The Murder Clinic
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The Murder Clinic (Template:Lang-it) is a 1966 horror film directed by Lionello De Felice and Elio Scardamaglia. The Italian title translates as The Knife in the Body. It was released in France as Les nuits de l'epouvante (Nights of Terror). It was released in English-speaking countries as either The Murder Clinic or Revenge of the Living Dead.
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Plot
In 1870s England, the director of a mental hospital is secretly carrying out skin grafts on the patients in an attempt to restore his sister-in-law's mutilated face (it seems she accidentally fell into a lime pit). Meanwhile, a hooded killer is murdering people in the hospital with a straight razor.
Cast
- William Berger as Dr. Vance
- Françoise Prévost as Gisele
- Mary Young as Lisbeth
- Barbara Wilson as Mary
- Germano Longo as Ivan
- Philippe Hersent as Fred
- Harriet White (aka Harriet Medin) as Sheena
- Massimo Righi as Fred
- Anna Maria Polani as Jane
- Delfi Mauro as Laura
Production
The film was shot in Villa Parisi in Rome.Template:Sfn Although most sources indicate producer Elio Scardamaglia was also the director of the film, screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi stated that Lionello De Felice was actually the film's director.Template:Sfn Gastaldi stated that De Felice left the production near the end of shooting with only a few scenes remaining left for Scardamaglia to direct himself.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
Style
Roberto Curti, author of Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1957-1969 described The Murder Clinic as an example of the way Italian gothic horror films would change and make way for the giallo genre in the 1970s.Template:Sfn
Release
Murder Clinic was released in Italy on March 17, 1966 where it was distributed by Regional.Template:Sfn The film grossed a total of ₤96 million Italian lira on its theatrical release.Template:Sfn In 1971, a re-release poster played off of actor William Berger's own trouble with the law with the tag line "William Berger, guilty or innocent?"Template:Sfn
The film was released in the United States first as The Murder Clinic, and then years later as Revenge of the Living Dead, which tried to promote the film as a zombie movie.Template:Sfn The film was released on DVD by Code Red as part of "Six-Pack Volume Two" box set.Template:Sfn
Reception
Curti described the films direction as being "nondescript" and that the many red herrings in the film were unconvincing.Template:Sfn Curti also noted that "The film only comes alive when Françoise Prévost is on-screen."Template:Sfn In his book Italian Horror Film Directors, Louis Paul described the film as a "handsomely crafted gothic thriller."Template:Sfn
See also