The Case of the Scorpion's Tail

Director - Sergio Martino (American Rickshaw, Hands of Steel)

Starring - George Hilton (Massacre Time, The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh), Anita Strindberg (Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key, The Two Face of Fear), and Alberto de Mendoza (Special Killers, Horror Express)

Release Date - 1971

Genre - Horror/Mystery

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Over the years I've been fortunate enough to review several films from acclaimed Italian filmmaker Sergio Martino.  Some of these releases were sent to me from my friends over at Severin while others were from other companies like Shameless Entertainment.  For the most part I've enjoyed these films especially his giallo flicks.  A few weeks ago MVD and Arrow Video sent me the Sergio Martino collection to review.  I knew October was swiftly approaching so I decided to put the set off so I could enjoy it during my annual horror binge.  The first film that I checked out in the set was the 1971 giallo The Case of the Scorpion's Tail.  This is one I had never seen before but had knew about after scoring a DVD at a pawn shop some years back.  Once again I want to thank MVD and Arrow Video for hooking me up with a copy.  

     The film follows a woman who inherits one million dollars after her husband is killed in an airplane accident.  The insurance company suspect that there was a bomb on the plane so they send in an investigator to investigate the beneficiary and the accident.  Soon he uncovers a web of murder, adultery, and fraud.

     When I was younger I never cared for giali and would often skip them when my friends would watch them.  The exception to the rule was usually the few Lucio Fulci directed and all of Dario Argento's.  However, as I got older I found myself drawn to them and enjoying the mystery aspect that delivered.  The Cast of the Scorpion's Tail was not predictable at all and I actually enjoyed it as a murder mystery.  The acting in this one is solid enough but some of the cast was a little too stiff.  The characters are very generic but they are written to fit the story perfectly.  However, some of the scenes did feel like a soap opera.  Some of the cast were flat and others were a little overdramatic.  There is some inconsistencies in the acting but it's not bad.  The story for this one is a fantastic giallo that really does follow the classic murder mystery tropes that made giallos so popular among movie goers.  A good portion of the giallos that I've seen before are predictable but this one really does leave the viewer guessing.  The characters are not that deep but they do fit with the story very well.  With that being said, some of the scenes are dry and very dull.  Editing this one a little closer to the story would have made it flow a little better and make it a little easier to follow.  Finally, the film doesn't shy away from the blood.  We get some fun bloody moments with some decent make-up effects.  The deaths are not as gruesome as some of the sub-genre's counterparts but they work for this film.  Overall, The Case of the Scorpion's Tale is a fantastic giallo that has a great story that really does work on the murder mystery level.  It's gritty at times but the cast and pacing is a little off at times resulting in difficult scenes for the viewer to focus.  The blu release from Arrow looks fantastic as well.  I highly recommend this if you are fans of Martino or giallo in general.