The first fifty minutes of Margheriti's giallo holds together well. The last act, unfortunately, is all over the place and stylistically restless. Although Margheriti's penchant for zooming stretches one's patience at times, the dream-like quality of the film is enhanced more than hindered by this technical fetish for most of the story's telling. The opening murder, which occurs off-screen, uses sound and action happening just outside the frame to build atmosphere and suspense. A gorgeous young woman (Jane Birken) arrives at the mansion of her relatives and is soon wondering who the murderer of various family members and associates is. A gorilla, who seems out of place in these surroundings, is one of several red herrings Margheriti throws at us before the real killer is revealed. A strange, ginger cat, who is able to claw its way out of locked crypts, oversees each murder and may be an accomplice of sorts. A slutty woman with lesbian tendencies, a "crazy" son who suffers from loneliness, and a doctor who'd rather screw than cure the sick, comprise this film's potent character mix. Riz Ortolani produces another excellent score and cinematographer Carlo Carlini creates some striking visuals. The final revelation of the killer's identity, unfortunately, comes after a ten minute dip in the care factor. Still, this is pretty entertaining trash.
