the weekend and are joined by the director and others from a recent film project,who are given a rather unwelcome reception by the superstitious housekeeper Oliver.Soon ghastly things begin happening to some of the guests and Michael fears a repeat of his nightmare past is in progress.The vicious black gloved killer is preying on its victims."Murder Obsession" is perhaps the sleaziest offering of Riccardo Freda to date.It features plenty of nudity provided by Silvia Dionisio,Laura Gemser and Anita Strindberg.This often confusing giallo provides some gruesome killings including death by chainsaw and laughably fake spider attack.There is also a Black Mass,a live chicken beheading,a grubby rape scene and some random gore.7 out of 10.

A summation of the Italian Golden Age of Horror

[bobmonell · 26 July 2000]

A group of filmmakers travel to the family home of the lead actor to scout locations. They are greeted by his disturbed mother and her sinister servant.

Maestro Freda's last feature is a baroque masterwork which indeed forms a kind of review of the entire Italian horror tradition from BLACK SUNDAY on. BLACK SUNDAY lead actor John Richardson appears as the servant in a possible nod to former Freda collaborator Mario Bava.

The story contains many elements from other horror films: PSYCHO, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, DEEP RED, but Freda tells the tale in an ornate style referencing classical art and music in his imagery and on the soundtrack. The acting is mediocre, but the carefully composed imagery makes up for it. Such hallucinatory visions as a clutch of bleeding skulls, a giant spider and black mass which resembles both a Dali painting and a Michaelangelo sculpture are indelible. Highly recommended for Italian horror and Freda fans. A very underrated film which shows the director still at the apex of his creative powers.

Come again?

[Coventry · 3/10 · 22 April 2008]

Sometimes you just realize straight away when an opening sequence is too good to be true. In case of "Murder Obsession", the film takes off with THE Laura Gemser ("Black Emanuelle") opening the balcony curtain and standing face to face with a sinister bloke who promptly tears her nightgown to shreds and attempts to strangle her. Such excitement in the first minute simply can't be real and, oh yeah, it rapidly turns out to be a typical "Film-in-Film" situation. Still, even in spite of the transparent red herring, "Murder Obsession" raises some fairly high expectations, as the plot develops itself as a mixture between Giallo (Italian slasher), Gothic horror and occult movie. We've got prototypic Giallo-murders committed by an individual wearing black gloves, a Victorian mansion setting and multiple nightmare/hallucination sequences hinting at the involvement of black magic rites. And, quite frankly, "Murder Obsession" is entertaining and undemanding horror fodder, at least for as long as the events don't require any form of explanation. Riccardo Freda blends together so many crazy ideas and far-fetched twists that, by the time the denouement is due, he has no clue what to do with them all. Especially near the last 20 minutes of the movie, the script doesn't make a lick of sense, but what do you expect when dealing with childhood traumas, psychic powers, Oedipus complexes, oppressed homicidal tendencies, adultery, black masses and good old-fashioned perverted killers. "Murder Obsession" features not one, not two, but at least three climaxes and they're all equally implausible. Implausible and, moreover, unimaginably ridiculous. Professional actor Michael Stanford is lured back to his parental house, where his ill mother and the uncanny butler lived all alone since Michael's father died under mysterious circumstances. Mother Glenda, who actually more resembles to a slightly older and hot sister, later also welcomes a trio of Michael's film crew colleagues and soon after the eeriness kicks in. Michael's girlfriend has nightmares, the luscious actress nearly drowns in her bathtub and the cocky director notices that the curious butler doesn't like his picture taken. Glenda then reveals that Michael killed his father at young age, and maybe his homecoming brought back his desire to kill? The murders are quite graphical, but the make-up/special effects are incredibly tacky and the total opposite of shocking. This was the first job of Italian effects-wizard Sergio Stivaletti, but he definitely still had a lot to learn at that time. When one character has the head smashed in with an axe, the stand-in dummy clearly doesn't even remotely resemble the original character. Anita Strindberg and Laura Gemser are fabulous eye-candy and, as usual, not too prudish to take their clothes off, but their characters are empty-headed and their dialogs are pathetic. Strindberg even retired from film-making after this movie, perhaps because she felt insulted for having to depict a grandmother at the age of 36. Riccardo Freda always was one of Italy's most uneven and unreliable horror directors and, to me personally, he ranks really low on the list of that nation's filmmakers. I'm a huge fan of "I, Vampire", but apparently Mario Bava directed most of that film and the other Freda movies I watched ("The Ghost", "Tragic Ceremony") left me rather cold.

