Murder Syndrome

Original title: Murder Obsession

19811981
Not RatedNot Rated
1h 32m

IMDb RATING

5.3/10

827

YOUR RATING

Horror Mystery

Michael is a successful actor, but he has a scandal in his past: at a tender age he knifed his father to death. He and his girlfriend Deborah go to his mother's for the weekend, and are join... Read allMichael is a successful actor, but he has a scandal in his past: at a tender age he knifed his father to death. He and his girlfriend Deborah go to his mother's for the weekend, and are joined by the director and others from a recent film project. But they are given a rather cool... Read allMichael is a successful actor, but he has a scandal in his past: at a tender age he knifed his father to death. He and his girlfriend Deborah go to his mother's for the weekend, and are joined by the director and others from a recent film project. But they are given a rather cool reception by the superstitious housekeeper Oliver. Soon rude things begin happening to so... Read all

IMDb RATING

5.3/10

827

YOUR RATING

- Riccardo Freda
Writers
- Antonio Cesare Corti(screenplay)
- Riccardo Freda(screenplay)
- Simon Mizrahi(dialogue)
Stars

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Photos18

Silvia Dionisio in Murder Syndrome (1981)

Anita Strindberg in Murder Syndrome (1981)

John Richardson in Murder Syndrome (1981)

Stefano Patrizi in Murder Syndrome (1981)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
All entries contain spoilers

Goofs
When Beryl is found dead, she is clearly seen breathing.

Crazy credits
The closing credits appear on a still photograph of the black magic book used for the black mass.

Connections
Featured in Zombiethon (1986)

Soundtracks
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Written by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Franco Mannino

User reviews19

Review

Featured review

A summation of the Italian Golden Age of Horror

A group of filmmakers travel to the family home of the lead actor to scout locations. They are greeted by his disturbed mother and her sinister servant.

Maestro Freda's last feature is a baroque masterwork which indeed forms a kind of review of the entire Italian horror tradition from BLACK SUNDAY on. BLACK SUNDAY lead actor John Richardson appears as the servant in a possible nod to former Freda collaborator Mario Bava.

The story contains many elements from other horror films: PSYCHO, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, DEEP RED, but Freda tells the tale in an ornate style referencing classical art and music in his imagery and on the soundtrack. The acting is mediocre, but the carefully composed imagery makes up for it. Such hallucinatory visions as a clutch of bleeding skulls, a giant spider and black mass which resembles both a Dali painting and a Michaelangelo sculpture are indelible. Highly recommended for Italian horror and Freda fans. A very underrated film which shows the director still at the apex of his creative powers.

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