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

Director:

Sergio Martino

Writers:

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

Release Date:

8 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 | Friend | Villa | Student | Police

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:

Australia:R | USA:R | Iceland:(Banned) | 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) | West Germany:Not Rated (BPjM restricted)

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 Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape (2010) (V)

Creepy, somewhat slow-moving, yet still effective giallo

I admire this piece of giallo cinema because of its great style and how director Sergio Martino contrasts the gorgeously beautiful Italian countryside with the bloody activities of a mysterious gloved killer. In this film, the killer is unique because he/she casts a very unique, eerie presence whenever hinted at or briefly shown onscreen, usually wearing some sort of ski mask to hide his/her face. I also like the plot revolving around the red and black scarf, and how it ties in with the identity of the murderer. The story follows a group of young, gorgeous Italian coeds frightened when their friends start dropping like flies at the hands of a brutal slasher, who likes to strangle, stab and fondle the nude bodies of his victims (another sick, effective touch which makes the film all the more nasty). Four of the girls flee to a villa in a small, scenic village to get away from all the atrocities committed on campus. Of course, the killer has followed them there and is set on killing them off one by one. This film is very perverted in ways, the killings are all sexually sadistic in nature, and the motive basically revolves around the dangerous sexual games played by the beautiful coeds. I can't say more without revealing clues which may give away the killer's identity. "Torso" is also loaded with female nudity, as the film starts right off with a wild orgy going on as the credits roll, complete with close up shots of naked breasts. There is also a slight lesbian subplot involving two of the girls, although we don't see anything that graphic at all. No male nudity is present, which is too bad, I was really waiting for one of my fav hot actors, John Richardson, to take something off, but no such luck. Again, this movie is creepily effective, well-acted, and has great photography, and even if you do find it slow-moving, keep with it, as the finale is probably the best part of the film as the heroine has to watch the killer carve up her friends, one of the most unnerving sequences I have ever seen captured on film. The music is pretty good for the most part, but at times it seems like music better suited to a porno flick. And another thing to mention is, the uncut version of this movie doesn't seem to have that much gore at all, I just figured it would since such a big deal was made about it being uncut with all the "grisly violence" finally restored. It still seems like you're watching the R-rated version. Oh, well. This is still a fun movie, especially for those who love Italian horror.