Director: Lucio Fulci
Year: 1984
Country: Italy
Alternate Titles: Murderock - Uccide a passo di danza; Murder Rock - Dancing Death; Giallo a disco; The Demon Is Loose
Genre: Giallo
Plot:
Preparing for a big competition, students at a prestigious dance academy find their chances at success upended by a series of murders that are baffling the police, trying to solve everything, forcing them to speed up the investigation before they kill the entire staff of dancers.
Review:
This was a solid and better-than-expected aspect found here. One of the better features of this one is that it manages to present itself as a slick, engrossing genre effort with the usual settings established. There are a couple of nice moments here from the central investigation, as the mystery itself about the series of deaths surrounding the dancing troop, who are going through preparations for a special upcoming exhibition, isn't bad, and the weird inclusion of the dreamed-of maniac adds something fairly interesting to the film. It’s the best part of the film since it really does show some spark of originality, mixing in this type of professional milieu where people who strive to be the best at their craft as they stab each other in the back to get what they want, while the whodunit nature of the investigation is brilliantly played out as the final reveal is effective. The fact that it's so unexpected and comes out of the clear blue is a great help, giving it a smarter approach as they work out the various potential suspects.
The other likable factor here is that the stalking and murders are undoubtedly what make this one shine, and there are several standout setups in here. The film has some effective and wholly suspenseful stalking scenes, mostly from the dream sequences, where the ethereal nature of the scene focusing on the killer wandering through the environment chasing the terrified victims, all comes off incredibly well. The several kills in the beginning where the killer chases victims into the shower or around the center are a perfect example, as the killer's point-of-view is mixed with a claustrophobic setting and the ingenious use of a strobe light to give it a little extra, as that flashing light in the background does work quite well and builds a really great atmosphere for the kills. The later scene in the apartment is the real suspense highlight, and it plays out really nicely once the victim realizes the danger. The fact that songs during the dances aren't that bad is a good thing, and it makes the scenes a little more enjoyable.
There are some drawbacks here that hold it down somewhat. The drawn-out pacing is the biggest drawback here, as while it’s fine when it's used to maximize the suspense, the slow-going nature of the proceedings actually has the opposite effect and grinds the momentum to a halt. It hurts the film greatly, as the middle section is a long, overly drawn-out series of investigations that take away from the killing. Far too much time here is spent on the detectives going around discussing the case without coming up with anything or detailing the lives of the dancers, rather than detailing the stalking of the killer, which is a major gripe against the film. Although it’s a cheap shot, the lack of gory slayings hurts the film even further. The method of killing is the major reason, just showing the tiny hatpin piercing women’s chests, as there's hardly a chance for it to happen, and that really neuters the potential for it right at the start. Overall, though, the slow pace is what kills it more than anything, even with these issues against it.
Overview: ***.5/5
Far from being a traditional Fulci film, this is a rather enjoyable if still somewhat mediocre effort here. It's nice to see him doing something other than the normal gore set-pieces and trying out something else, but the result is a very slow and boring film that will only appeal to the most hardcore Fulci collectors and European fans, while those that don't like them as much are advised to seek caution.
This review is part of our ongoing series of reviews for Italian Horror Month, every November on the site:
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