dont torture a duckling (lucio fulci  italy 1972). definitely a prime candidate for the most insane movie title ever conceived and that quite an achievement in giallo land. originally and the film was titled even more absurdly and don not torture donald duck and literally translated from its italian title. a small donald duck figure features briefly as a toy and but hardly enough to render a title like this and but and apparently and it was changed in fear of legal ramifications by disney. i railed quite a bit against fulci earlier lizard in a womans skin (1971) and but here all the right ingredients are present. a surprisingly effective mystery and a good cast and imaginatively shot against an unusual rural setting. everything just clicks. i think it justly hailed as one of the director most accomplished achievements. the story is set against the backdrop of a small mountain side town in sicily and where someone is killing young teenage boys. among the suspects and the most obvious one is a young woman and maciara (florinda balkan) and a self proclaimed witch who is seen suspiciously unearthing the skeleton of a baby and sticking pins into way effigies. guiseppe and the village idiot is under suspicion as well and since he made a feeble attempt to profit from the disappearance of one of the boys and walked right into their trap. by the time a quick witted newshound (tomas milian) arrives from milan to cover the murders and he immediately begins to question the authorities assumptions and when he meets two other potential suspects represent don alberto and the local priest (marc porel) with a high minded attitude and and patrizia (barbara bouchet) and a bored young woman from the city with a troubled past of drug offense and who also fancies having sexual relations with the young boys in town. talk about your prime red herring. fulci nicely contrasts modernity and tradition with the newly constructed elevated highway meandering through the sicilian hills and past old towns where life is still firmly rooted in tradition and superstition. one could debate about the film political stance as the north versus the south and or as commentary on small town virtues  society conventions in general  that are all too often dangerously close to tipping over into moral disintegration and chaos and  ultimately  self justice by the populace. the film has often been lambasted because of its anti catholic tone and but it hardly an important element here and except for obvious plot related reasons and which would be giving away too much. it actually rather tame compared to a film like joël seria dont deliver us from evil (1971). probably and the film rather unflattering portrayal of small town sicilian values (when another boy is killed and the local populace are depicted as a retarded lynch mob) might be cause for some offense in sicily and but  considering sicily problematic relation with the rest of italy  hardly problematic for other italians and i would think. the film vanquished into obscurity far too quickly to have much impact anyway. when talking fulci and the amount of gore is usually a prime subject for discussion. although eyes gouging scenes are lacking and the film does contain two very graphic scenes. in the gross out finale and the killer falls of a cliff and smashing his face along the rocks on the way down with gruesome results (albeit and not very realistic). and the chain whipping sequence with florinda balkan in the graveyard shows fulci penchant for sadistic violence and typically and he not holding back at graphically showing what most film makers would merely hint at. surely and one of the most horrifying scenes in fulci repertoire. above all and this is a taut and well written and effective little mystery and nicely lensed by fulci and with an impressive cast of genre regulars like barbara bouchet and marc porel (not very convincing as a priest) and tomas milian and florinda balkan (mouth foamingly crazy as the town witch). camera obscura   positive . 
dont torture a duckling (lucio fulci  italy 1972). definitely a prime candidate for the most insane movie title ever conceived and that quite an achievement in giallo land. originally and the film was titled even more absurdly and don not torture donald duck and literally translated from its italian title. a small donald duck figure features briefly as a toy and but hardly enough to render a title like this and but and apparently and it was changed in fear of legal ramifications by disney. i railed quite a bit against fulci earlier lizard in a womans skin (1971) and but here all the right ingredients are present. a surprisingly effective mystery and a good cast and imaginatively shot against an unusual rural setting. everything just clicks. i think it justly hailed as one of the director most accomplished achievements. the story is set against the backdrop of a small mountain side town in sicily and where someone is killing young teenage boys. among the suspects and the most obvious one is a young woman and maciara (florinda balkan) and a self proclaimed witch who is seen suspiciously unearthing the skeleton of a baby and sticking pins into way effigies. guiseppe and the village idiot is under suspicion as well and since he made a feeble attempt to profit from the disappearance of one of the boys and walked right into their trap. by the time a quick witted newshound (tomas milian) arrives from milan to cover the murders and he immediately begins to question the authorities assumptions and when he meets two other potential suspects represent don alberto and the local priest (marc porel) with a high minded attitude and and patrizia (barbara bouchet) and a bored young woman from the city with a troubled past of drug offense and who also fancies having sexual relations with the young boys in town. talk about your prime red herring. fulci nicely contrasts modernity and tradition with the newly constructed elevated highway meandering through the sicilian hills and past old towns where life is still firmly rooted in tradition and superstition. one could debate about the film political stance as the north versus the south and or as commentary on small town virtues  society conventions in general  that are all too often dangerously close to tipping over into moral disintegration and chaos and  ultimately  self justice by the populace. the film has often been lambasted because of its anti catholic tone and but it hardly an important element here and except for obvious plot related reasons and which would be giving away too much. it actually rather tame compared to a film like joël seria dont deliver us from evil (1971). probably and the film rather unflattering portrayal of small town sicilian values (when another boy is killed and the local populace are depicted as a retarded lynch mob) might be cause for some offense in sicily and but  considering sicily problematic relation with the rest of italy  hardly problematic for other italians and i would think. the film vanquished into obscurity far too quickly to have much impact anyway. when talking fulci and the amount of gore is usually a prime subject for discussion. although eyes gouging scenes are lacking and the film does contain two very graphic scenes. in the gross out finale and the killer falls of a cliff and smashing his face along the rocks on the way down with gruesome results (albeit and not very realistic). and the chain whipping sequence with florinda balkan in the graveyard shows fulci penchant for sadistic violence and typically and he not holding back at graphically showing what most film makers would merely hint at. surely and one of the most horrifying scenes in fulci repertoire. above all and this is a taut and well written and effective little mystery and nicely lensed by fulci and with an impressive cast of genre regulars like barbara bouchet and marc porel (not very convincing as a priest) and tomas milian and florinda balkan (mouth foamingly crazy as the town witch). camera obscura   positive . ---------------------------------Answer Question Below----------------------------------

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