Decent hybrid of the American slasher and the Italian horror film

[Red-Barracuda · 7/10 · 12 February 2013]

Murder Obsession is the final film from Italian horror director Riccardo Freda, the man responsible for films such as the crazy The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire. Like that one, this is a giallo too, although it's one of the sub-grouping that combines supernatural goings on into the mix. I haven't seen too many of Freda's films but this is my favourite so far. The mystery is diverting enough, while there are some pretty impressive moments of the bizarre, such as the weird, surreal dream sequence where a girl finds herself in a world of madness and black magic with a few nasty surprises. It's quite gory too, although some of the effects are a little ropey.

While this is clearly not in the upper bracket of Italian horror, it's a pretty decent feature from the second division. The atmosphere is quite effective and the music is of that early 80's synth type you will have heard in countless American slashers. I guess this is a movie that was trying to pass itself off as an American product, it feels a lot more Americanised than most in the giallo genre. The cast are definitely of the Euro variety though. Anita Strindberg (The Case of the Scorpion's Tail) plays the mother, even though she must be only five years older than the actor playing her son at most. Laura Gemser, star of many Eurotrash flicks such as Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals, also appears as an actress friend of the protagonist.

If you like American slashers and Italian giallo strangeness then this film certainly combines these two ingredients.

A Strange And Confusing Giallo... It Could Have Been So Good.

[P3n-E-W1s3 · 5/10 · 3 April 2022]

Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of Murder Obsession. Before we get into it, here are my ratings:

Story - 1.25 Direction - 0.75 Pace - 1.25 Acting - 1.00 Enjoyment - 1.00

TOTAL - 5.25

I have recently become an ardent admirer of Giallo films, so when I saw Murder Obsession, I thought, what a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I'll say this, it got my little grey cells working overtime towards the climax. And for once, that wasn't a good thing.

The writers start well and progress quite familiarly. You know that there will be twists along the way because that is what Giallo is all about. Nothing is as it appears. However, it's these twists that surprisingly spoil the story. It would have improved the ending if they had provided clues along the way. I liked the way they included two opposing conclusions. Sadly, they come so close together that they feel rushed and bolted on. It wouldn't have been so irksome if the writers had left a gap between them, so our protagonist has time to consider the first confession and take action.

It would appear the director suffered from a lack of budget. He is fine when it comes to the things he can control manually, such as light and shadow, building atmospheres, and controlling the tempo of the storytelling. However, when we get to the special effects, the film starts s to degrade. The awful S-FX is the director's way of spoiling the movie. There is an entire ten-minute dream sequence that dives head-first into ludicrousness. It comes complete with two oversized rubber spiders: One that is unmoveable though the heroine runs into the nasty fake web screaming her head off: And another that is unceremoniously hauled across the floor; instead of being terrifying, it's plain ridiculous - and not in a funny B-movie way. And don't get me started on the hatchet in the head segment. Even though it's only onscreen for a second or so, it's enough time to see it's not a head. I hung my head and shook it sadly.

The acting is hit and miss. Some cast members are in top form, while others appear in a trance. Unfortunately, the lead, Stefano Patrizi as Michael, is the worst, closely followed by John Richardson as Oliver. The best of the bunch is undoubtedly Anita Strindberg as Michael's mother, Glenda. She adds an air of cool classiness to her character until she has to let the crazy out, and this she does wonderfully also.

