What Have They Done To Your Daughters (1974) by Massimo Dallamano
Overall, this was a generally fun if slightly problematic genre mash-up. That the film is able to so comfortably sit between the supposedly disparate genres, from the knife-wielding killer slicing his way through a trail of corpses intending to hide his identity and the concurrent police investigation into the underage prostitution ring that’s at the center of the film, makes for some effective moments in each setup. Granted the opportunity to spice up its kills with some effective stuntwork and chases going after the motorcycling killer adds a sense of action and spectacle moreso than the usual stalk-and-slash, much like the methods used to uncover the criminal activity which offers up some intrigue once the gradual reach of the prostitution ring. While this effectively works both angles to fine form, there’s an obvious shift in energy here during the procedural scenes as the expected political red-tape and dead ends that crop up during their journey means the film acts in a slightly haphazard manner where it’s kinetic and lively in spots but lethargic when getting to this point and can leave some cold if they’re expecting one or the other. It’s not an out-and-out flaw but something that does hold this back.
Torso (1973) by Sergio Martino
This here is quite the enjoyable Giallo and one of the best in the style. One of the films' best features is that it plays so well in the confines of the Giallo despite forgoing the prototypical route of the films. Instead of rallying around the girls' trying to remember a clue about the killers' identity, it remains far more in touch about them being in danger at the start and using the trip as a way to relax. This makes the film less about them identifying the importance of the necktie and how it ties into the truth behind who's doing it since this then plays out more like a sleazy slasher effort with some of the finest stalking and attacks in the genre. The suspense in the early attacks is great and offers up some fantastic elements to be had here before getting to the otherworldly finale that requires one lone, disabled victim to try to escape the house undetected while the killer maniacally butchers the bodies of the group unaware that they're still alive. It's tense, atmospheric, and utterly thrilling as the cat-and-mouse games climax nicely with a somewhat obvious reveal that's dragged down slightly by the equally-disappointing motivation and reasoning that makes the ending somewhat distracting as its main flaw overall.
Strip Nude for Your Killer (1975) by Andrea Bianchi
On the whole, there's quite a lot to enjoy with this effort. Most of this is centered around the abundance of ultra-sleaze on display, not just from the copious nudity featured here but also the decided ease with which these characters engage in such matters, from lesbian trysts to enhance their careers, living life as a sex object for others, dealing with the perverted fantasies of the others around them that adds a highly effective air of grime and disgust on top of the proceedings. Coupled with the rather overt subject matter featured here gets the most out of its premise, there’s a lot to like here which helps to enhance the more traditional Giallo trappings featured here. The attacks are quite fun and manage to inject a modicum of atmosphere and tension even though most of them are undone by the fact that the killer is exceptionally easy to guess as this one pulls very little punches about the identity or motive behind the killings despite how hard it tries to feature some red herrings into the mix. As well, with the film so overtly sleazy and grimy to the point of overdosing on the subject rather than being seen as enticing or erotic might be a problem for some, although that’s more of a personal preference than anything.
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