BLADE OF THE RIPPER/ NEXT!

George Hilton

BLADE OF THE RIPPER (aka Next!/aka Next Victim!/aka The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh/aka Lo strano vizio della signora Wardh/1971). Director: Sergio Martino.

Running away from a strange and abusive lover named Jean (Ivan Rassimov of Spasmo), Julie (Edwige Fenech) marries a pleasant and balanced man named Neil Wardjh (Alberto de Mendoza of One On Top of the Other) in Vienna. Unfortunately, Neil is not that exciting, so Julie takes up with an aggressive stranger named George (George Hilton) and they begin a passionate affair. While this is going on, a mad slasher is on the loose in the city, and one of Julie's friends, Carol (Conchita Airoldi), becomes the latest victim. Then Julie finds herself being stalked by an unknown figure. Which of the three men in Julie's life is the maniac, or is it someone else? Blade of the Ripper is an interesting giallo film with a more involved plot than usual, but its main distinction is its brilliant twist at the end. Edwige Fenech [The Sins of Madame Bovary] takes her clothing off at the drop of a hat, and there are other undraped females throughout, at times giving the pic the tone of soft core porn. The movie doesn't compare to the best of Dario Argento, but it does boast a suspenseful sequence in the parking basement of Julie's apartment house and a tense scene on the stairs, as well as one creepy murder sequence. The acting is more than adequate. Don't expect beautiful views of Vienna, although one murder scene does take place near the palace outside the city. Sergio Martino also directed Torso.

Verdict: Suspenseful if un-stylish giallo thriller. ***.