Murder Obsession starts well but ends like a car crash...atrociously, and with casualties and a lot of damage. I would only recommend this picture to die-hard Giallo fans, and only then if there's nothing else to watch. It's a shame as the concept of the story should have made a brilliantly twisted and imaginative film.

Feel free to check my Absolute Horror and Killer Thriller Chillers lists to see where Murder Obsession ranks in my charts - or you could find a better film to watch.

Take Care & Stay Well.

One of Freda's better films

[The_Void · 7/10 · 18 August 2007]

I have to say, I'm not a big fan of Riccardo Freda. His films are often sub-standard and after finding out that a lot of his earlier work was actually completed by the hugely talented Mario Bava, my respect for him went down further. However, it turns out that he did make a few decent films himself - one of which is the Klaus Kinski starring Giallo 'Double Face', and another example is this film which, while a long way from being brilliant, is a very good mix of Gothic horror, insanity and Giallo themes. The plot of Murder Obsession centres on actor Michael Stanford. Michael almost strangles his co-star Beryl during the shooting of a film and, worried that he may be coming to the end of his tether, he decides to take a break at his family home out in the country. He gets to the house with Beryl and meets his mother, and later his film friends turn up also. Naturally, there's foul play afoot as Beryl is almost drowned in the bath and this leads to Michael admitting to his friends that as a kid, he killed his own father...

The plot of this film for most of the running time is pretty standard stuff, though it's not boring and Freda peppers the film with a bunch of gory murders, which is nice. Freda doesn't tend to hold back with the gore, although the deaths in his films often aren't all that believable; and unfortunately, that is the case here too. The film benefits from two of the hottest ladies in exploitation cinema, Anita Strindberg (in her last film) and Laura Gemser (who makes a rare Giallo appearance). Its great seeing them both in this film, but unfortunately neither one is given all that much to do; and that's a shame. The atmosphere is rather good and the old house around which most of the plot takes place makes for a foreboding location. The film doesn't get really interesting until the last fifteen minutes, and while the attempt to explain the plot does get a little silly and over the top; you've got to expect things like that from this sort of film; and at the end of the day, it's what makes Giallo so much fun so it isn't a problem. I won't say this is a classic of the genre; but it's a decent entry and I recommend it.

Caca Brute

[rwagn · 1/10 · 9 May 2010]

Caca Brute in Italian translates into "really stinky poop." This movie is a mess. It doesn't know what it wants to be, love story, giallo, thriller,soft core, etc. It might be that is was a joint Italian-French production that adds to it's dichotomy. I really found nothing in this film to recommend it to anyone interested in the Italian giallo genre or Freda's work in general. I was watching a fairly good print of the film and still found it extremely dark and/or poorly lit (so much so that I had to strain to make sure of whom I was seeing). The "plot" is threadbare and you can spot the killer almost from their introduction into the movie. The effects are shoddy, the dubbing is shoddy, even the music is shoddy. Skip this one. You really haven't missed a thing.

A great hallucinogen

[shuklavinash · 8/10 · 16 January 2013]

If I had a time machine, I would prefer going back to the early 80s, especially 1981 and '82, which were the heydays of Horror. The time was one of the most splendid phase of the slasher and zombie genres and we certainly have enough of those films to revel upon. As I look down to the slasher genre, I see there were many that came out victorious and instantly garnered a decent cult-following. Some others were not so effective then, but found audience in course of time and certain others are still waiting for the right audience to get famous. I think 'Fear' aka 'Murder Syndrome' falls in the 3rd of the aforementioned categories.

