Written and directed by the magnificent Fernando Di Leo, whose brilliant 'Milieu-Trilogy' ("Milano Calibro 9", "La Mala Ordina", "Il Boss") stands out as the absolute highlight in Italian crime cinema, "Vacanze Per Un Massacro" (aka. "Toy") of 1980 is a delightfully sleazy Thriller that is often unfairly referred to as a mere "Last House on the Left" rip-off. Fact is that Kidnapping and Hostage situations were themes that were immensely popular in Italian 70s and early 80s cinema (the most outstanding example being Mario Bava's masterpiece "Cani Arrabbiati" of 1974), and that, apart from sleaze, violence and a hostage situation, this film hasn't too much in common with Wes Craven's debut shocker. It is interesting to see how Italian genre/exploitation directors liked to utilize everything as widely as possible: Di Leo simply re-employs the brilliant score (by film composer Bruno Nicolai and Progressive Rock band Osanna) to his own greatest masterpiece "Milano Calibro 9".
A married couple Sergio (Gianni Macchia) and Liliana (Patrizia Behn) and the wife's nymphomaniac younger sister Paola(Lorraine De Selle), who has an affair with her sister's husband, are spending a week-end at their cottage in the mountains. As fate wants it, the violent criminal and prison-escapee Joe (Joe Dallesandro) is looking for something in exactly the same house. When Sergio has gone hunting and Liliana has gone shopping, Joe enters...
The political incorrectness of Italian Exploitation cinema - one has got to love it. A rape-victim complimenting her rapist for his skills as a 'good lover' is quite unimaginable in present-day cinema. "Vacanze Per Un Massacro" is gritty, violent and full of delightful sleaze and nudity. However, it is not as gratuitously sadistic as some other Italian hostage films, such as Aldo Lado's "L'Ultimo Treno Della Notte" ("Night Train Murders", 1975) or Ruggero Deodato's "La Casa Sperduta Nel Parco" ("House on the Edge of the Park", 1980), both of which are rightly labeled "Last House on the Left" rip-offs (as opposed to this film). The performances are pretty good. Especially Joe Dallesandro, the favorite actor of every sleazebag-director of the 70s, is very good in his role of the thug. Sexy Lorraine De Salle (who is best known for playing the lead in Umberto Lenzi's "Cannibal Ferox") is very good in the role of the seductive, manipulative bitch, and furthermore she's naked for about half of her screen-time. Gianni Macchia who plays the husband, had appeared in Di Leo's own "La Mala Ordina" ("Manhunt", 1972) before. Patrizia Behn, who plays the wife, is virtually unknown, but beautiful and delivers a good performance in her role as the film's only likable character. One hilarious aspect about "Vacanze Per Un Massacro": All the Sleaze and Violence is taking place underneath a giant portrait poster of John Travolta.
Apart from a few extras in the beginning, the film only features four characters.With the exception of the wife, all characters are dirtbags, which may lessen the ability to care for them, but enhances the wonderful grit-factor. The score is obviously great, as it is the same that was used in "Milano Calibro 9". Overall, "Vacanze Per Un Massacro" isn't as good as Di Leo's fantastic Mafia trilogy, but nonetheless highly recommendable to fans of gritty and sleazy Exploitation cinema, and my fellow Di Leo fans in particular. 7.5/10
A married couple Sergio (Gianni Macchia) and Liliana (Patrizia Behn) and the wife's nymphomaniac younger sister Paola(Lorraine De Selle), who has an affair with her sister's husband, are spending a week-end at their cottage in the mountains. As fate wants it, the violent criminal and prison-escapee Joe (Joe Dallesandro) is looking for something in exactly the same house. When Sergio has gone hunting and Liliana has gone shopping, Joe enters...
The political incorrectness of Italian Exploitation cinema - one has got to love it. A rape-victim complimenting her rapist for his skills as a 'good lover' is quite unimaginable in present-day cinema. "Vacanze Per Un Massacro" is gritty, violent and full of delightful sleaze and nudity. However, it is not as gratuitously sadistic as some other Italian hostage films, such as Aldo Lado's "L'Ultimo Treno Della Notte" ("Night Train Murders", 1975) or Ruggero Deodato's "La Casa Sperduta Nel Parco" ("House on the Edge of the Park", 1980), both of which are rightly labeled "Last House on the Left" rip-offs (as opposed to this film). The performances are pretty good. Especially Joe Dallesandro, the favorite actor of every sleazebag-director of the 70s, is very good in his role of the thug. Sexy Lorraine De Salle (who is best known for playing the lead in Umberto Lenzi's "Cannibal Ferox") is very good in the role of the seductive, manipulative bitch, and furthermore she's naked for about half of her screen-time. Gianni Macchia who plays the husband, had appeared in Di Leo's own "La Mala Ordina" ("Manhunt", 1972) before. Patrizia Behn, who plays the wife, is virtually unknown, but beautiful and delivers a good performance in her role as the film's only likable character. One hilarious aspect about "Vacanze Per Un Massacro": All the Sleaze and Violence is taking place underneath a giant portrait poster of John Travolta.
Apart from a few extras in the beginning, the film only features four characters.With the exception of the wife, all characters are dirtbags, which may lessen the ability to care for them, but enhances the wonderful grit-factor. The score is obviously great, as it is the same that was used in "Milano Calibro 9". Overall, "Vacanze Per Un Massacro" isn't as good as Di Leo's fantastic Mafia trilogy, but nonetheless highly recommendable to fans of gritty and sleazy Exploitation cinema, and my fellow Di Leo fans in particular. 7.5/10