Non si sevizia un Paperino (Don't Torture a Duckling, 1972)

US Arrow Video 2 disc Blu-ray and DVD combo edition

States region A on sleeve but plays region ALL for the Blu-ray and for the DVD

 

A brilliant and very atmospheric Giallo set in a for the genre atypical setting.
In a rural village or a small town and with most of the scenes shot in bright
daylight, by cinematographer Sergio d'offizi. The ST by Riz Ortolani.
This film surely must rank among Fulci's best films, and many ranks it as
his best film. Something that the fabulous Brazilian actress Florinda Bolkan
contributes to with her deeply gripping performance as the local Black
Magic woman Maciara.

With age i'm getting all mushy and in this film Florinda makes me cry and
she should've been nominated for a prize, an Oscar award for her role.
Bolkan with her expressive face, with her unusual but fascinating beauty.
Yes, as you can see, i'm a BIG fan of hers.
My Top 3 of hers is this one, A Lizard in a Woman's Skin and le Orme
AKA Footprints.

Above: Reversible sleeve

Also, Kudos to Maestro Fulci for creating such a powerful scene and
he's upset with the stone-age mentalities and superstition among the
villagers that makes them treat their fellow humans in such brutal way
and Fulci also criticizes the Church.

The only progressive local in this film is the senior cop (The Voice of
Fulci ?) and he tends to preach a little too much for the films own good.
The viewers of this film surely get it, that the rural people are ignorant,
with superstitions older than Christianity and maybe also evil.
I didn't notice this when I watched The Duckling some 20 years ago,
but it only makes a small blemish to the greatness of this film.

Above: The Old US Blue Underground DVD edition

The Story:

Young boys about 12 years old are found murdered in a country
village/small town. Who Dun It ?
Is it the village idiot Barra, the Priest Father Alberto (Marc Porel),
the sleazy rich Milanese Patrizia (Barbara Bouchet), the Wizard
Uncle Francesco (George Wilson), the Witch Maciara (Bolkan)
the Milanese journalist Andrea Martelli (Tomas Milian) or the
mother of the priest (Irene Papas) ?

Barbara Bouchet plays a rich and sleazy woman, Patrizia, who's
been entangled with narcotics, and even worse she tries to
seduce very young boys, children really. So, she's no hero.
But, as this is a giallo she ends up helping the journalist
Martelli sleuthing around.
Maciara practises Voodoo sticking needles into clay dolls and
she gets killed in an extremely disturbing and nasty way. The
Gore in this scene is the outstanding make-up scene in the film.

Above: The Fabulous Florinda Bolkan

Lucio Fulci was a Master who could excel in a bunch of
different film genres. My Top 3 Fulci would possibly be
Beatrice Cenci (Historical drama), Don't Torture a Duckling
(Giallo) and The Beyond (Horror).
But very close come Lizard in a Woman's Skin, The New
York Ripper and The House by the Cemetary.
They are sometimes brutal and maybe a bit misogynic
but also with atmosphere and with a unique puls to them.

The film is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen with Italian audio
and English subtitles or with English audio mono, LPCM.
Region A is stated on the sleeve for the Blu-ray and region
1 for the DVD - BUT both discs plays Region ALL
EXTRAS:

Audio commentary by Troy Howarth
Giallo a la Campagna: Video Discussion with Mikel Koven
(28 minutes)
Hell is already in us: Video essay by Kat Ellinger on Lucio
Fulci's ackusations of Misogyny (20 minutes)
Lucio Fulci Remembers Part 1 and 2 (33 minutes)
Interviews with: Florinda Bolkan (28 minutes), Camera Sergio
D'Offici, Assistant editor Bruno Micheli (26 minutes) and
with Assistant Make Up artist Maurizio Trani (16 minutes)

 

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