Handsome, but unhinged nobleman Duke Lionello (a sturdy and intense performance by Mark Damon) has lustful incestuous feelings for his beautiful married sister Barbara (the ravishing Claudia Gravy). Pretty soon various women start popping up dead with strange wounds on their necks. Is Lionello responsible for these murders?
Director/co-writer Leopoldo Savona relates the enjoyably lurid story at a steady pace, offers a flavorsome period atmosphere along with a reasonable amount of gloom-doom Gothic mood, and delivers lots of tasty female nudity plus a satisfying smattering of sizzling softcore sex. The solid acting by the capable cast helps a lot: Aldo Bufi Landi as Barbara's worried husband Giordano, Alessandro Perrella as a meddlesome judge, Fernando Cerulli as a concerned doctor, and Silvana Panfili as the lovely Floriana. Although the plot drags at times and the murder scenes could have used more bloody punch, this film overall is still worth a watch for fans of lesser known European horror fare.
Director/co-writer Leopoldo Savona relates the enjoyably lurid story at a steady pace, offers a flavorsome period atmosphere along with a reasonable amount of gloom-doom Gothic mood, and delivers lots of tasty female nudity plus a satisfying smattering of sizzling softcore sex. The solid acting by the capable cast helps a lot: Aldo Bufi Landi as Barbara's worried husband Giordano, Alessandro Perrella as a meddlesome judge, Fernando Cerulli as a concerned doctor, and Silvana Panfili as the lovely Floriana. Although the plot drags at times and the murder scenes could have used more bloody punch, this film overall is still worth a watch for fans of lesser known European horror fare.