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Don't Torture a Duckling [1972] (NTSC)
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And Now for Something Completely Different
Review date: 2007-11-09 Rating: 8 out of 10
I haven't spent much time watching giallos, not for any particular reason really; I just haven't got around to them yet. I decided to start (again) with Lucio Fulci's "Don't Torture a Duckling." This is a rare film that I believe Fulci haters will tend to enjoy,
In a small village in southern Italy, young preadolescent boys are turning up dead from strangulation. Evidence points to a number of possible suspects, especially the local "witch," Martiara (Florinda Bolkan), whose voodoo practices and possible insanity make her a likely candidate. But what about Patrizia (Barbara Bouchet), the bored city girl hiding out after a drug scandal, who now passes the time by flaunting her naked body in front of children? The local Catholic Church, headed by young Don Alberto (The Psychic's Marc Porel) and his mother, Aurelia (Irene Papas), tries to keep the population under control, but even the local police are baffled by the case. A reporter from the north, Andrea (Tomas Milian), comes to investigate and recruits Patrizia to discover some genuinely ugly truths about the quiet provincial town.
There really isn't much gore except for two scenes; that of a woman being beaten with a chain and a man scraping his face down the side of a cliff (ouch!). This is probably my favorite Lucio Fulci film being that I did not enjoy The House By the Cemetery and Zombi 2 (25th Anniversary Special Edition 2-Disc Set) I enjoyed the acting, especially the man who played the priest, who is a dead ringer for Orlando Bloom (just in looks, though, not in lack of acting skill, thank goodness!). The rest of the cast did an excellent job as well, even the children.
This is a disturbing film, but not the typical slasher flick. Since it is a giallo, it is more murder-mystery than horror. If you're a fan of Italian horror and Fulci I would say to watch this movie, The Italian title is "Non si sevizia un paperino," which literally translates to "Don't Torture Donald Duck." Most people assume the name was changed to Don't Torture a Duckling because of licensing issues. A small Donald Duck shows up at one of the bodies although I still fail to see how this was enough to name the movie. I like to give extra thanks to Dave K. and M. for giving me that second push on Fulci because if it wasn't for them I would of givin up on this director a long time ago.
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Reviews
Fulci's best film !
Review date: 2007-09-19 Rating: 10 out of 10
The film contains hardly any gore, but that does not mean the film is bad, its an excellent murder mystery or 'Giallo' as they call it in Italy and the story is fantastic. Its a shame it hasnt been released here in the UK so I had to buy the import version.
BUY IT !
Lucio Fulci's first-rate giallo
Review date: 2007-09-19 Rating: 10 out of 10
A police investigation is started when several young boys are found murdered in a remote village. An out of town reporter arrives to cover the story and help find the person responsible for the crimes.
Fulci's "Don't torture a duckling" came swiftly after his "Lizard in a womans skin" and is actually an improvement on that high class film. The quality cast here includes Tomas Milian, Florinda Bolkan and the ultra sexy Barbara Bouchet and there's a brilliant eerie score by Riz Ortolani (Cannibal Holocaust). Lucio Fulci's direction is on top form as he creates tension and twists throughout in this highly entertaining stylish giallo. Gore fans expecting "Zombie" and "Beyond" type violence will be disappointed, this film is based more on style, atmosphere and mystery but you do get a graphic chain whipping scene (think the intro of "Beyond"). It really does go to show that with this film, "Lizard in a womans skin" and much later the brilliant "New York Ripper" that Fulci could make giallos as good as anyone in the genre. "Don't torture a duckling" was made well before the popular period of Fulci ("Zombie" onwards) but this early work needs to be rediscovered.
Excellent film.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Barbara Bouchet
Tomas Milian
Irene Papas
Marc Porel
Florinda Bolkan
Director(s):
Recording label: Blue Underground
Manufacturer: Blue Underground
EAN: 0827058109093
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Colour, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen,
Release date: 2007-02-27
Universal product code (UPC): 827058109093
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Running time: 102 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1972
Language: English (Original Language)