Torso (1973) I corpi presentano tracce di violenza carnale (original title)

Director:

Sergio Martino

Writers:

Ernesto Gastaldi (screenplay)
Sergio Martino (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

November 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

One Day She Met a Man Who Loved Beautiful Women...But Not All in One Piece

Plot:

Someone is strangling coeds in Perugia. The only clue is that the killer owns a red and black scarf...

Plot Keywords:

Killer | Student | Strangling | Police | Friend

Cast

Suzy Kendall	...	Jane
Tina Aumont	...	Daniela
Luc Merenda	...	Roberto
John Richardson	...	Franz
Roberto Bisacco	...	Stefano Vanzi
Ernesto Colli	...	Gianni Tomasso, the scarf vendor
Angela Covello	...	Katia
Carla Brait	...	Ursula
Conchita Airoldi	...	Carol Peterson (as Cristina Airoldi)
Patrizia Adiutori	...	Florence Heineken
Luciano Bartoli	...	Motorcycle guy #1
Gianni Greco	...	Motorcycle guy #2
Luciano De Ambrosis	...	Inspector Martino
Enrico DiMarco	...	Village idiot
Giorgio Dolfin	...	Slim boy in the village
Carlo Alighiero	...	Uncle Nino
Vincenzo Crocitti	...	Delivery man
Luca Bonicalzi	...	Truck Driver
Fausto Di Bella	...	John - Flo's boyfriend
Giuseppe Terranova	...	Car repairman
Rosaria della Femmina	...	Prostitute
Ermelinda De Felice	...	Woman in car with Roberto
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dolores Calò	...	Woman with Green Dress at University Exit (uncredited)
Renato Cestiè	...	Gianni - Little Kid (uncredited)
Carolyn De Fonseca	...	Prostitute (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Vera Drudi	...	Stefano's Grandmother (uncredited)
Giuseppe Marrocco	...	Policeman - First Crime Scene (uncredited)
Barbara Marzano	...	Hippie Dancer (uncredited)
Osvaldo Natale	...	Policeman - First Crime Scene (uncredited)
Alberto Sorrentino	...	Countryman - First Crime Scene (uncredited)
Susan Spafford	...	Jane (voice: English version) (uncredited)

Directed by
Sergio Martino

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ernesto Gastaldi		screenplay
Sergio Martino		screenplay
Sergio Martino		story

Produced by
Antonio Levesi Cervi	....	executive producer (as Antonio Cervi)
Carlo Ponti	....	producer

Original Music by
Guido De Angelis
Maurizio De Angelis

Cinematography by
Giancarlo Ferrando

Film Editing by
Eugenio Alabiso

Production Design by
Giantito Burchiellaro

Art Direction by
Giantito Burchiellaro

Costume Design by
Silvio Laurenzi
Vera Marzot

Makeup Department
Maria-Luisa Fraticelli	....	hair stylist
Mario Van Riel	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Giuseppe Bruno Bossio	....	production supervisor
Dino Di Salvo	....	production manager
Andrea Petricca	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michele Massimo Tarantini	....	assistant director (as Michael E. Lemick)

Sound Department
Luciano Anzellotti	....	sound effects
Alberto Moretti	....	sound recordist
Romano Pampaloni	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Bruno Pellegrini	....	assistant camera
Paolo Pettini	....	still photographer
Adolfo Troiani	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Amedeo Moriani	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Anita Borgiotti	....	continuity
Lewis E. Ciannelli	....	english adaptation (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Compagnia Cinematografica Champion

Distributors

• Joseph Brenner Associates (JBA) (1974) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Irfan Film (1974) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• Frontier Amusements (1975) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Prism Entertainment Corporation (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Stomp Visual (2006) (Australia) (DVD) (as "Carnal Violence")
• Firebox (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Shameless Screen Entertainment (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• Blue Underground (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Another World Entertainment (2007) (Denmark) (DVD)
• Blue Underground (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Video Classics (Australia) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Digitmovies Alternative Entertainment  soundtrack

Also Known As:

"I corpi presentano tracce di violenza carnale" - Italy (original title)
"Carnal Violence" - Europe (English title)
"The Bodies Presented Traces of Carnal Violence" - International (English title) (literal English title)

Runtime:

Australia:85 min | USA:92 min | Italy:89 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 (1993) (cut) | UK:X (1975) (cut) | UK:18 (uncut DVD version) | Norway:18 (uncut DVD version) (2009) | Italy:VM14 | Italy:VM18 (DVD rating) | New Zealand:R18 | Finland:K-18 (self applied) (2001) | Australia:R | USA:R | Iceland:(Banned)

Filming Locations:

Corcolle, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Compagnia Cinematografica Champion

Trivia:

During production, none of the cast was told who the killer was. And because of the high amount of red herrings in the film, many of the actresses were convinced it was someone else doing all the murders.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the train, the camera operator's arm is reflected in the carriage door. Also, when the man enters the train carriage and closes the door, the camera crew and boom pole are reflected in the glass.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ban the Sadist Videos! (2005) (V)

Not As Bad As Many People Think

I Corpi Presentano Tracce di Violenza Carnale/Torso(1973) is an overlooked and stylish giallo that doesn't get any respect. A portion of the people who responded to the film with negative comments are probably the same who thought that the Scream trilogy were clever and good. Sergio Martino fills the screen with beautiful women, black glove assassain, good music, and outstanding murder set pieces. I wouldn't have like this film if the director had done an Argento copycat.

Although the video is said to be uncut, it still has the look of a movie with some scenes trimmed. One example is the first murder. Another example is the murder of the woman in the woods. What also gives the impression of a trimmed film are the sudden jump cuts in certain spots during the movie.

Suzy Kendall and Tina Aumont are stunning as the main female characters. The murder of Dani is a little shocking because the film teases the viewer with the idea that she will be the main heroine. Torso(1973) seems to be the main blue print for the plot of Prom Night(1980)(another film that deals with a person who kills because of something from the past). Torso(1973) would provide an influence on American slasher flicks including Friday the 13th(1980), Friday the 13th Part 2(1981), Halloween(1978), I Know What You Did Last Summer(1997), Maniac(1980), My Bloody Valentine(1981), and Scream 2(1997).

The opening scene is shot with some terrific camera angles. Torso(1973) is one of the top ten giallos of the 1970's. The combination of sex & violence in Torso(1973) is a prime example of the bread and butter of the genre. The scene where Suzy Kendall has to hide from the murderer is less on suspense and more on tension.

The murder scene in the woods is shot with an atmospheric touch. The musical score by the DeAngelis brothers is as good as anything by Goblin. The make up effects are above average. My favorite part are the final twenty minutes.

the story is well written by Ernesto Gastaldi who is also known for some memorable Italian flicks as The Horrible Dr. Hitchcock(Freda), The Whip and the Body(Bava), I am Sartana, Your Angel of Death(Carnimeo), and Sahara Cross(valerii). This is Martino's third terrific giallo right after The Blade of the Ripper(1970), and The Tail of the Scorpion(1971). The image and sound of the video are terrific. There are some elements from the giallo format that the teen slasher genre has yet to pick up.