Reazione a catena (1971)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Mario Bava

Writers:

Franco Barberi (story)
Mario Bava (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

3 May 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The second movie rated "V" for violence.

Plot:

An elderly heiress is killed by her husband who wants control of her fortunes. What ensues is an all-out...

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Inheritance | Murder | Joy | Child

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Claudine Auger	...	Renata
Luigi Pistilli	...	Albert
Claudio Camaso	...	Simon (as Claudio Volonté)
Anna Maria Rosati	...	Laura
Chris Avram	...	Frank Ventura
Leopoldo Trieste	...	Paolo Fossati
Laura Betti	...	Anna Fossati
Brigitte Skay	...	Brunhilda
Isa Miranda	...	Countess Federica Donati
Paola Montenero	...	Denise (as Paola Rubens)
Guido Boccaccini	...	Duke
Roberto Bonanni	...	Robert
Giovanni Nuvoletti	...	Count Filippo Donati
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Renato Cestiè	...	Renata and Albert's Son (uncredited)
Nicoletta Elmi	...	Renata and Albert's Daughter (uncredited)

Directed by
Mario Bava

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Franco Barberi		story
Mario Bava		screenplay
Filippo Ottoni		screenplay
Dardano Sacchetti		story
Giuseppe Zaccariello		(screenplay) (as Joseph McLee)

Produced by
Giuseppe Zaccariello	....	producer

Original Music by
Stelvio Cipriani

Cinematography by
Mario Bava

Film Editing by
Carlo Reali

Production Design by
Sergio Canevari

Art Direction by
Sergio Canevari

Costume Design by
Enrico Sabbatini

Makeup Department
Adalgisa Favella	....	hair stylist
Franco Freda	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Roberto Cicutto	....	production supervisor
Fernando Franchi	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lamberto Bava	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Carlo Diotallevi	....	sound recordist
Gene Luotto	....	post-synchronization
Carlo Tarchi	....	sound

Special Effects by
Carlo Rambaldi	....	special effects (as Rambaldi)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gianlorenzo Battaglia	....	assistant camera (as Lorenzo Battaglia)
Emilio Varriano	....	camera operator
Franco Vitale	....	still photographer

Other crew
Patrizia Zulini	....	continuity
Pino Locchi	....	voice dubbing: Claudio Camaso (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Nuova Linea Cinematografica

Distributors

• Hallmark Releasing Corp. (1972) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Ambassador Film Distributors (1982) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Alberto Bitelli Intl. Films (1972) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• Internacional Films Distribución (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Astro Distribution (2001) (Belgium) (DVD)
• DMEG (2004) (Sweden) (video)
• Gorgon Video (198?) (USA) (VHS)
• Hokushin Audio Visual (1981) (UK) (video)
• Image Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• M.I.B. (Germany) (DVD)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Raro Video/Nocturno (2005) (Italy) (DVD)
• Simitar Video (USA) (DVD)
• Starz Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Stomp Visual (2005) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Digitmovies Alternative Entertainment  soundtrack

Also Known As:

A Bay of Blood (International: English title) (uncensored intended title) (USA)
Antefatto - Ecologia del delitto (Italy) (new title)
Bloodbath (UK)
Bloodbath Bay of Death (UK) (unauthorized video title)
Carnage
Chain Reaction (Italy) (literal English title)
E così imparano a fare i cattivi (Italy) (working title)
Ecology of a Crime (International: English title) (informal literal title)
The Antecedent (USA) (informal title)
The Last House on the Left, Part II (USA) (reissue title)
Twitch of the Death Nerve (USA) (new title)

Runtime:

84 min | 76 min (cut)

Country:

Italy

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Australia:R | UK:18 (re-rating: 1994) (cut) | UK:(Banned) (1984-1994) | UK:R (original rating: 1972) | France:-16 | Netherlands:16 | UK:18 (uncut version, re-rating) | Norway:18 (DVD rating) (2009) (uncut) | Italy:VM14 | Italy:VM18 (DVD rating) | Spain:18 | USA:R | West Germany:(Banned) | Argentina:16 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Sabaudia, Latina, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Nuova Linea Cinematografica

Trivia:

In America, the film was marketed as "The Second Film Rated 'V' for Violence!" during its first release.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (2006)

More stylish and a lot gorier than most slasher films...

There's something about Italian horror films that is both delightful and disturbing. Maybe it's the way the Italian filmmakers can perceive an emotional core in a bloody murder scene. "Twitch of the Death Nerve" (it's the title I like best!) is a good, fun, atmospheric, easy-going scary movie that does not relent on upsetting bloodspill!!! Some of it may seem old hat now because of what was directly stolen from this movie and used in the Friday the 13th movies, but Bava has an edge in the way he allows his death victims to live for a few horrifying seconds after their necks have been severed! That's what was so scary to me. You can run through the woods, away from a maniac with a chainsaw and that's all quite frightening and fun, but usually these victims don't even get to do that as they usually just walk right into it... And then they're dead and it's over. In Bava's movies (at least this one), they still have a bit of a residual pulse in them (hence the title?) and this allows the viewer to imagine everything that is going on in their minds during those last few precious seconds of life. Wow! The two deaths that demonstrate this most vividly are the first one with the lady in the wheelchair (this was by far the most visually inventive) and the running girl whose neck gets caught onto the hook (this was the most upsetting of them all). The plot is negligible and Bava's visuals aren't as wonderfully surreal as Argento's, but he has a unique, confident sense of filmmaking. I can't wait to see his older films because I'm guessing that he might employ a more genteel approach to the murders, which I guess I've always preferred.