Review by Peter Syslo
THE NEW YORK RIPPER (1982 Italy) was one hell of a time. I don't usually preempt my reviews with raving, but I will make an exception in this case. This film is a giallo - a trashy, exploitative murder mystery - done by legendary Italian filmmaker Lucio Fulci (ZOMBI, THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY). Believe me, this film pulls no punches and I was actually shocked by the amount of gore and the relentless brutality that it contained. The Italian horror films from this time period are known for their gore and their exploitative edge and I do feel that this is a shining example of both. In fact, I felt that the gore and shock even topped something like CANNIBAL FEROX. But, for all of the blatant violence/gore and for all of the sleazy sexual content, there lies a solid murder mystery within, which blew me away with the twist-ending. In a way, I feel like a terrible human being for liking the film so much, but I have to embrace my perverse side and just run with it. Life is short and at the very least, I am an honest pervert.
TNYR is directed by Lucio Fulci and is written by Gianfranco Clerici and Fulci. The film stars Jack Hedley, Almanta Suska, Howard Ross, Paolo Marco, Andrea Occhipinti, and Alexandra Delli Colli.
The film is about a vicious killer who is preying upon women in NYC. A police detective (Hedley) is on the case and he enlists the help of a college professor (Marco), in order to build a criminal profile of the killer. It is a difficult case, because the killer is very good at slashing up his victims, in a secretive manner. In a strange twist, the killer uses a “duck voice” when he performs his work and he uses that same vocal technique when he calls and taunts the troubled detective. The cat- and-mouse game eventually leads the detective and the professor to one victim (Suska) who escapes the ripper. With her help, the case gets closer to becoming solved but the world is turned upside down when a shocking twist reveals the killer's true identity.
Yeah, this was a great flick. I've been watching a lot of exploitative stuff over the past year or so and, even though I am more of a seasoned horror vet, this film managed to shock and impress me. First off, it is very sleazy but the sleaze fits in so well with the horror content that you barely notice the gratuitous nature of some of the scenes. To give you an idea, the viewer gets to witness: a sexy woman (Delli Colli) masturbating at a live sex show; that same woman getting a “foot job” from a guy in a pool hall; and that same woman engaging in some BDSM with a gigolo. Mind you, you don't see female genitalia – this isn't porn – but you do see enough full frontal and through-the-clothes action to make it daring and sensual.
Along with the soft-core action, the utterly vicious kill scenes make the film a slasher-ific delight. This picture features some of the best effects work that I have seen in a horror film and it adds a degree of realism to the violence, that is simply chilling. Here's a sampling of some of the things you will see: multiple, real-time cuts on the female victims; a nipple scene that tops the one in CHAOS, an eye-cutting scene that makes you squirm in your seat; and a brutal gunshot to the face. Let me warn you, this isn't the kind of movie that you put on for the whole family (unless you are a family of Fulci or giallo fans). Honestly, compared to AUGUST UNDERGROUND PENANCE, MURDER SET PIECES, and any SAW film, I feel that TNYR is far more disturbing. It didn't bother so much that I couldn't finish watching it, but it did bother me enough to make me think about it afterwards.
Gnawing through the flesh: THE NEW YORK RIPPER is a rough film, which seems like it is geared towards slasher and porno fans. The sexual content is very strong but it is also very “user friendly”, supporting the underlying plot. The violence and gore are also very, very strong but fit in well with the generally nasty nature of the film... and the special effects are truly brilliant. In terms of acting, the entire cast was perfect for the material and each person brought some nice textures to their characters. The standouts were Hedley as the tired, coronary-impaired detective and Delli Colli as the oversexed women who gets all that she can out of her open marriage. Aside from that, the giallo score was great, the cinematography brought out the urban “grit” of NYC, and the kill scenes became surreal spectacles with that fantastical style of lighting, which is utilized in a lot of Italian horror cinema. Take note, it's not technically a horror film (giallos are more crime-drama), but it definitely seems like it. As a guideline, if you crossed a slasher film with an EMMANUEL film with an episode of “Law and Order SVU”, then THE NEW YORK RIPPER is what you would get. Enjoy the juicy sleaziness and please... take a shower afterwards. I did and I give it a 9/10.