La bestia uccide a sangue freddo (1971)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Fernando Di Leo

Writers:

Fernando Di Leo (screenplay)
Fernando Di Leo (story)

Release Date:

January 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

A Place Where Nothing Is Forbidden!

Plot:

A masked killer stalks an institution for mentally disturbed rich women.

Plot Keywords:

Killer | Nurse | Masked Killer | Clinic | Arrow

Cast

Klaus Kinski	...	Dr. Francis Clay
Margaret Lee	...	Cheryl Hume
Rosalba Neri	...	Anne Palmieri
Jane Garret	...	Mara
John Karlsen	...	Professor Osterman
Gioia Desideri	...	Ruth
John Ely	...	Gardener
Fernando Cerulli	...	Augusto, the chauffeur
Sandro Rossi
Giulio Baraghini	...	Policeman
Ettore Geri	...	Inspector
Antonio Radaelli
Monica Strebel	...	Nurse Helen
Carla Mancini	...	Nurse
Franco Marletta	...	Male nurse

Also Known As:

Asylum Erotica (USA) (dubbed version)
Slaughter Hotel (USA) (reissue title)
The Beast Kills in Cold Blood
The Cold-Blooded Beast

Runtime:

Greece:86 min | USA:89 min | West Germany:97 min (uncut version) | UK:97 min (DVD)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Sound System)

Certification:

USA:R (cut) | UK:18 (DVD rating) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Company:

Cineproduzioni Daunia 70

Wow....what a totally pointless movie!

"Slaughter Hotel" is quite a perplexing film experience… Not so much because of its brilliance, uniqueness or professionalism but because it's so damn addictive despite being one of the most poorly scripted horror film ever made. This is one giant trashy mess in which story-logic, atmosphere and character drawings have all been skipped in favor of more luscious nudity and sleaze. We're welcomed in a resting home for hot & wealthy ladies, with mental problems going from burnouts to nymphomania. There's a team of strange doctors, unprofessional nurses and even a hunky gardener at these ladies' service to help them get over whatever problems they got. In order to make "Slaughter Hotel" at least somewhat resemble to a giallo, director Fernando DiLeo also introduces a mad-raving murderer, typically dressed in black and using the institution's old-fashioned armory decoration as slashing tools. All put together, this results in extended sequences of females having any form of sex (masturbation, lesbian action or actual sex) before brutally getting killed. The basics of exploitation cinema, maybe, but nonetheless a bad movie with too many tedious moments and totally wasting a great cast. I don't think you're meant to care for the killer's identity as his/her motivations largely remain unexplained at the end. There are a lot of things that don't make the least bit of sense (butt-massages??) and the girls, for some reason, all have extended flashbacks with completely irrelevant contents. I suppose that was done to reach a playtime of 90 minutes. Klaus Kinski looks terrifically vicious with his long blond hair but even his presence can't bring much redemption. The murders are gory (especially the grand finale!) but not the least bit disturbing. "Slaughter Hotel" is worth watching for fans of Italian horror but I'm sure everyone will acknowledge that it's nothing more than a poor man's Sergio Martino, Dario Argento or Mario Bava.