Following a child's death in a small-town, a reporter and a woman from a nearby city try to solve the strange killings that continue to be carried out on the children and once they find the demented culprit at the center they try to stop the rampage from continuing.This was quite the enjoyable and underrated Giallo. The biggest factor here for this one is the film flying boldly along and feeling comfortable in it's rather strong and confrontational themes that may be quite uncomfortable. Its initial premise is tied around a serial killer offing children that alone gives it some courage to be unique and brave, but there's more to that here as several scenes here with the opening strangling scenes or a rather chilling scene finding another drowned in a town well, though the fact that this features even more types of similarly controversial scenes is what really sells this one. The type of plot here is one thing, but to have the kids smoking, bullying the town retard and the film's showpiece scene of a fully naked woman openly toying with him, teasing him with her figure and about sleeping with her makes for quite a sleazy, depraved time in a truly memorable scene. Beyond this, the film is a fantastic Giallo that features a lot of stylistic elements usually associated with these as the stalking scenes come off incredibly well regardless of their target. The cemetery stalking here is impressive through the driving rain before the killer strikes, a chase through the open woods out into the mountains to corral a suspect and a later scene where the suspect is viciously and brutally beaten in retaliation for what happened all come together to give this one some really enjoyable scenes. As well, there are some great times in the big brawl at the end which gets fun with the action as well as the location playing into it for some fun here, and these here make this good enough to overcome the flaws. The biggest issue here is the flimsy plot line for a Giallo, where it jumps around to the different suspects here without any reason only to start doing investigative work in the final minutes as the rampage continues despite the supposed death of the killer which starts it up again. This might be a revolutionary ploy for the style, but it causes the film to flip around pretty constantly here. Along with the subject matter being a little tough for some to take, there here are the film's only flaws.Rated UR/R: Graphic Violence, Full Nudity, Graphic Language, children smoking, themes of pedophilia, violence-against-animals and children-in-danger.

I watched a pristine bluray print of Don't Torture a Duckling. Did anybody else feel that Don Alberto Avallone was like Holden Caufield in J.D.Salinger's Catcher in the Rye? Holden Caufield wanted to become the catcher that saved children from falling off the cliff and preserved their innocence. But Don Alberto actually threw them off the cliff so that they do not fall into the arms of sin. HAHAHHAHAHHAAHA! This film wasn't too bad. Not sure if it is a Giallo. The film begins with the a wide angle shot of a seemingly idyllic Italian village (like the one where Pacino escapes into in The Godfather). Then Riz Ortolani's sinister score sets in and there is a close up of an ugly and filthy woman (Florinda Bolkan) burying bones in the sand. Nice way to catch the viewer's attention.A backward Italian village rife with rituals and superstition becomes the focus of national attention when dead strangled kids start turning up all over the place. Then there is a bisexual paedophillic heiress (Barbaba Bouchert) who preys on small teenage boys and girls. Tomas Milan (who looks like he would be perfect in a spaghetti western) is a journalist who is investigating the child murders.We are often treated to images of pins being poked into dolls. The whole village wears a rather desolate look. While the village seems authentic, you can tell that Bouchet's room is clearly a set. It did have some nice set pieces though - especially the fish tank with the waves.The violence is gratuitous and is highly stylized with a rock n roll song and a slow number playing in the background when Florinda Balkan is murdered. Ortolani's memorable title score which has a nostalgic vibe is used to great effect in the final scenes.I am not entirely convinced by my 8 rating. But the film has so much going for it - like the atmosphere that Fulci creates with the constant religious wailing that hovers over the village, the beautiful landscapes, Ortolani's score and last but not in anyway the least, the extraordinarily beautiful Barbara Bouchet who is introduced laying on a couch stark naked. (8/10)