I got a copy of 'Murder Syndrome' under the name of 'Fear' in 1994. Being a devoted fan of slasher and giallo, I keep digging the heap of such films to discover something precious. I love slashers, but only when they're accompanied with a sound atmosphere. 'Fear' has everything for a slasher buff like me. It's a great giallo with a twist of supernatural, some edgy psychological dilemma, effective dark humor, gore, nudity and a gruesome atmosphere. So you can choose what you want. Wake up man, It's 1981....What did you expect? Budget wise, the movie has a low profile, but the presence of a big Victorial-era mansion, lush outdoor locations combined with some good acting make 'Murder Syndrome' nifty. Freda seems to have invested his mind heavily in the plot that unfolds very rudely. The ending is almost a surprise and will leave you in shock. I think this was an experiment of mingling two alternate endings and surprisingly, both of them are nicely written.

Michael (Stefano Patrizi) is a successful actor. He has everything to be proud of; name, fame, and a beautiful girlfriend Deborah (Silvia Dionisio). During the weekend break, Michael decides to pay a visit to his mother Glenda (Anita Strindberg ), who lives in a palatial house, somewhere far away from the urban locale. Michael takes Deborah along, as he wants to introduce her to his mother. On the way to his home, Michael gets distracted with some flashes of events from his dark and forgotten past. Finally they reach their destination and are greeted by Oliver (John Richardson), the house butler. Michael meets Glenda but it seems she is living a secluded and lonely life. Deborah feels Glenda is acting suspicious, but she doesn't have anything against her. In the meantime a filming crew with director Hans (Henri Garcin) and 2 actresses Shirley (Martine Brochard) and Beryl (Laura Gemser) arrive at the mansion for Michael's latest movie shoot. The guests are given a cold reception by Oliver, who seems to be very superstitious. Once they settle inside the spooky mansion, strange events begin to occur. Beryl faces a murder attempt, where a strange figure with black gloves tries to drown her in the bathtub. Michael's behavior with Deborah begins to change when Deborah tells him about her dream, where she witnessed a black mass and a strange over-sized spider trying to devour her. Deborah emphasizes that she had been a part of the mass, but she isn't able to recall the exact time of the event. Then Beryl is torn open with a hunting knife, right beside the river bank. Hans manages to capture some snaps of the killer, but before he is able to disclose the killer's identity, he is brutally hacked to death with an Axe. Deborah and the Shirley are looking for some clues, when they accidentally stumble upon Hans' camera and some of those nasty snaps. However, Shirley gets killed by a chainsaw as she is in the photo lab trying to develop the prints. Deborah is left with no other option but to run for her life. Deborah runs across the estate and into the woods only to be stopped by Oliver, who may have some hints about the strange events going on in the mansion.

'Fear' is a great film with some of the great moments that left a deep impression in my mind. I keep this very close to me because it acts as a great hallucinogen for me. When I call it a 'hallucinogen', I mean to say that it is able to push you into a dream world, where you won't be able to differentiate between the real and imaginary. The acting is cut above most of the slasher films that oozed during the 80s. This is a smart and intelligent film from Freda and should be watched for what it is!

he has some nerve

[christopher-underwood · 7/10 · 10 April 2023]

Watching this more than 10 years ago I noticed that it was a 'pleasant surprise' and this time I wonder really if it was good at all. It is okay but I don't really like Riccardo Freda. The Iguana With the Tongue of Fire (1971) is only alright although, Double Face (1969) with Klaus Kinski is good and also Lust of the Vampire (1957) although he had Bava supervise his effects. With Murder Obsession (or Murder Syndrome) Freda was more than 70 years old and maybe not as good as back in the day. There is so much going on but nothing really concrete as there are a lot of ideas but no story. Silvia Dionisio from Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man (1976) which was great and does well in this but especially is Anita Strindberg in her last film. So at the end it is almost a joke but I still liked it and although there is nothing really good, but you have to say he has some nerve.

Late giallo

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 18 February 2020]

Riccardo Freda was the first director of an Italian horror movie, 1956's I Vampiri. He left the production midway to have it completed by Mario Bava, which he would also do on the film Caltiki - The Immortal Monster. He's also known for Iguana with the Tongue of Fire, The Horrible Dr. Hichcock and The Ghost.

