In Perugia, Italy, college students are listening to a lecture about art from Professor Franz (John Richardson). After the lecture Jane (Suzy Kendall) has a conversation with Franz about the lecture. Listening in on the conversation are, Daniela Anselmi (Tina Aumont), and Stefano Vanzi (Roberto Bisacco). Two other students, Ursula (Carla Brait) and Katia (Angela Covello) are following behind along with a few other students. Life is good.
Later that night, two students, John (Fausto Di Bella) and Florence Heineken (Patrizia Adiutori) are having sex in their car when they are attacked and killed by a masked assailant. The police find a black and red scarf at the scene. The next night, another friend, Carol Peterson (Conchita Airoldi) is murdered. Again, the police find a black and red scarf used to strangle her. Police Inspector Martino (Luciano De Ambrosis) addresses the students asking them to call if they know who owns the scarves. Daniela thinks that she saw Stefano wearing a scarf similar to the one the police have but she’s not sure, so she says nothing.
Martino talks to the scarf vendor, Gianni Tomasso (Ernesto Colli) asking if he has sold any scarves similar to the ones found with the victims. Gianni tells him nothing but contacts the man who bought the scarves and blackmails him. Big mistake. The vendor is killed.
Back at home Daniela is scared that she may have seen the scarf but still can’t place it. Her Uncle Nino (Carlo Alighiero) tells her that he must go to Paris on business but suggests she and some of her friends go to the country estate to get away from the tension and fear. Daniela, Ursula and Katia take the train to Tagliacozzo and the family country estate. Jane tells Daniela that she will be driving up later. Daniela and her friends settle in and start to enjoy themselves unaware that the killer has followed them. The killing doesn’t stop.
“Torso” AKA “I corpi presentano tracce di violenza carnale” or “The Bodies Bear Traces of Carnal Violence” was released in 1973 and was directed by Sergio Martino. It is an Italian slasher, a psychological horror and a giallo.
Blood isn’t the only thing red here. So are the herrings. Every male in the film is a potential killer and their reactions to events are more complicated than the plot. The actual plot is a killer with a traumatic past all of a sudden begins killing women. He is basically a killer of women but has no problem killing a guy if that is what will get him to the women.
One of the reasons the movie has a cult following is due to the pre-slasher aspects to the film. Most of the murders are committed off screen but there’s enough blood and squishy noises to give everyone a case of the squeamies. It’s not the most flavorful giallo but still entertaining enough.
I’ve been trying to figure out why the movie was titled “Torso” since people’s torsos don’t feature prominently in the film. The only reference I could find is that the title was “catchy”.