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10
= Highest Rating |
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Guest
Review by Troy
Howarth |
Lester
Parsons (Brett Halsey) supports his lavish life
style by seducing deformed women, getting his
hands on their money, and killing them off in
colorful ways...
Touch of Death
is an above-average late period offering from
Italian gore-meister Lucio Fulci. Decidedly satirical,
and at times downright goofy, in tone and execution,
it still offers walloping doses of the red stuff.
The end result is sadly compromised and cannot
be considered entirely successful, but when compared
to some of the dreck the director was making around
the same time (Ghosts of
Sodom, anyone?), it looks very good indeed.
American actor Brett Halsey (Atomic
Submarine, The Return
of the Fly) stars as the literal lady-killer,
Lester Parsons. A likable performer, he emigrated
to Italy in the 1960s after his contract ran out
with Universal-International, who were building
him up as another beefcake in the Tab Hunter mold.
During his tenure in Italy, he made some films
with Riccardo Freda, Mario Bava and, of course,
Lucio Fulci. This was the third film he made with
Fulci, and in many respects it's his best role
out of the bunch. The script, and Fulci's direction,
calls for him to mug it up in spots, but overall
he makes for a solid and dependable lead. Lester's
actions may be deplorable, but there is a charm
to the way Halsey plays the role that makes him
oddly endearing. The supporting cast is mostly
forgettable, though Fulci regular Al Cliver (aka
Pier Luigi Conti) pops up as a Mafioso type.
Shot for television on 16mm, Touch
of Death is visually rather drab, containing
none of the 'scope splendor that typified Fulci's
earlier works. Unlike some of his other late period
TV works, however, there's a genuine sense that
the director is enthusiastic about the material
and is doing his damnedest to make it work. That
he was able to get away with making such a vicious
and violent movie within the confines of television
is something in itself, but the film gains added
points by not being nearly as lethargic and lifeless
as many of his other final works. Indeed, it seems
likely that — given a more adequate budget and
stronger production values — it could have marked
a sizable return to form for Fulci, who made his
last truly 'good' film in 1986, with the steamy
S&M melodrama The Devil's
Honey. Nevertheless, fans of the director
are sure to find something of interest here —
some of humor is very effective, the visceral
elements pack a wallop, and the mildly supernatural
bent it takes on in its final section is enough
to give one nostalgic flashbacks to The
House By the Cemetery.
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Shriek
Show's new SE of Touch of
Death is commendable. The fullframe transfer
looks as good as one could hope — this is not a
particularly well photographed work, and the 4:3
ratio is correct given its TV origins. Print quality
is good overall, though there is some scratching
evident. The DVD includes the option of a English
track or an Italian one with English subtitles.
The latter is the way to go, as the English track
is a bit wooden. Removable subtitles are easy on
the eyes.
Extras include interviews with costar Zora
Kerova and Fulci historian Paolo Albiero, as well
as a lengthy audio interview with Fulci that plays
as a commentary of sorts during the movie. The Kerova
and Albiero pieces are decent and have some good
insights into the film and Fulci's creative process,
but the interview with the Maestro is the real bonus.
Foul-mouthed and wickedly funny, Fulci revels in
trashing numerous colleagues (including Barbara
Steele and Franco Nero) and telling tales about
his early directorial works. Much of the interview
focuses on his origins in the business as a screenwriter,
before delving into his works up until 1971. For
whatever reason, the interview cuts out altogether
as Fulci gets to Lizard
in a Woman's Skin — presumably, SS plans to
use the second half of the interview as a supplement
for an upcoming Fulci release. Let's hope so, anyway,
as this is one of the few in-depth pieces with Fulci
actually speaking that has surfaced in the U.S.,
and, as such, it's an invaluable resource for his
fan base. Additional supplements include a promotional
trailer and trailers for other Shriek Show releases.
7/14/05 |
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