Before Michael became an actor - when he was but a child - he stabbed his father to death. Today, he's visiting his mother for the weekend and has brought along his girlfriend Deborah (Silvia Dionisio, Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man) and the crew of his latest movie. The sins of the past, however, are waiting for all of them.

Martine Brochard (Mannaja), John Richardson (The Church, Frankenstein '80), Anita Strindberg (who is in everything from A Lizard in a Woman's Skin to The Case of the Scorpion's Tail, Who Saw Her Die?, The Antichrist, Almost Human and Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key) and the always welcome Laura Gemser (Black Emanuelle herself!), who is menaced by some of the largest and most fake spiders this side of Fulci.

In the early 70's, this film's writer, Fabio Piccioni, wrote a comic book story called The Cry of the Capricorn, which he sold to Dario Argento. Elements of that story would appear in The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and Deep Red.

Piccioni would reuse elements of this story again years later, along with scriptwriters Antonio Cesare Corti and Riccardo Freda, to help create this film, which is also known as Fear and The Wailing.

For what it's worth, none of the actors recall this picture very fondly. Gemser referred to it as a nightmare and said that Strindberg almost stabbed her with a real knife, while the chainsaw that decapitates Brochard's character nearly killed the actress.

While this isn't the best giallo you'll find, there's still plenty to enjoy here, even if it's just ogling Ms. Gemser. There's also the best reason why the cops don't get involved - a character says that they meant to call them, but forgot.

Remarkably effective, creepy Italian horror

[technicolorwasteland · 31 July 2002]

This film deserves to be re-released, uncut and digitally mastered and whatnot. I guess it would be by now if it were more popular. You don't hear much about it. It's a shame, because this is one of the most overlooked Italian horror films I've ever seen. It is hard coming across the rare Wizard video, but I was able to find it for a low price and I have been enjoying it nonstop ever since I got it. The plot is strange, twisted, and full of bizarre touches of nasty murder scenes, perverse sexuality, nudity, and some very creepy tones of Satanism and the black arts which more than likely will chill you to the bone. It's hard to explain simply, but I'll try...it's basically about an actor named Michael (the very cute Stefano Patrizi) dealing with the painful memories of his childhood when he accidentally stabbed his father to death. He returns, along with his friends, which include a film director, some curvaceous actresses, and his girlfriend Deborah, to the creepy countryside mansion of his recluse mother. Well, you can guess that from there, strange events happen building up to a thunderstorm, gore murders, and some shocking twists in the finale. It sounds simple in a bare bones description like that, but just remember it also fits in hallucinagenic, trippy dream sequences of hooded Satanists sacrificing a nude girl in their Black Mass, lots of slimy spiders and spiderwebs, bleeding skulls, red herrings including a handful of suspicious characters, black gloves, murder attempts, and not to mention many softcore sex scenes which feature both male and female nudity (the gorgeous Patrizi shows off his firm, taut bare butt - another factor which makes this film a personal favorite). The gore murders, when they occur as the film reaches its peak, aren't really very scary, more cheesy, but they are still bloody and do provide effective shocks. The music is also effective in creating the creepy, stormy atmosphere of Satanism, murder and sex in a remote mansion in the countryside. This film is definitely not for everyone, but those who appreciate fine, classy Italian horror and do not mind complicated, twisted plotlines should enjoy it. A plus is the very talented cast which are very effective in their roles. Silvia Dionosio impresses as Deborah, the girlfriend, and John Richardson is an old favorite of many Italian horror films (he's just so cute even though he's pretty spooky in this movie). This is a great, overlooked film. Have fun seeking it out.

Don't watch it for free. They should pay you to watch it.

[dopefishie · 2/10 · 16 September 2021]

Don't watch it for free. They should pay you to watch it.

It's bad. 75% of the acting is bad. The female lead comes across as the best of the group. The lighting is bad. The shots are bad. The special effects are outrageously bad.

The silver lining here is that this film is rather instructive about what not to do when making a movie. It's nowhere near the so-bad-its-good category, but there are a few scenes that unfold so incompetently that it does spark your curiosity so that's a plus!

