Released on DVD in 2002 as THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS, at the time of this review it was only to be obtained as part of Anchor Bay's DVD set "The Giallo Collection." In 2008 it was re-issued on DVD by Blue Underground.
The Italian title translates to What Are Those Strange Drops Of Blood Doing On Jennifer's Body? and has also been known as Erotic Blue. While the film lists "Anthony Ascott" as the director, it is actually Guiliano Carnimeo. For giallo enthusiasts, it is written by Ernesto Gastaldi, who also wrote the classic THE WHIP AND THE BODY and the excessively trashy breast fest TORSO (Torso is disturbing as I found the "get a woman naked right before she's killed" theme rather perverted).
This film is a prime example of the giallo genre and is a must-see. It is very much worth purchasing the entire set mentioned, and when one sees The Case Of The Bloody Iris you'll be hooked. Yes, it's trashy and filled with sex and violence, but it is so incredibly well done that any gripes are easily forgotten. I've become so accustomed to giallos and figuring out mysteries quickly, but this film manages to keep every character an equal-opportunity killer. It has a great collection of characters with dark secrets and the pace of the film NEVER lags! I was so amazed that as soon as the film starts it maintains a tense level. The suspense and murders are spread out evenly, and everything moves so well that you really don't have much time to think very hard about who the killer is and why.
Edwige Fenech stars as a model that, along with a friend, move into an apartment that was inhabited by a performer who was murdered. Add to that an assortment of shady neighbours like an elderly lady hiding her disfigured son, a lecherous lesbian and her violin-playing father, and throw in an architect interested in Edwige, Edwige's stalker "husband" with ties to a sex cult, and a zealous cop, WOW! It sounds outrageous and it is, but it's all put together so well that even thirty years later this film still packs a punch and can keep you guessing. It has a timeless feel to it as well, except for those groovy big sideburns on the men!
A minor technical note: the trailer on the DVD shows a difference from it and the film. The trailer shows a close-up of the first victim's throat being cut, but the film shows a different perspective. Whether this is another case of alternate takes not making the final cut or not is still a mystery as well. Anchor Bay's claim to fame is that they have restored the film to it's complete uncut form. In any case, THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS is a MUST for those hankerin' for a great mystery and for giallo collectors. There's a great feeling of satisfaction from seeing a film like this and obtaining it.
The Italian title translates to What Are Those Strange Drops Of Blood Doing On Jennifer's Body? and has also been known as Erotic Blue. While the film lists "Anthony Ascott" as the director, it is actually Guiliano Carnimeo. For giallo enthusiasts, it is written by Ernesto Gastaldi, who also wrote the classic THE WHIP AND THE BODY and the excessively trashy breast fest TORSO (Torso is disturbing as I found the "get a woman naked right before she's killed" theme rather perverted).
This film is a prime example of the giallo genre and is a must-see. It is very much worth purchasing the entire set mentioned, and when one sees The Case Of The Bloody Iris you'll be hooked. Yes, it's trashy and filled with sex and violence, but it is so incredibly well done that any gripes are easily forgotten. I've become so accustomed to giallos and figuring out mysteries quickly, but this film manages to keep every character an equal-opportunity killer. It has a great collection of characters with dark secrets and the pace of the film NEVER lags! I was so amazed that as soon as the film starts it maintains a tense level. The suspense and murders are spread out evenly, and everything moves so well that you really don't have much time to think very hard about who the killer is and why.
Edwige Fenech stars as a model that, along with a friend, move into an apartment that was inhabited by a performer who was murdered. Add to that an assortment of shady neighbours like an elderly lady hiding her disfigured son, a lecherous lesbian and her violin-playing father, and throw in an architect interested in Edwige, Edwige's stalker "husband" with ties to a sex cult, and a zealous cop, WOW! It sounds outrageous and it is, but it's all put together so well that even thirty years later this film still packs a punch and can keep you guessing. It has a timeless feel to it as well, except for those groovy big sideburns on the men!
A minor technical note: the trailer on the DVD shows a difference from it and the film. The trailer shows a close-up of the first victim's throat being cut, but the film shows a different perspective. Whether this is another case of alternate takes not making the final cut or not is still a mystery as well. Anchor Bay's claim to fame is that they have restored the film to it's complete uncut form. In any case, THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS is a MUST for those hankerin' for a great mystery and for giallo collectors. There's a great feeling of satisfaction from seeing a film like this and obtaining it.