Search - Torso on DVD

EXCELLENT DVD - Euro Trash at it's BEST

frankenberry | Los Angeles, CA USA | 04/05/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anchor Bay's DVD of TORSO is incredible - the image is crisp, sharp, colorful and there is no artifacting whatsoever. The print is also UNCUT! For years the film was seen in the US only in an edited version with most of the gore and sex cut out. It's great to finally see the entire uncut film with it's original opening and the extra sex and gore bits....I love the head crushing scene (albeit kind of fake) plus there's extra shots of the killer sawing up the bodies into little pieces. What more do you want? There's the cool looking hooded killer plus lots of stylistic giallo touches...this movie is better than ever especially in this impeccable presentation. It's letterboxed and includes the fun US trailer-"Tor---so!" as well as the original euro-trailer. A few shots in the film are in italian with english-subtitles because either the english track was never recorded or it had been lost...but it's not annoying at all and you just can't help loving this disc...especially if you are into euro-sleaze! One of Anchor Bay's best!"

Stylish, gripping giallo-thriller

Libretio | 02/24/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"
TORSO
[I Corpi Presentano Tracce di Violenza Carnale]

(Italy - 1973)

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Theatrical soundtrack: Mono

Following the murder of several classmates by a frenzied sex-killer, a group of female students retire to an isolated villa until police have apprehended a viable suspect. But the maniac is wise to their deception, and he/she follows them...

This stylish, gripping giallo-thriller - the equal of anything directed by Dario Argento at the time - was co-written by veteran scribe Ernesto Gastaldi and director Sergio Martino, the latter a journeyman technician whose commercial ethos catapulted him from one genre to another within the dictates of Italian popular cinema (cf. BLADE OF THE RIPPER, THE VIOLENT PROFESSIONALS, SEX WITH A SMILE, etc.). Despite bland performances from an unremarkable cast (including Euro stalwarts Suzy Kendall [THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE], John Richardson [THE MASK OF SATAN] and Luc Merenda [THEY CALLED HIM AMEN]), and some pretty obvious red herrings amongst the supporting players, TORSO is augmented by a number of beautifully crafted set-pieces (most notably the stalking of a young woman [Cristina Airoldi] through desolate marshland by the masked maniac), photographed with stunning visual flair by Martino's regular DP Giancarlo Ferrando (THE CASE OF THE SCORPION'S TAIL) and edited to perfection by Eugenio Alabiso (MOUNTAIN OF THE CANNIBAL GOD).

The second half of the movie, during which Kendall becomes enmeshed in a nightmarish situation at a remote but picturesque country villa, is genuinely nerve-racking, staged with cat-and-mouse efficiency by Martino at his most inspired. Spiced with audience-pleasing elements of sex and violence which tested the limits of censorship in 1973, TORSO is a minor gem. Produced by Carlo Ponti, previously responsible for the likes of WAR AND PEACE (1956) and DOCTOR ZHIVAGO!
"

Awesome Italian Slasher!!

kurlebj | Hackettstown, New Jersey United States | 05/13/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Torso is a great depiction of the better side of italian cinema. There are a lot of really good italian horror/slasher films and a lot of bad ones. This is a great example of a very good one. This film has everything you could ask for in a movie like this: Great violence scenes, nudity with very good looking italian women, good plot line and some stylish camera work to boot. Torso is relatively the same film as a movie called "Pieces" but this film is much much better. The dubbing can of course get a little annoying but honestly, the movie was so good that after about 15 minutes I barely noticed it. Overall, very stylish italian horror from the 70's. Pick this one up...it's a keeper."

Euro Sleaze at its Finest!

kurlebj | 05/12/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Anchor Bay's transfer is wonderful and any fan of this film will just wallow in all it's uncut, widescreen glory. Misogynistic, trashy and quite dumb but never dull and director Sergio Martino creates some very tense, suspenseful moments and stylish sequences. Best scene has an injured Suzy Kendall hiding from the killer as he takes a hacksaw to her friends."