Femi Benussi Movies
- 1975
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Set in 1902 in an Irish island castle, actually the same Italian castle masquerading as an English one in 1967's Assassino Senza Volto, Giacomo Rossi Stuart stars as Count Marnak, who invites a traveling theater troupe to stay at the castle as his guests. Marnak soon becomes obsessed with the troupe's beautiful star, Evelyn (Patrizia De Rossi), who looks enough like his deceased wife to be her identical twin, and the two begin a passionate affair. There are several of those affairs going around for the viewer's voyeuristic benefit, including the standard faux-lesbian scene, but they are soon brought to a halt as many of the participants' heads get cut off by an unseen killer. Rumors of vampirism and unintentionally humorous attempts at Gothic atmosphere are quickly forgotten in favor of the usual red herrings and butchery, leading to the unmasking of a deranged psychopath. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
A leather-clad killer who hides his identity under a motorcycle helmet goes on a depraved killing spree in this unabashedly sadistic giallo directed by Andrea Bianchi (Burial Ground) and starring Nino Castelnuovo and Femi Benussi. A fashion model has died while receiving an illegal abortion, and after the abortionist is slain, the black-clad killer begins targeting the deceased model's former co-workers. One by bloody one the models begin to fall prey to the mysterious killer, and all of the crimes have one thing in common - the victims were all forced to strip nude before meeting their grim fate. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Cult filmmaker Umberto Lenzi directed this bloody, gangster-oriented thriller starring Tomas Milian in a rare sympathetic role as Rambo, a principled biker who runs afoul of a blind crimelord (Joseph Cotten). The plot is standard Italian crime fare, but Milian's performance alone makes this gritty effort worth seeing for genre devotees. Shirley Corrigan, Ida Galli (as Evelyn Stewart), and Femi Benussi co-star, and Vincenzo Mannino wrote the hard-edged script. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tomas Milian, Joseph Cotten, (more)
Spaghetti meets chop-suey in the Italian/Spanish/Hong Kong production Blood Money. Lee VanCleef plays an adventurer in search of a treasure buried somewhere in the orient. The clues are tattooed on the backs of four lovely young ladies. This translates to lots of exposed epidermis, not to mention a surplus of blood-and-gore. VanCleef emerges from the confusion with his reputation intact, but most of the supporting actors were never heard from again. Blood Money was produced by Sir Run Run Shaw, Hong Kong's leading purveyor of box-office bonanzas. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lee Van Cleef, Lo Lieh, (more)
- 1973
This Italian feature caters to a self-congratulatory stereotype of male virility which many an Italian male might fantasize as being true for himself. Paolo is from the lower ranks of the Sicilian nobility, and he shares his grandfather's penchant for beautiful women. Indeed, he proved his readiness for bedroom sports at age 10, when he beat his grandfather to the bed of a lovely young new house servant. As a grownup, Paolo (Giancarlo Giannini) now lives in Rome and cuts a wide swath through the female population of that town. Though the depiction of his succession of conquests is repetitive, one of the film's highlights is the great beauty of the numerous women he has encounters with. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1972
- R
This Italian action film focuses on a crook, framed as a drug kingpin, whose wife is killed by the mob as a result. He must take matters into his own hands to have revenge. Manhunt was also re-titled The Italian Connection to steal thunder from its French counterpart. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Woody Strode, Cyril Cusack, (more)
Rosso Segno Della Folia, an Italian horror film written, directed and photographed by Mario Bava, is the bloody story of an impotent man who turns to murder to vent his frustrations. The designer and owner of a fashion design business (Stephen Forsyth), frustrated with his own sexual failure, murders the new brides who have modelled his fashions. When he decides to murder his wife, she becomes the ghost who will not leave him alone. Director Bava, who began his career as a cinematographer, while directing mostly low-budget horror films, has become a cult figure among some fans and critics who admire his unique and beautiful visual style and his often very amusing exaggeration of the cliches of the genre. Rosso Segno Della Folia, released in the United States as Hatchet for a Honeymoon is not the best of Mario Bava's work, but this above-average horror film is a must see for those who love the genre and admire stylish horror films. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- 1968
The thin plot of this film takes place during the Napoleonic invasion of Germany and is a backdrop for displaying several nude females. Susanne (Terry Torday) is the hostess of a well-known house of ill repute on the Lahn River. Susanne travels to Italy to deliver a message to Count Enrico (Jeffrey Hunter), an amorous lover under the spell of Napoleon's sister. She sets him up with a bride and manages to uncover some military secrets in the court of the amorous emperor. Folk songs were written about this actual historical hostess who dazzled young students with her legendary beauty. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pascale Petit, Jeffrey Hunter, (more)
- 1968
Vittorio De Sica delivers a full-blown comic performance as Cesare Celli, an American gangster exiled to Italy and kidnapped by a collection of inept crooks. These incompetents are headed by Harry Price (Robert Wagner), who demands a ransom from Cesare's friends for his safe return. When none of Cesare's friends send money to rescue Cesare from the kidnappers, Cesare is outraged and concocts a scheme for a five-million-dollar platinum robbery as a way to pay Harry's gang back for their efforts and to get his revenge on a world that has ignored him. Cesare trains his collection of nincompoops for the robbery and imports the famed Professor Samuels (Edward G. Robinson) to plan the heist. After a series of problems raising the money for the robbery and obligatory bumblings by the gang, Cesare and his men are ready to proceed with the heist. But then, right before the robbery, Harry and his girlfriend, Juliana (Raquel Welch), decide to betray Cesare and abscond with the platinum themselves. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andrea Aurelia, Paola Borboni, (more)
Originally Uccellacci e Uccellini, The Hawks and the Sparrows was adapted by director Pier Paolo Pasolini from his own novel. Italian comedian Toto plays a dual role, as "himself" and 12th century monk Brother Ciccillo. In modern times, Toto and his son Ninetto Davoli come across a talking crow who insists upon asking them where they're going. The answer, it turns out, is eight centuries into the past, where Toto and Davoli become monks, employed by Francis of Assisi to convert the birds of the world to Christianity. Unfortunately, every sparrow that they win over to God is devoured by a hawk. Back in the present, Toto and Davoli face a similar situation when their landlord threatens them with eviction. After various and sundry misadventures, the two human protagonists, growing weary of the philosophical crow's loquaciousness, eat the bird and move on, prepared to face whatever life brings them without the "help" of their feathered friend. The symbolism in The Hawks and the Sparrows is so obvious as to be funny, which was Pasolini's intention all along. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Totò, Ninetto Davoli, (more)
Ex-Mr. Universe Mickey Hargitay plays the thick, musclebound host for the evil spirit of the notorious "Crimson Executioner," a sadistic Italian Baron in whose former castle Hargitay and a collection of sexy models are staging a Gothic-themed photo shoot. Before long, the sweaty brute is hauling the poor lasses into the dungeon to have at them with a wide assortment of torture devices. The film's ad slicks proudly proclaim this Euro-cheapie as being "Based on the works of the Marquis de Sade." Although this statement is pretty unlikely, it's still hard to refute: Who's to say a movie depicting the torture of numerous scantily-clad ladies isn't something the Marquis wouldn't heartily endorse? Authentic or not, it's certainly a sleazy little film, notable only for the novelty presence of Hargitay (Jane Mansfield's husband). Video-seekers can take their pick from a wide assortment of alternate titles: Bloody Pit of Horror, The Crimson Executioner, The Scarlet Executioner, Virgins for the Hangman and probably half a dozen others. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
