A Dragonfly for Each Corpse

Director - Leon Klimovsy (Night of the Walking Dead, The Dracula Saga)
Starring - Paul Naschy (Night of the Howling Beast, Horror Kung-Fu Theater), Erika Blanc (Kill Baby...Kill!, The Bad Child), and Angel Aranda (Planet of the Vampires, Bullets Dont Argue)
Release Date - 1974
Genre - Horror/Drama
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     As my Paul Naschy marathon continues I make my way through the second collection from Scream Factory one film at a time.  I had just finished up what most consider to be his best film, Hunchback of the Morgue.  The film is a fantastic film but the lack of Naschy was a bit underwhelming.  The next film in the set takes us into Naschy's rare appearance in the giallo sub-genre.  The film, A Dragonfly for Each Corpse was released in 1974.  The film went by many names and has become known as an exceptional giallo.  I'm typically not a fan of giallos outside of the works of Dario Argento but Naschy was able to pull it off and make it work.

     The film follows a police detective Scaporalla (Naschy) who is tasks with investigating a series or murders.  Someone has been killing prostitutes and hookers on the street while wearing a hood and fashionably red pants.  His ties, through his girlfriend, takes him through the fashion world through a prostitution ring to stop the killer before they can strike again.
   

     I was damn shocked to discover Naschy in a giallo and I was even more shocked to find that I liked a giallo outside of Dario Argento.  The film lacked style that I typically liked in a giallo but the story submerged itself in the murder mystery story line that I like.  The acting in this one is great.  We once again see Paul Naschy deliver a commanding performance as the film's lead.  His character isn't over the top like some of his period pieces but he does a fantastic job as the investigator.  The films supporting cast does a fantastic job as well.  They all contribute to the story and bring to life characters that you would typically see in these types of films.  The story for this one is different.  One wouldn't expect to see a giallo set in the world of high class fashion yet hold the attention of most horror fans but this one does.  The viewer has no idea what is going on and watched every scene patiently to learn of the killer's identity.  The twists you can see coming a mile away bit it is still an effective murder mystery.  The film was cleverly written and has great pacing.  Finally, the film has classic giallo type kills.  The kills we get are fun for the style of film but are easily forgettable.  The special effects we get work for the film itself but in any other film they would have been laughed at.  Overall, A Dragonfly for Each Corpse is a fun giallo that fans of the sub-genre and Naschy alike will enjoy.  It has a solid pace and the story is fun.  Check it out.