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Post by GL on Jan 29, 2008 11:34:46 GMT -5
“The New York Ripper” is one of the best Fulci films ever. **SPOILERS** Discovering a gruesome murder, Lt. Fred Williams, (Jack Hedley) is shocked to find as graphic killing done when assigned to the case. As several more murders follow, he enlists therapist Dr. Paul Davis, (Paolo Malco) to help him determine who is committing the crimes. When a clue is found at the scene of one of them, he is suddenly inundated with threatening phone calls from the caller who rambles on squeaking like Donald Duck. After he makes a failed attack on Fay Majors, (Almanta Suska) her husband Peter Bunch, (Andrea Occhipinti) offers to help out in tracking the killer. As the deaths and the phone calls continue to flood the search, they finally find the real killer and race to stop his deadly rampage across the city. The Good News: This here was a rather pleasant and surprisingly good film. The biggest factor with it is the rampant sleaze undertow the film carries. The best parts here come from exploiting this factor. The rampant and excessive nudity present in the film are just a small part, and this one really packs it in. From several prostitutes seen in their job requirements to seeing some wandering around nude or topless as well as being backstage at a sex show, where performers engage in it before an audience. That provides more fun as one of the female observes produces a tape and records herself self-pleasuring herself for her husband. A later scene with the same observer being confronted in a store where they pleasure her sexually with their feet underneath the table is perhaps one of the perverted highlights ever seen, complete with camera angles showing it transpire and facial reactions to go along with the regular shots of the interaction. This high amount of sleaze is nice to behold, showing a film not afraid to wallow around in these types of themes and scenes with all the other stuff going on. The gore and kills in here are just as good, being explicitly violent without being anything more. There’s plenty of stabbing in here, mainly to the stomach that slits open the area, stabbing in the neck, a slit throat, a broken beer bottle rammed and then ground into a crotch and the biggest scene, where a razor blade slices from chest to stomach, cuts nipple open and then slashes from the forehead down to the cheek, slicing open one of the eyes. This is an exceptionally done sequence that is brutal, graphic, bloody and quite shocking, making it a real highlight in the film. It also doesn’t miss out on suspense, since the later sequence where a prostitute is tied up in bed when a radio announcer lets slip a piece of information that makes her realize she’s in bed with the killer, forcing her to remove her binds to escape without making him up, who’s sleeping soundly next to her. It’s a fantastic scene that comes across marvelously and pulled off perfectly. A confrontation in a victim’s house raises some few chilling moments, and it opens with a great moment where a fetching dog disappears behind some bushes and comes out later with a shocking clue for the owner. The killer’s revelation is something that comes across as really surprising, the motive of doing so is really creative and it even includes the characteristic that makes it stick out from others. This one here is incredibly surprising. The Bad News: This one has almost no flaws. The thing about it is that the sleaze and gore may not be for everyone. There’s an abundant amount of nudity, which includes seeing every part of the anatomy in several individuals, could be seen as something that will be a deal-breaker to some, and mixed in with the excessive gore and sexual themes on display, could create an experience that some may not want, if in the mood for a straight-up horror film rather than a sleazy slasher. This here is the film’s main problem, and it’s not something that all will find to be a problem. The Final Verdict: An incredibly entertaining slasher, with a nice amount of sleaze and gore mixed in with some great elements into a really great film. See this if a fan of these sexual thrillers, Fulci fanatics or Italian horror in general, while those who don’t appreciate it’s more obscene side will be well-advised to skip this one. Rated UN/R: Graphic Violence, Full Nudity, Language, a sex scene, and attempted Rape
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Post by GP on Feb 4, 2008 4:50:16 GMT -5
Good review GL and bang on the money for me.
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Post by GL on Feb 4, 2008 11:28:42 GMT -5
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.
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Lazario
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Post by Lazario on Feb 4, 2008 12:29:51 GMT -5
May not be for everyone? That's putting it mildly...
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HNT
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Post by HNT on Feb 4, 2008 13:20:10 GMT -5
I would have to agree. Aside from the fact that the killler's silly Donald Duck voice strains credibility badly, this one is just plain mean. Although I can have fun with some Fulci films, there is an unabashedly mysoginist tone that runs through most of his work. His treatment of women is not simply frighteneing and discomforting, it is mean. Fulci seems to be exercising some personal predilections upon his female characters. And this film is more unpleasat in that regard even than the rest of his work.
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Post by GL on Feb 5, 2008 11:22:18 GMT -5
I've always believed that it's better to watch it than to practice it, so I don't mind movies like this as long as I don't follow what they preach.
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HNT
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Post by HNT on Feb 5, 2008 13:30:27 GMT -5
NOt sure what you mean there, GL. Are you suggesting that if Fulci was not a filmaker that he would have hurt women? I hope that you didn't mean that, lol
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Post by GL on Feb 6, 2008 11:24:40 GMT -5
I meant in real life. As long as I don't behave like a mysoginyst, I don't mind viewing films in that regard.