Not a lost Giallo classic by any means, still entertaining though

[acidburn-10 · 6/10 · 19 December 2022]

'Murder Obsession' is a bizarre 80's Giallo slasher flick with a gothic dream-like atmosphere, a confusing narrative and plenty of blood-shed once the plot gets going. The movie is a very strange offering to the genre with its uneven pacing, questionable acting, and sloppy editing, but there's also plenty here to enjoy also with its stunning visuals, fantastic set-pieces and the over-the-top death scenes which makes this flick a whole lot more entertaining than it has any right to be.

The plot = Michael (Stefano Patrizi) a successful actor returns to his childhood home for the weekend with his girlfriend Deborah (Silvia Dionsio) and are soon joined by the director and some of the crew. But there's a scandal in Michael's past and soon as they arrive, someone starts killing them off one by one, could all this be connected to Michael's past.

Despite the movie's many flaws its entertaining as hell with an intriguing murder mystery element and the overall demented approach by the director Riccardo Freda with tons of random strangeness thrown into the run-time. After a very awkward start the movie becomes more off-kilter with black magic, incest and strange dream sequences, all of which generates a WTF reaction, but with all this mayhem going on, the plot does become very much secondary as almost nothing makes any sense, but there's enough style and sleaze to keep things moving.

The performances are all over the place here, but the legendary Giallo Queen Anita Strindberg brings a much-needed presence to the flick and her fantastic performance manages to hold everything together rather well. John Richardson is also great here as the creepy groundskeeper Oliver. Laura Gemser was also decent and stunning to look at. Stefano Patrizi was okay as the male lead but could have done with a lot more charisma and this role felt a bit beyond his range.

Overall 'Murder Obsession' is not a forgotten Giallo masterpiece by any means, but its quirky strangeness is entertaining enough to make it a memorable experience.

Not Freda's best, but a fun way to go out

[lovecraft231 · 7/10 · 25 September 2012]

For fans of Italian Horror, the name Riccardi Freda holds meaning. Not only did he mentor the late, great Mario Bava, but he also did some fine work within the genre of the fantastic. Horror films like "Tragic Ceremony" (which starred Camille Keaton), "The Ghost" (which starred Barbara Steele) and "Lust for a Vampire" (which was completed by Bava) are films that tend to get name checked when it comes to important titles in genre (well, the last two at least, though "Ceremony" itself is a fine film.) Not name checked often, but still entertaining is his last movie, 1981's "Murder Obsession."

Michael Stanford (Stefano Patrizi) is having some problems. He recently almost killed an actress (Laura Gemser), and returning with his girlfriend Deborah (Silvia Dionisio) to visit his mother (Anita Strindberg) only brings back horrible memories about the death of his father. When more company follows, the guests start to have strange dreams involving things like very large spiders and occult rituals. Oh, and there's a black gloved killer on the loose.

"Murder Obsession" is an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink style movie. Throwing in all kinds of sub-genres (Giallo, Gothic, Supernatural) and clichés (fog drenched landscapes, eroticism, black gloved killers) into a story that ultimately doesn't make much sense, and has a few flaws to boot (the cheap looking gore kinda sticks out.) That out of the way, this is also pretty fun for the most part. Even before the killing starts to take place, Freda throws in all kinds of demented images (Debbie being felt up by a clearly fake large spider) and offbeat plot twists and turns to make sure you never lose your interest. This is a movie that, even if you don't like it, you'll never find yourself bored by the events taking place.

Plus, the things that do work really stick out. Even is the effects aren't always up to muster, the kills are bloody enough to make you take notice. The score by Franco Mannino is mostly effective, with its blend of classical flourishes and electronic effects perfectly complimenting the events at hand. I even really liked the plot twist at the end, as it actually makes sense considering the events that have taken place, and the strange relationship Michael has with his mother (even though you know who the killer is before the film is halfway over.)

