NAKED GIRL MURDERED IN THE PARK

Robert Hoffman and Irina Demick

NAKED GIRL MURDERED IN THE PARK (aka Raga tutta nuda assassinata nel parco/1972). Director: Alfonso Brescia. 

A man named Wallenberger is found dead coming out of the Tunnel of Terrors in an amusement park in Madrid. Insurance investigator Chris Buyer (Robert Hoffman) is assigned to the case to see if he can save the company from a million dollar pay-out. To that end, the handsome fellow romances Wallenberg's daughter, Catherine (Pilar Velazquez of A White Dress for Mariale), then winds up at her estate, where he also sleeps with her sister, Barbara (Patrizia Adiutori), and almost gets it on with their mother, Magda (Irina Demick). Inspector Huber (Adolfo Celi of Who Saw Her Die?) is also on the case, especially when more murders begin to occur. Other characters and suspects include waitress Kirsty (Teresa Gimpera of The Night of the Scorpion), Chris' co-worker Martin (Philippe Leroy of The Possessed) and the rugged and mute stable boy, Gunther (Howard Ross of The Killer Reserved Nine Seats). 

Demick with Adolfo Celi

At one point in this sometimes confusing Italian murder mystery, there is indeed a dead nude woman, although she isn't found in the park. Naked Girl sets up some intriguing situations, even if it doesn't always milk them for all that their worth. Austrian-born Hoffmann makes a cool insurance investigator and unrepentant lover boy, and the ladies are all attractive and competent. The best thing about the modestly suspenseful film, which hasn't much style, is a clever final twist. A nominal giallo film. 

Verdict: Interesting if highly imperfect Italian thriller. **3/4. 

THE NIGHT OF THE SCORPION

Jose Antonio Amor and Nuria Torray

THE NIGHT OF THE SCORPION (aka La casa de las muertas vivientes/1972). Director: Alfonso Blacazar.

"Your father has been dead a long time now and I consider you part of my inheritance." -- Sara. 

Oliver (Jose Antonio Amor) believes that he was responsible for the falling death of his wife, Helen (Gioia Desideri), during an argument when he was drunk. A year later he arrives back at his castle-like home with a new wife, Ruth (Daniela Giordano), whom he barely knows. The household now consists of the newlyweds; Oliver's sister, Jenny (Teresa Gimpera of The Black Box Affair), who was in love with Helen; and Oliver's stepmother Sara (Nuria Torray), who is hopelessly in love  -- and lust -- with him.  At night Sara becomes a peeping Thomasina, peering at Oliver and Ruth -- as she did Oliver and Helen -- through a hole as they make love. Ruth decides to bring a private detective  (Osvaldo Genazzini) into this twisted situation so that he can get at the truth, but things may not work out quite the way the young woman intended ... 

Amor with Teresa Gimpera 

The Night of the Scorpion -- there's no explanation for the title -- takes a good while to build up any steam. The first murder doesn't occur for a full hour. The dubbed actors all seem more than competent, but when the action finally starts it occurs at a comically fast pace. We're asked to believe that Ruth would go down into a dark cellar by herself  right after she's found two corpses! The best scene is a violent and erotic fantasy of Sara's in which she murders Ruth and then has sex with her stepson. A dubbed Spanish-Italian co-production. 

Verdict:  Delightfully sick at times but ultimately third-rate. **1/2. 

THE BLACK BOX AFFAIR

Craig Hill

THE BLACK BOX AFFAIR (aka Il mondo trema/1966). Director: James Harris (Marcello Ciorciolini). 

Johnny Grant (Craig Hill of You Have to Run Fast) is a spy who retired when his wife was murdered, but former boss Mr. X (Herbert Montureano) and his old partner, Pablo (Luis Marin), need him back in the game. Various agents have gathered to try to recover a "black box" from an aircraft that crashed. This does not refer to the black boxes you generally find in airplanes, but to a mysterious device with unusual properties that Russian and Chinese agents want to get their hands on. Johnny decides to join in when he learns that his arch-enemy Fabian (Rolf Tasna), who was responsible for his wife's death, is also up to his old tricks. 

Hill with Rossella Bergamonti

Johnny and Pablo bounce around and eventually wind up in Vienna, where there is some action at the amusement park (which later figured in the James Bond movie The Living Daylights). Johnny dallies with several ladies: the drug-addicted Ambra (Moa Tahi); the duplicitous Myriam (Rossella Bergamonti); and the lovely Madame Florian (Teresa Gimpera), who may also have her own secrets. The movie has plenty of lively fistfights, especially at the opening, and Hill makes a splendid spy. The villains try to kill Johnny by blowing up an entire airliner, but he hardly seems concerned about this, and is making jokes with Pablo not much later. Twenty-four years after appearing together in this film Hill and Gimpera were married. 

Verdict: Slugfests are not enough to make a great movie, but Hill is effective and this at least holds the attention. **1/2.