After talking to a fellow IMDb'er a while ago about how much I had enjoyed Aldo Lado's excellent,grim Giallo Who Saw Her Die?,I was caught completely by surprise,when the extremely kind IMDb'er sent me a DVD,of what is possibly the second only Giallo title to involve a child killer, (with the other 1 being Who Saw Her Die?)which led to me picking up some cheap bread,and heading to the park to feed a deadly duckling.The plot-Southern Italy:Accendura:Taking a peak look at 2 couples who are getting hot & heavy,Giuseppe Barra's peeping tom fun is interrupted by 3 young boys called Bruno,Michele and Tonino,who yell out mockingly to Giuseppe,and cause him to chase after them.As Barra chases after the boys,a black magic performing gypsy called La Magiara plunges into 3 clay dolls which are designed to represent the boys who have taunted Giuseppe.Happy over outrunning Giuseppe,the boys start to get back into their normal life,with Michele being asked by his mum, (whose a housekeeper) to take care of an employer of theirs called Patrizia,who messes around with Michele,by walking around completely naked.A few days later:With Bruno having recently disappeared,investigating journalist Andera Martelli travels down to the secluded village,to follow the police manhunt that's taking place. Fearing that they will be unable to track down the boy,Bruno's family receive a ransom note,which tells them that if they ever want to see their son alive again,they have to pay a huge ransom.Quickly setting a trap,the police find out that Giuseppe is the ransom maker,and that he has also recently buried the body of Bruno (who Barra says was already dead when he found the body in the woodland area,which led to him making a money grabbing plan.)Whilst the police declare the case officially close,Andera begins to suspect that Giuseppe is not the child killer.As the police continue to question Barra,the body of Michele is discovered.With Michele's body containing the same markings which were left on Bruno's body,Martelli beings to fear that the mysterious killer may connected right to the heart of this unsettling,isolated village.View on the film:Despite the identity of the killer being one that the audience can take a good shot at guessing,director/co-writer Lucio Fulci, (along with Gianfranco Clerici and Roberto Gianviti) screenplay is packed with a fascinating number of subtexts which lead to the film becoming a paranoid soaked Giallo.Placing the murders in a deeply rural southern Italian village,the writers dig deep into the north/south divide,with the residences all being as deeply uncomfortable over any 'outsiders' entering their land.Taking on the strongly held religious beliefs in Italy with a real force,the writers show the deep flaws in each of the religious and government departments of the village to be ones that are simply over looked by the residence,thanks to the police and the church each filling the power vacuum which is to be found at the village.For the whereabouts of the killer identity,the writers do incredibly well at giving the chances of Martelli finding the killer a strong sense of doubt,due to the rural setting being something which is shown to be prepared to crush any voices which speak out of line.Displaying a surprising amount of subtle notes,director Lucio Fulci (mostly) restrains himself from over exaggerating the gore,by smartly taking a matter of fact approach which emphasis the unsettling mood placed in the screenplay.For the killings in this excellent Giallo,Fulci shows an unflinching eye,with the rather daring on-screen child murders placing psychological terror on the viewer,rather then drowning the audience in buckets of blood.Taking full advantage of the rural setting,Fulci counters the bursts of violence with a hauntingly poetic atmosphere,with the brilliant icy score of Riz Ortolani backing Fulci's elegant wide tracking shots,which Fulci superbly uses to show the rural isolation which the 'outsiders' are met by. Entering the movie completely naked in a scene which would lead to the title being taken to court,the beautiful Barbara Bouchet gives a tantalising performance as Patrizia,with Bouchet revealing Patrizia's provocative smile to be hiding a troubling secret. Dazzling the screen along with Bouchet,Florinda Bolkan gives a brilliant,wild eye performance as La Magiara,whilst Irene Papas brings a chill in the air as far too 'sweet mother' Dona Aurelia Avallone.Joining the 3 stunning ladies,Tomas Milian delivers a tough,gritty performance,with Milian superbly allowing Andrea Martelli tough determination to shine,as Martelli attempts to stop the next duckling murder from being hatched.

Despite some frequently slow pacing, this gaillo is among the best. Lucio Fulci's gruesome thriller about the murder of a several little boys in the Italian countryside is probably the director's best. The plot combines supernatural elements with a traditional murder mystery. Tomas Milian is a reporter investigating the case and the supporting cast includes Barbara Bouchet, Irene Papas and Marc Porel. Florinda Bolken, in a performance that has to be seen to be believed, is a crazed mountain woman who may or may not be the killer. Riz Ortolani, who would score over 200 films in his more than 50-year career, did the chilling music. Frequently cut for its content, the 102 minute version is the most complete.