Director: Mario Bava
Year: 1970
Country: Italy
Alternate Titles: 5 bambole per la luna d'agosto
Genre: Giallo
Plot:
Gathered together on his private island, a brilliant inventor finds that his friends and colleagues have gathered together to reveal the latest discovery of his, but when a series of strange deaths affect the various suitors on the island they try to figure out who’s responsible and why before they’re all killed off.
Review:
There was quite a lot to like with this one. Among the more impressive elements is the fact that there’s quite an enjoyable atmosphere and air of intrigue throughout the film as this one generates a wholly impressive whodunnit setup. With the entire cast composed of ethically and morally corrupt citizens looking to get their hands on the fabled formula he’s invented, there’s no shortage of characters ready and willing to start bumping everyone off which is what happens. There’s never a surprise at all that this has happened and it’s down to who is more willing to sell themselves out to get their hands on a deal, resulting in a wholly enjoyable atmosphere of greed that makes the resulting kills seem to feel quite like the next logical step for some since it’s only logical and fair that they’d resort to this after snooping, backstabbing and seduction.
Likewise, once the bodies begin to pile up and things start happening with the series of discoveries made around the island. The first kill involving the discovery of the body along the beach with the crabs crawling over the body is a solid start to things, much like the later discoveries involving the body with a gaping bullet hole in their head and another tied to a tree in their underwear with a knife embedded in their chest continue this along rather nicely. With this acting concurrently with the continued deviance to obtain the formula and the desire to figure out who’s behind it all, there’s a lot to like here as this one brings about the full-on twist involving everything and how it plays out. This is intriguing and quite unexpected, coming across as a real surprise and shock which gives this some highly enjoyable aspects that hold it up over the minor flaws.
There are a few issues to be had here. The main drawback is the completely underwhelming and unexplained storyline that doesn’t offer up much of anything at all here to make sense of the confusing storyline. The central compound is not explained at all and acts as a true Macguffin with no mention of anything involving it’s creation, purpose or powers which would help explain why it’s being sought after by these unscrupulous figures who are willing to kill to acquire this fabled thing for an unexplained purpose. As well, the ironic twist ending tends to make the constant showcase of the free-spirited woman staying with them as this completely random and unimportant figure that has no bearing on the film at all which floats in and out of the film like a randomly written figure from another film altogether. It just feels cheap and lazy to come across this setup which is what holds this down the most.
Overview: ****/5
A highly enjoyable and fun giallo effort that tends to overcome its few minor problems, this one tends to offer up the kind of underrated genre tropes which makes for a fun time here. Highly recommended for fans of the genre, the creative crew or Eurohorror in general while those who aren’t into this style or format should heed caution somewhat.
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