Seven Bloodstained Orchids

A maniac murders a prostitute, Marcella (Gabriella Giorgelli) and a foreign artist, Kathy Adams (Marina Malfatti), leaving silver half moon pendants with the bodies.

Next he attacks newlywed Giulia Gerosan (Uchi Glass) on the sleeper train, but is disturbed before he can finish the job. The police, struggling for a clue that will tie the attacks together, agree to fake Giulia's funeral in order that she and new husband Mario (Antonio Sabato) can go away on their honeymoon.

The killer strikes again, this time murdering a woman in a mental hospital.

Frustrated by the ineffectiveness of the police and worried that he himself may be a suspect, Mario embarks on his own investigation.

He discovers that all the victims share a connection to his wife's hotel, a page from the register having been torn out, and that an American, Frank Saunders, holds the key. After tracking the man down amongst the city's hippies and ex-pats, Mario arranges a meeting with Saunders at a cemetary. But someone seems to be playing a sick joke, for Saunders is buried there. He died a year ago – the same day as the missing page from the register…

This 1971 German-Italian co-production comes across as a clear attempt at melding together the krimi of the former with the giallo of the latter, as indicated by the mixed nationalities of the leads.

Writer-director Umberto Lenzi handles the suspense scenes better than those who know him only from the likes of Cannibal Ferox might expect, while never stinting on the nastier details of slashing, stabbings, bludgeonings and (possibly a first here) power tool murders that are his stock in trade.

The other aspects of Seven Bloodstained Orchids are, however, less successful. The mystery and investigation are relatively uninvolving, even by the sometimes limited standards of the style over substance giallo genre, with a final resolution that fails to satisfy. Moreover, neither of the leads are particularly strong or charismatic performers, with Sabato in particular leaving one longing for the likes of a Fabio Testi who could bring some real weight to the role.

All told, this is a giallo that has its moments, but too few and far between to qualify it as a genuine "lost classic".

Shriek Show's Region One DVD is another decent DVD package.

The film is presented in its original 2.35:1 widescreen ratio, anamorphic, with strong hues and solid blacks. There's the odd bit of graininess and occasional blotches here and there, but no more than might be expected for a 30-year-old obscurity. Audio is fine, with dialogue and Riz Ortolani's effective, if derivative, score clear throughout, although the absence of language options – the English dub is your lot – is perhaps slightly disappointing.

The extras comprise too-brief interviews with Gabriella Giorgelli (three minutes) and Umberto Lenzi (seven minutes), the latter also containing minor spoilers so it's best watched after the film; trailers for the film along with Lenzi's Spasmo and Eaten Alive (both also available from Shriek Show); liner notes, and a stills gallery.

Good but not great, then.