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IMDb > Il rosso segno della follia (1970)

Il rosso segno della follia (1970) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.2/10   816 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Mario Bava (screenplay)
Santiago Moncada (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Hatchet for the Honeymoon on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
9 February 1974 (USA) more
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Reviews:
A fiendish and colorful psycho drama from the great Mario Bava. more (29 total)

Cast

  (in credits order)
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
José Ignacio Abadal ... Kane
Silvia Lienas ... Vicky
Montserrat Riva ... Bride on Train
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Guido Barlocci ... John Harrington as a boy (uncredited)
Bruno Boschetti ... (uncredited)
Elina De Witt ... (uncredited)
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Directed by
Mario Bava 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Mario Bava  screenplay
Santiago Moncada  writer

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 CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
An Axe for the Honeymoon (International: English title) (informal literal title)
Blood Brides (UK)
Hatchet for the Honeymoon (USA)
The Red Mark of Madness
The Red Sign of Madness
Un hacha para la luna de miel (Spain)
Un'accetta per la luna di miele (Italy)
more
Runtime:
105 min | Spain:83 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:

Fun Stuff

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. more
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...
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in American Psycho (2000) more

FAQ

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2 out of 2 people found the following review useful.
A fiendish and colorful psycho drama from the great Mario Bava., 27 September 2009
10/10
Author: SickBoySimon from Brentwood, USA

Handsome bridal shop owner is troubled by mysteries from his childhood which seem to drive him to murder brides-to-be. However he may have other problems after the ghost of his vindictive wife starts to haunt him.

Hatchet for the Honeymoon is one deliciously strange and darkly comical chiller from the great Mario Bava. As usual Bava's direction is excellent and inventive; particularly the dynamic camera-work and vivid imagery. The story is quite compelling as it goes against the norm and takes the killer's point of view and makes us surprisingly sympathetic toward him. The plot also takes some nicely off-beat twists as it brims with moments of macabre humor, sharp suspense, and some touches of dream-like surrealism. In addition the music score of Sante Maria Romitelli is jazzy and quite beautiful at times; a nice contribution to the colorful cinematography.

The cast is fairly solid too. Star Stephen Forsyth does a wonderfully brooding performance and makes his psychotic character strangely likable (one wonders if Bret Easton Ellis saw this film before writing American Psycho). Forsyth is perfectly matched by co-star Laura Betti, who does a fiendish performance as Forsyth's domineering wife.

Hatchet for the Honeymoon is a real treat for fans of Bava and the giallo genre, or those that just enjoy odd-ball horror films. It's one of Bava's most interesting works and remains perhaps the most overlooked of his films.

*** 1/2 out of ****

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