Will "Murder Obsession" be considered a classic in the genre of Italian Horror? Probably not. Those who have a thing for out of the ordinary fare should definitely get a kick out of this movie. It might not be Freda's best movie, but it's a hell of a way to go out.

A highly impressive and enjoyable genre effort

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 9/10 · 22 November 2023]

Needing to take a break, a troubled actor and his girlfriend decide to visit his mother at her house to regroup with her and the staff of his latest film, but when his older psychological issues come to the forefront stalling his progress a killer knocking them off one by one further hinders his purpose for being there.

There's quite a lot to like with this one. One of the more impressive facets of this one is the highly involved and enjoyable storyline that gives everything a lot of depth. The initial setup of having the breakdown on the movie set and the need to visit his mother at her home is quite fun as this sets up several somewhat intriguing stories to follow. That their relationship is shown to border on the Oedipal once the backstory about how he became so troubled is revealed gives this a great start much like his girlfriend's relationship with her comes about, and the interactions with the crew when they arrive to help him get through it have a real Gothic melodrama approach to things. That provides the proper setup for the film to revel in equally appropriate Gothic imagery and atmosphere. The whole idea of the remote house in the middle of nowhere with questionable electricity and requiring the use of candelabras for exploring wind-swept hallways and billowing curtains are full-on hallmarks of the genre that is played nicely here. The main sequence, where an elaborate dream sequence involving a character chased by massive spiders into a candle-lit cave where the preparations of a Satanic cult perform a ritual on them is a pure throwback to the material from that period which cements the truly effective use of Gothic setpieces ere. The other really enjoyable factor here is the inclusion of the more traditional Giallo elements into this kind of story. The series of suspenseful stalking scenes usually found here is quite downplayed in favor of more overt shock ambushes where victims are attacked in a bathtub, a chase outside in the woods through a driving rainstorm and a fun rapid-fire sequence where several victims stumble upon the killer in random locations which allows them to get knocked off in graphic fashion as this gets pretty brutal with its kills. Alongside the solid narrative that provides some solid red herrings at a steady enough pace to remain interesting, there's a lot to like with this one. The film does have some minor issues present here. The main drawback is the unnecessarily overly complicated storyline that does well with mixing some elements together but also has too many factors involved. It's not necessary to include a character with psychic powers and a Satanic ceremony into this kind of datura where they're not needed and end up feeling awkwardly shoehorned into the story as there's very little connection to the rest of the story. As well, the other drawback is the series of rather underwhelming special effects for so much of the gore or the flashback sequence which makes it quite cheesier than it really is, overall lowering this one slightly.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Full Nudity, Language, a sex scene, and Rape.

More horror fodder from Riccardo Freda

[lazarillo · 1 January 2005]

Riccardo Freda is considered one of the maestros of Italian horror based on the strength of three films in the late 50's and early 60's--"I, Vampiri" (which we now know was mostly directed by Mario Bava), "The Horrible Dr. Hitchcock", and the sequel to the latter, "The Ghost". Unfortunately, everything he did after that pretty much ranges from awful to disappointing. This one falls more into the latter category.

An actor nearly strangles his female co-star during the filming of the scene. Everyone seems strange unperturbed about this including the actress herself, who later has sex with him(of course, it helps that this character is played by Laura "Emanuelle" Gemser who pretty much has sex with everybody in her movies). They all repair to the troubled actor's eerie, decrepit estate complete with a creepy butler named Oliver and a mother who is "not well". Actually, she looks pretty good for someone who is supposedly the mother of a grown man and, not surprisingly, she has a close, Oedipal relationship with her son who looks EXACTLY like his musical conductor father, "the Maestro", who was mysteriously murdered years earlier (and you can pretty much bet it was by one of two people). The actor's girlfriend is also along for the ride and she suspects something is up between the two of them when the son introduces her to his a mother as his secretary and insists that they sleep in separate rooms. Meanwhile, someone is dispatching the various guests with the usual over-elaborate giallo methods--a bathtub drowning, a chainsaw, etc.

