THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS

7/10 - A HIGHLY ENTERTAINING GIALLO THAT SHOULD NOT BE MISSED.


The 1970’s is, for me, the most original, interesting, experimental, and gutsy period in cinema. At a time when American movies were boasting ludicrously long titles such as Hy Averback’s 1970 comedy SUPPOSE THEY GAVE A WAR AND NOBODY CAME? and Ulu Grosbard’s 1971 Dustin Hoffman vehicle WHO IS HARRY KELLERMAN AND WHY IS HE SAYING ALL THOSE TERRIBLE THINGS ABOUT ME?, it seemed inevitable that WHAT ARE THOSE STRANGE DROPS OF BLOOD DOING ON JENNIFER’S BODY? (Perché quelle strane gocce di sangue sul corpo di Jennifer?) would make its way to American shores.

Directed by Giuliano Carnimeo under the pseudonym of Anthony Ascott, WHAT ARE THOSE STRANGE DROPS OF BLOOD DOING ON JENNIFER’S BODY? was recently released by Anchor Bay Entertainment on DVD in their new “Giallo Collection” four-disc box set under the title of THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS. The iris does not figure prominently in this film and acts as a red herring more than anything else in an attempt to divert suspicion from the actual killer who becomes more suspicious towards the film’s ending – I could hear Eva Axén’s frightened “The secret I saw behind the door…three irises – turn the blue one!” from SUSPIRIA in the back of my mind! Apparently, this film is only available in the four-movie box set, which is a shame because it’s actually the best out of the four, the other three of which are an interesting murder mystery that drags from 1972 called WHO SAW HER DIE?; 1971’s virtually incomprehensible SHORT NIGHT OF GLASS DOLLS; and the virtually interminable THE BLOOD-STAINED SHADOW from 1978. Anchor Bay indubitably knew this to force us all to spring for the box set in the hopes of selling as many copies of these mediocre films as possible and make back their money. I cannot really blame them, though I wish that they would stop re-issuing the EVIL DEAD films over and over again.

THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS possesses all of the hallmarks of a typical Italian giallo of the 1970’s: 2.35:1 anamorphic lensing, ridiculous dubbing, platitudinous talk, dimwitted law enforcement officers, caricatured homosexuals, beautiful women being murdered, and a hopelessly infectious musical score. Algerian actress Edwige Fenech, who was 23 at the time this was made but looks slightly younger, stars as a young model in Rome who is constantly finding a mysterious person dressed from head to toe in black show up unannounced in her apartment over and over again with the intent of killing her. Why doesn’t she buy a gun and shoot the fucker? This isn’t America, where you can go to jail for life just for trying to defend yourself. Instead, she runs from scene to scene narrowly escaping the clutches of the killer.

What the film lacks in suspense it more than makes up for in some unintentional laughs. Off-handed remarks about a group-sex lifestyle and a strange nightclub scene where a dancer challenges the men in the audience to come on stage and try to beat her up are just a few of (plot devices?/red herrings?) elements that can lead the viewer to laugh out loud. Cinematically, the film seems to be aping Dario Argento’s much more highly accomplished THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE (1970), and Brian DePalma seems to have borrowed the opening elevator sequence for DRESSED TO KILL (1980) and actually improves on it. A subplot involving a crazed old woman hiding her mentally unbalanced son made its way into Argento’s PHENOMENA 13 years later. The film includes some interesting location shooting with interiors shot at Elios Studios in Rome where Argento shot TENEBRE in 1982.

All of these Giallo Collection DVDs appear to be single-layered pressings. Anchor Bay should have released these four films as a two-disc set, placing two movies on each disc.

THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS is a highly entertaining giallo and should not be missed.

- Jonathan Stryker



WHAT YOU SAID [VIEW]

Scott W. Davis said
Ah, always great to see a review by our own Jonathan Strkyer! Another excellent job!

I saw CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS a few weeks ago and I echo many of your sentiments. A fun movie but with it's flaws, humorous though they may be. And what was the deal with that sex cult anyway?!? :wacko:
Jonathan Stryker said
Thank you for the kind words, Scott. I love the giallo films of Italian, particularly Argento's. They really are a fun collection of movies. The dialog and ludicrous dubbing make the films all the more enjoyable. :)






DIRECTOR

Giuliano Carnimeo

CAST

Edwige Fenech
George Hilton
Paola Quattrini
Giampiero Albertini

RELEASE DATE

1971

REVIEWER

Jonathan Stryker

REVIEW DATE

8th April 2003 - 1:50AM

Also Known As

What Are Those Strange Drops Of Blood Doing On Jennifer's Body?


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Jonathan Stryker