Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1970) Il rosso segno della follia (original title)

Director:

Mario Bava

Writer:

Santiago Moncada (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

9 February 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

Plot:

A bridal design shop owner kills various young brides-to-be in an attempt to unlock a repressed childhood trauma that's causing him to commit murder.

Plot Keywords:

Killer | Murder | Ghost | Bride | Trauma

Cast

Stephen Forsyth	...	John Harrington
Dagmar Lassander	...	Helen Wood
Laura Betti	...	Mildred Harrington
Jesús Puente	...	Inspector Russell
Femi Benussi	...	Alice Norton
Antonia Mas	...	Louise
Luciano Pigozzi	...	Vences (as Alan Collin)
Gérard Tichy	...	Dr. Kalleway
Verónica Llimera	...	Betsy
Pasquale Fortunato	...	Club Waiter
Ignasi Abadal	...	Kane (as José Ignacio Abadal)
Silvia Lienas	...	Vicky
Montserrat Riva	...	Bride on Train
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Guido Barlocci	...	John Harrington as a boy (uncredited)
Bruno Boschetti	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Elina De Witt	...	Model (uncredited)

Directed by
Mario Bava

Writing credits
Santiago Moncada		(screenplay)
Mario Bava		screenplay (uncredited)

Produced by
Manuel Caño	....	producer

Original Music by
Sante Maria Romitelli

Cinematography by
Mario Bava

Film Editing by
Soledad López

Production Design by
Jesus Maria Herrero
Giulia Mafai

Makeup Department
Elisa Aspachs	....	makeup artist
Hipólita López	....	hair stylist
Piero Mecacci	....	makeup artist
Emilia Zachini	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Graziano Fabiani	....	assistant production manager
Enzo Ferla	....	unit production manager
Jaime Fernandez	....	production manager
José Pedro Villanueva	....	assistant production manager (as Pedro Villanueva)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lamberto Bava	....	assistant director
Mario Bianchi	....	second unit director
Ricardo Walker	....	assistant director

Art Department
Giuseppe Aldrovandi	....	assistant art director
Gianna Spirito	....	assistant decorator

Sound Department
Pietro Ortolani	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Jose Adrian	....	still photographer
Marcello Anconetani	....	assistant camera
Gianlorenzo Battaglia	....	assistant camera (as Gian Lorenzo Battaglia)
Avelino Carla	....	assistant camera
Jaime Deu Casas	....	camera operator
Giuseppe Parrabano	....	still photographer
Antonio Rinaldi	....	camera operator
Emilio Varriano	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nadia Fabriani	....	set costumer
Montserrat Riba Vidal	....	bridal gowns
José María Tresserra	....	bridal gowns

Editorial Department
Liliana Serra	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Luigi Zito	....	conductor

Other crew
Marisa Agostini	....	script supervisor
Antonio Angrisano	....	production secretary
Luigi Biamonte	....	title designer
Miro Grisanti	....	title designer
Patrizia Zulini	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Manuel Caño Sanciriaco
• Mercury Films
• Pan Latina Films
• Películas Ibarra y Cía.

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Ibérica S.A. (1970) (Spain) (theatrical)
• G.G.P. Releasing Company (1974) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Alpha Video Distributors (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Koch Media (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2005) (USA) (video)
• Reel Media International (2005) (USA) (TV)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Eagle Pictures (2006) (Italy) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (USA) (all media)
• AVCO Embassy Television (197?) (USA) (TV) (dubbed)
• Charter Entertainment (video)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Media Home Entertainment (video)
• Timeless Video (video)
• VCI Home Video (video)

Other Companies

• Digitmovies Alternative Entertainment  soundtrack

Also Known As:

"Il rosso segno della follia" - Italy (original title)
"An Axe for the Honeymoon" - International (English title) (informal literal title)

Runtime:

88 min | Spain:83 min

Country:

Italy | Spain

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:16 (re-rating) | Italy:VM18 | UK:X | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:Unrated | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain

Company:

Manuel Caño Sanciriaco

Trivia:

The TV show that Harrington refers to in an attempt to fool Inspector Russell is a clip from Mario Bava's own _Black Sabbath (1963)_ - specifically the "Wurdalak" sequence featuring Boris Karloff.

Quotes:

John Harrington:My name is John Harrington. I'm 30 years old. I'm a paranoiac. Paranoiac. An enchanting word, so civilized, full of possibilities. The truth is, I am completely mad. The realization which annoys me at first, but is now amusing to me. Quite amusing. Nobody suspects I am a madman. A dangerous murderer. Not Mildred, my wife. Nor the employees of my fashion center. Nor of course my customers.
[scoops a fly out of his drink]
John Harrington:Poor little fly. Why are you so daring? You're so fragile? Yet you're born, you reproduce yourself, and you die like man. The difference is you don't think. And, you don't need to remember. You don't fear death because you ignore it. You're insignificant life is a mere accident...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in American Psycho (2000)

Weddings Bava Style

Interesting, complex look at a man who must kill young brides in order to unlock the secret of who killed his own mother. With each hacked bride, the main character of Harrington sees more and more of his terrible childhood memory when he saw his own mother axed. The acting in this film is nothing terribly special, nor is the story, but Bava'a direction is a visual treasure to behold. As always, he makes the most he can with the camera lens. Some of the shots are inspiring as Bava directs our attention through small orifices sometimes like a small window. His use of a room with mannequins is very effective too. Bava even has fun with his little joke of having Harrington watching Bava's own Black Sabbath on television when having just killed his wife he is visited by the police. Style and visual artistry ripen all around only to be harvested by Bava's gluttonous camera lens. The plot, although missing huge pieces of coherence and logic, is fairly well-crafted. The acting is adequate. I particularly liked the actress that played Harrington's vitriolic wife and the character of the police inspector.The sense of the sixties and fanciful colours pervade almost every scene, and the soundtrack is very suitable to this material. For some horror fans, the film may seem somewhat slow, but it kept my interest throughout.