The French Sex Murders

Director - Ferdinando Merighi (His Colt, Himself, His Revenge; Il Sole Tornera)

Starring - Anita Ekberg (Bad Girls, Deadly Trackers), Rosalba Neri (The Arena, No Way Out), and Evelyne Kraft (The Mighty Peking Man, Assassination Attempt)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When Vinegar Syndrome announced their Forgotten Gialli Volume Two box set and the contents of it I was pretty fucking pumped.  One of the films, The French Sex Murders, was the only film in the set that I had heard about previously thanks to Mondo Macabro who put it out on DVD.  I never got the chance to see it but knowing that Mondo released it on DVD and a lot of their fans loved it spoke to me.  I couldn't wait to dig into it and hopefully wash the taste of The Girl in Room 2A out of my mouth.

     After a judge wrongfully convicts a man for killing a prostitute they soon find themselves stuck with a string of murders.  The police and a local professor start investigating the murders and uncover that the murderer is closer than they suspect.

     I knew nothing about this film besides what a few genre friends have told me about it.  I often see friends share pictures of their DVD on social media talking about it but story wise it was new to me.  After hitting play I soon found myself in love with the film.  The opening death and onward I was hooked.  This is, hands down, the best film in the set.  I absolutely loved it.  The acting in this one is solid for the most part but a couple of the scenes were unintentionally funny.  The supporting cast would give very forced reactions that reminds me a lot of an adult who would listen to a child tell a story.  It was very forced and not genuine at all.  Aside from a few instances of this the acting is pretty solid.  No one actor/actress stands out but they all work fairly well together.  The story for this one throws a few twists at you.  At first you think the movie is going to end quick then it pulls out this supernatural vibe before revealing the real killer.  I really liked how the story had a lot of ups and downs to keep the viewer paying attention.  However, I was not a fan of how the film ended after the killer was revealed.  There was no follow up or real conclusion to the film.  Finally, the film has some bloody moments and one of the most ridiculous decapitations ever filmed.  The blood is super bright red, which I really enjoy, but the decapitation is so funny.  The fake head is pretty piss poor but it adds a few extra laughs to a pretty serious film.  Overall, The French Sex Murders is a little cheesy and has a few unintentional laughs but the story really does satisfy the serious giallo fans.  This one is well worth your time.