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HNT
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Post by HNT on Feb 6, 2008 11:40:07 GMT -5
Well, I certainly would never intend my criticism of any film to suggest that you can't see it if you want to. I only intend to point out why I didn't like it. Behaving mysogynistically is problematic regardless of whether movie is out there for you to watch. PErsonally, I reject the argument that a film can prevent someone with violent tendencies from acting violently. Were I prepared to accept that, then I would be granting films more power than I should. If I accept that, then I must also accept the logical correlary that a film can encourage someone to act violently. I dont buy either idea as they are both unproven and lead to censorship
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Post by Lazario on Feb 7, 2008 5:00:36 GMT -5
I've always believed that it's better to watch it than to practice it, so I don't mind movies like this as long as I don't follow what they preach. Well, when you put it that way... This film is nothing but sick. And I mean sick sick. Not simply- "this is hard to watch." Not simply- "there might be something not-quite-right in the mind of its' creators." No, sick as in- "the film itself (not the act of filming, something different entirely) is the same whether what it shows is fake or actually real." And to say the least, this film is counterproductive to some serious real life problems. It's not only like Fulci is saying he doesn't care about the savage violence and brutality women are often subjected to, but saying we should find it entertaining. This is outright glorification. No two-ways about it. This is pure gratuity for its own sake. And whether or not he is saying he thinks women should be cut up the way they are in this film, he sure as hell is blaming them for how men interpret their sexuality. Which is a statement he is not qualified to make. This film is completely disgusting, has absolutely no redeeming values whatsoever, and all copies of it should be destroyed immediately, or committed to classrooms where the writing on the door says, "Hatred of Women Studies." I won't say anything about people who "enjoy" this movie. Try to defend your involvement in this anyway you can. But this movie is beyond any and all defense. And I implicate only the filmmakers themselves.
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HNT
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Post by HNT on Feb 7, 2008 11:03:03 GMT -5
I was with you up until your last two paragraphs, Laz. I certainly wouldn't support the censorship of this film, although I find it as distasteful as you do. And I think that I learned my lesson about questioning the motivation of viewers on another thread. Even if you are right, you won't win many friends by saying it that way
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Post by GP on Feb 7, 2008 11:16:32 GMT -5
I won't say anything about people who "enjoy" this movie. Try to defend your involvement in this anyway you can. But this movie is beyond any and all defense. And I implicate only the filmmakers themselves. I feel no need whatsoever to defend myself to you or anyone else for enjoying this movie. When compared with some of the deeply dodgy rape (simulated or otherwise) and exploitational pornography that floods out of the USA and Europe (and is sold legally and is available at the click of a button on the internet) New York Ripper looks like exactly what it is, a sleazy, nasty but victimless example of Grindhouse goodness.
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Post by GL on Feb 7, 2008 11:34:27 GMT -5
I know your stance, HNT, and I was never implying anything other than what I said, that watching it and behaving in manners portrayed are two seperate manners.
It's violent, bloody and sleazy, therefore I enjoy it. Top it off with an interesting killer, a genuine moment of suspense that comes as a complete shock and some realistic gore effects and it moves on up the list.
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Post by Lazario on Feb 7, 2008 13:16:52 GMT -5
I feel no need whatsoever to defend myself to you or anyone else for enjoying this movie. Good for you. If you tried, I wouldn't have listened anyway. This movie is REALLY wrong and REALLY sick. Nothing playful or alright about this movie. Not on any level. This is trash-trash. And it deserves every bad thing I'm saying about it. When compared with some of the deeply dodgy rape (simulated or otherwise) and exploitational pornography that floods out of the USA and Europe (and is sold legally and is available at the click of a button on the internet) New York Ripper looks like exactly what it is, a sleazy, nasty but victimless example of Grindhouse goodness. There is nothing good about this movie. It is beyond sick and disturbing. It is pure filth and may as well be viewed as an attack on women. And I find your defense of this movie to be deeply shocking and frightening. And if anyone takes issue with that, I'm sorry. But people defend this movie. And in my opinion, it's wrong. And it seriously hurts the credibility of those who love the genre.
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Post by GP on Feb 7, 2008 13:51:10 GMT -5
When compared with some of the deeply dodgy rape (simulated or otherwise) and exploitational pornography that floods out of the USA and Europe (and is sold legally and is available at the click of a button on the internet) New York Ripper looks like exactly what it is, a sleazy, nasty but victimless example of Grindhouse goodness. There is nothing good about this movie. It is beyond sick and disturbing. It is pure filth and may as well be viewed as an attack on women. And I find your defense of this movie to be deeply shocking and frightening. If you find discussion so deeply shocking and frightening (unlike burning films you disapprove of) then I suggest you stay at home and stick to your keyboard. To be honest though I don't think you do. I think you're dropping bait for a bit of good old fashioned flaming and this time I couldn't resist the bite, but in future I'm not going to bother because I'll either shock and frighten you or just give you what you want and I 92% don't want to do either.
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