5 bambole per la luna d'agosto (1970)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Mario Bava

Writer:

Mario di Nardo (writer)

Release Date:

14 February 1970 (Italy)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

A small group of people come to an island to relax but soon find themselves trapped on the island with a murderer in their midst.

Plot Keywords:

Lesbian Sex | Nudity | Lesbianism | Slit Wrists | Suicide

Cast

William Berger	...	Prof. Fritz Farrell
Ira von Fürstenberg	...	Trudy Farrell (as Ira Furstenberg)
Edwige Fenech	...	Marie Chaney
Howard Ross	...	Jack Davidson
Helena Ronee	...	Peggy Davidson
Teodoro Corrà	...	George Stark
Ely Galleani	...	Isabel (as Justine Gall)
Edith Meloni	...	Jill Stark
Mauro Bosco	...	Jacques
Maurice Poli	...	Nick Chaney

Also Known As:

Five Dolls for an August Moon
Island of Terror (USA) (dubbed version)

Runtime:

88 min | USA:78 min | France:90 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Italy:VM18 | UK:18 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Anzio, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Produzioni Atlas Consorziate (P.A.C.)

Quotes:

Nick Chaney: So what was I telling you?
Marie Chaney: That I'm a dirty whore. That's why I'm taking a shower...at least now I'll be a clean whore.

Movie Connections:

References La dolce vita (1960)

Soundtrack:

Ti Risveglierai Accanto a me

Weird, Flawed and Silly Black Humor Comedy

The wealthy investor George Stark (Teodoro Corrá), his partner Jack Davidson (Howard Ross) and their business friend Nick Chaney (Maurice Poli) invite Professor Fritz Farrell (William Berger) and his wife Trudy Farrell (Ira Furstenberg) to spend a weekend with their wives Jill Stark (Edith Meloni), Peggy Davison (Helena Ronee) and Marie Chaney (Edwige Fenech) in a remote island that belongs to George. Fritz has invented a formula of an industrial resin and the three businessmen wants to convince the scientist to sell it to them for millions of dollar. The host George releases his yacht and crew to stay alone in the island with his wife, guests and the young woman Isabel (Justine Gall). When the houseboy and lover of Marie Jacques (Mauro Bosco) is found dead on the beach, they realize that the phone is out of order, so they can not call the police; they bring the corpse to the refrigerating chamber where meet and food are stocked. Fritz refuses to sell his formula and while on the beach, Isabel surprisingly shoots him on the head; however his body is not found. Then, each guest is murdered and the survivors bring the bodies to the freeze and try to discover who might be the killer.

"5 Doll for an August Moon" is a weird, flawed and silly black humor comedy of Mario Bava. The development of the key character Isabel is awful and the viewer never knows who she is, what the relationship of her parents and George is and why she is in the island during a business meeting. The plot is inconsistent, like for example, when Peggy is murdered – the situation does not make sense in the end. The final twist is confused and I did not understand the situation: Fritz is accused of killing his associate Dr. Kruger. If that is true, why? Wasn't he an altruist man that did not want to sell the formula but donate is for magnanimous purposes? If he confessed the crime under the influence of Pentothal, why would Isabel bother to bring him to justice? Wouldn't be smarter using the Pentothal to get the number of his bank account? My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): Not Available