Lo squartatore di New York (1982)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Lucio Fulci

Writers:

Gianfranco Clerici (writer)
Lucio Fulci (writer)

Release Date:

4 March 1982 (Italy)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

New York City: It's a nice place to visit, but you wouldn't want to die there!

Plot:

A burned-out New York police detective teams up with a college psychoanalyst to track down a vicious serial killer randomly stalking and killing various young women around the city.

Plot Keywords:

Killer | Killing | City | Detective | New York

Cast

Jack Hedley	...	Lt. Fred Williams
Almanta Suska	...	Fay Majors (as Almanta Keller)
Howard Ross	...	Mickey Scellenda
Andrea Occhipinti	...	Peter Bunch (as Andrew Painter)
Alexandra Delli Colli	...	Jane Forrester Lodge
Paolo Malco	...	Dr. Paul Davis
Cinzia de Ponti	...	Rosie (ferry victim)
Cosimo Cinieri	...	Dr. Lodge (as Laurence Welles)
Daniela Doria	...	Kitty (prostitute)
Babette New	...	Mrs. Weissburger
Zora Kerova	...	Eva (sex show performer) (as Zora Kerowa)
Paul E. Guskin	...	Desk sergeant (as Paul Guskin)
Antone Pagan	...	Morales (as Anthon Kagan)
Josh Cruze	...	Chico (as Johs Cruze)
Marsha MacBride	...	Policewoman

Also Known As:

New York Ripper (USA) (video title)
Psycho Ripper
The New York Ripper
The Ripper

Runtime:

91 min | Argentina:89 min | USA:85 min | USA:93 min (director's cut) | Finland:80 min (cut) (video version) (1989)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:(Banned) (original rating) | Finland:(Banned) (uncut) (1982) (1985) | Finland:K-16 (heavily cut) (1989) | Finland:K-18 (heavily cut) (1985) | Australia:R (2005) (re-rating) | Norway:18 (re-rating) (uncut) (2007) | Sweden:15 (uncut) (video release) | Germany:(Banned) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Argentina:18 (re-rating) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Italy:VM14 (cut) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (self applied) (2007) | France:-16 | Italy:VM18 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:(Banned) | UK:(Banned) | UK:18 (cut) | USA:Unrated | Netherlands:16 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Columbia University - Broadway & 116th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Fulvia Film

Trivia:

The lead role was originally offered to Catriona MacColl who had previously starred in director Lucio Fulci's Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980), E tu vivrai nel terrore - L'aldilà (1981), and Quella villa accanto al cimitero (1981). She was apparently a little suspicious and turned the offer down. It would have been her second time appearing with Paolo Malco.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Last fighting scene -- obvious fake head when it is shot at.

Quotes:

Lt. Fred Williams: Well, if it isn't the big chief person himself.
Chief of Police: Hello, Fred. I need to talk to you and it's kind of hush-hush. Is there anywhere private where we can talk?
Lt. Fred Williams: Sure. How about the church across the street?

Movie Connections:

References Slavers (1978)

the end of an era

An elderly man is walking his dog one afternoon, he decides to throw a piece of wood and have his canine companion fetch, but when the dog brings back not a piece of wood, but a human hand the owner is reasonably perturbed. Thus begins Lucio Fulci's most notorious film "The New York Ripper", the most misogynistic film this side of William Lustig's "Maniac". Police detective Fred Williams (Jack Hedley) is after one sicko who cuts pretty women up in the cruelest fashion. The killer's Donald Duck voice is ludicrous and annoying, but the rampant nudity, over the top gore, red-herrings and the ultra-sleazy atmosphere make up for that in spades. It doesn't hurt that this is tightly scripted and nicely filmed either. This would be the last film in the second (and starting with "Lizard in a Woman's Skin" best) era of his three part career. The last and worst part would start with his next film "Manhattan Baby"

My Grade: B

Anchor Bay DVD Extras: Uncut version; Theatrical trailer and Lucio Fulci bio