Don't Torture A Duckling (1972)

An ultra-rare Lucio Fulci film that's finally seeing wide spread distribution thanks to the folks over at Anchor Bay Entertainment. And, you may be asking yourself, is this a good thing or a bad thing Rabid Ryan? Well, first things first, even though old Lucio directed this one, don't expect to see any zombies or undead priests lurking about. This one was made about 7 years prior to Fulci's leap into the horror genre, so what we have here is sort of a mystery/suspense type flick. In a rural Italian village someone is murdering the town's small boys, and all the typical red herrings are thrown into play. Is it the village idiot, the local witch, or a former drug addict who recently moved into town? The whole child murder aspect virtually assures this film, as the box for this one states, "would never be remade by an American studio". Not only for that, but there is also an uncomfortable scene in which a young woman lies nude in front of a ten year old, and playfully teases him with her nakedness, all the while trying to seduce him into bed. There is something not right about seeing a naked chick and a ten year old in the same shot. Pedophilia and child murders aside, this one pretty much turns into a straight out whodunit as a reporter teams up with the former druggie to track down the killer. The most amazing thing here is, we actually have a Fulci film that has a linear plot that, of all things, actually makes sense! Unbelievable huh? As for the gonzo-gore we come to expect from Lucio, that stuff would not come until 79's "Zombie", but there are two scenes that get pretty graphic. The famous chain-whipping everyone talks about is in here, which in my mind is harder to watch than the one in "The Beyond". Also look for the body that falls off the cliff, getting ripped to pieces on its way down. Pretty phony looking, but cool nonetheless. The identity of the killer, when revealed, is still somewhat shocking, and I can imagine how that went over in Catholic dominated Italy back in 1972. Check it out if you are interested in what Fulci did before "Gates of Hell" and the like.