Freda brings an interesting Gothic sensibility to the giallo genre here, even though his main focus is obviously on the gory murders. At least he is somewhat in his element, unlike with the abysmal "Iguana with a Tongue of Fire" he did earlier. The acting is awful and the special effects during the murder scene are laughable, but fans of Freda and Laura Gemser could do a lot worse I guess.

Freda's finale

[lor_ · 13 March 2023]

My review was written in June 1986 after watching the movie on Wizard video cassette.

Riccardo Freda, doyen of Italian horror film directors, attempts to moderate his approach (with mixed results) in "Fear". Reviewed here for the record, feature was made in 1980 with various alternate titles including "Unconscious" and "Murder Syndrome"; it is now available domestically on video cassette.

Stefano Patrizi portrays a film actor who is haunted by nightmares and daydreams relating to having witnessed in childhood the murder of his dad. When he and a film crew visit his mother's home in the country as part of a location-hunting trip a series of grisly murders occurs.

Freda includes hints of various fantasy elements here, ranging from black magic to an invisible kirlian-effect killer, but essentially this is a gothic murder mystery dressed up with modern sex & violence. Key plot element emphasizes the too-close relationship of Patrizi and his mother, played by former sex symbol Anita Strindberg. More recent sex stars Laura Gemser and Silvia Dionisio are on hand in various stages of undress as Patrizi's leading lady and girlfriend, respectively.

Tech credits other than the subpar dubbing are fine and Franco Mannino provides a pleasant musical score emphasizing classical themes. Even for the horror genre, Freda's gloomy ending is a bit much.

Awesome Italian horror!

[ehoshaw · 15 April 2001]

This is a must-see! It is absolutely great! The story deals with a troubled actor named Michael traveling with his girlfriend Deborah, a director named Hans, and two actresses named Shirley and Beryl to his mother Glenda's eerie villa in the isolated countryside. Once there, disturbing things begin to happen. A black-gloved killer begins prowling around the house, trying to drown Beryl in the bathtub. Also, Deborah dreams she is the victim of a Black Mass (an eerie sequence). The next day, gory murders occur, including: a hunting knife slitting open a belly, an axe hacking out a guy's brains, and a chainsaw decapitation. Then, there's a huge thunderstorm as Deborah is stalked by the killer. This is a truly frightening movie. The direction is creative, and it is very atmospheric and moody. The musical score is creepy! The plot is also excellent! There are many great twists near the end of the film, which keep you on the edge of your seat! I won't give them away, they are too good! Just watch this movie, especially if you like Italian horror films! It is a mixture of an Italian giallo and an American slasher film, with a few supernatural elements thrown in. This movie rocks! Oh, and the actress who plays Deborah is very, very hot! Oh, and so is Laura Gemser! There is a lot of nudity, sex, gore, and violence in this movie, but it is very atmospheric and interesting. A classic piece of Italian horror cinema, which deserves a video re-release, uncut, and in letterbox format! See this one!!!

"The Relationship Between A Mother And Son Is A Mysterious One!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 6 April 2020]

In MURDER OBSESSION (aka: MURDER SYNDROME), actor / guitar-playing crooner, Michael Stanford (Stefano Patrizi) has a problem. He's been getting a bit "carried away" with his homicidal role in his latest movie. This could be due to a terrible childhood event.

So, he decides to visit his mother (Giallo goddess, Anita Strindberg!), with his girlfriend Deborah (Silvia Dionisio) in tow. When some of the film cast / crew arrive, apparent occult weirdness, copious nudity, and gory murders ensue.

As giallos go, this one is quite odd. Especially, its extended "dream" sequence, which is absurd -giant rubber spider, rubber bats, etc.- yet somehow effective. Of course, black gloves come into play, along with a double twist denouement. The final scene is a sacrilegious shocker! This movie is helped greatly by having John Richardson play the lurking Oliver.

Co-stars Laura Gemser as the constantly-disrobing Beryl...