The films of Lucio Fulci

The Saloon
1

Lucio Fulci has contributed to many great Italian movies and directed films across all genres, Western, Giallo, Horror, Futuristic, Comedy but quite often never got the credit he deserved and many critics who didn’t really know about the full spectrum of his work labeled him a horror hack.

He has made a couple of excellent Spaghetti westerns, MASSACRE TIME and FOUR OF THE APOCALYPsE (even SILVER SADDLE is enjoyable for a later entry) and Giallos, LIZARD IN A WOMAN’S SKIN, DON’T TORTURE A DUCKLING, MURDER TO THE TUNE OF SEVEN BLACK NOTES, and not forgetting the Italian horror classics of the late 70’s/Early 80’s.

Unfortunately he only made one crime film but what a crime film it is, the superb SMUGGLER (CONTRABAND) WITH Fabio Testi.

I met him in 1994 and even though his English was quite poor he was a very loveable character and it doesn’t seem that he has been gone for over 10 years now.

Lucio Fulci R.I.P.

What do you think of his movies?

2

[quote=“Yodlaf Peterson, post:1, topic:517”]Lucio Fulci has contributed to many great Italian movies and directed films across all genres, Western, Giallo, Horror, Futuristic, Comedy but quite often never got the credit he deserved and many critics who didn’t really know about the full spectrum of his work labeled him a horror hack.

He has made a couple of excellent Spaghetti westerns, MASSACRE TIME and FOUR OF THE APOCALYPsE (even SILVER SADDLE is enjoyable for a later entry) and Giallos, LIZARD IN A WOMAN’S SKIN, DON’T TORTURE A DUCKLING, MURDER TO THE TUNE OF SEVEN BLACK NOTES, and not forgetting the Italian horror classics of the late 70’s/Early 80’s.

Unfortunately he only made one crime film but what a crime film it is, the superb SMUGGLER (CONTRABAND) WITH Fabio Testi.

I met him in 1994 and even though his English was quite poor he was a very loveable character and it doesn’t seem that he has been gone for over 10 years now.

Lucio Fulci R.I.P.

What do you think of his movies?[/quote]

Like most directors he has made some excellent films and some not so good, my personal last best one was THE NEW YORK RIPPER, and I am not a fan of much after that.

What puzzles me is why did he not make many spaghetti’s in the 1960’s?

Do woman like Fulci films I wonder, as so many meet horrible deaths in his later work?

DON’T TORTURE A DUCKLING I find is a fascinating film, and very ahead of its time with its subject matter.

My personal best out of his Horrors is THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETRY, but all his horrors around this period are enjoyable films to watch.

Cool that you met MR FULCI, you have made me jealous!.

3

i know, all he made western wise in the 60’s was “MASSACRE TIME” the other 2 he didn’t make until the 70’S :slight_smile:

4

He was quite mad yet a true loveable character, he scribbled all over my “LIZARD IN A WOMAN’S SKIN” tape with about 6 signatures!
David Warbeck was also there and was also willing to have a good chat with his fans.
It was at Eurofest 94 in Hampstead, London.

5

i know what you mean, after ripper a lot of his films looked quite cheap, but what you also have to remember mid 80’s onwards the Italian film industry slowed down a lot, and even though budgets were never very “high”, there was a lot less money to spend on cinema after this period unless you was Argento or Bertolucci, directors of that calibre.

6

Yes this a good point you have mentioned and probably explains a bit.

7

[quote=“Yodlaf Peterson, post:4, topic:517”]He was quite mad yet a true loveable character, he scribbled all over my “LIZARD IN A WOMAN’S SKIN” tape with about 6 signatures!
David Warbeck was also there and was also willing to have a good chat with his fans.
It was at Eurofest 98 in Hampstead, London.[/quote]
David Warbeck aswell, what more could you want?

Have you seen THE LAST HUNTER with Warbeck in?

8

I’ve seen only few non-westerns by Fulci, I’m interested of his giallos, Don’t Torture a Duckling and Lizard in woman’s skin. I’ve seen New York ripper which was great. Very brutal, violent and quite bizarre too but still very thrilling.

I’m not so much interested of 80’s horror anymore but I have the Zombie Flesh Eaters on dvd, haven’t watched it for nearly seven years. I liked it a lot back then though.

Contraband is strange film since people seem to regard it as one of the best of the crime genre or one of the worst. I don’t think it’s bad film but it’s not great either. Confusing plot and lots of violence and gore which is totally out of place.

Anyone seen his early drama Beatrice Cenci with Tomas Milian? I’ve heard it’s supposed to be very good.

9

[quote=“ENNIOO, post:7, topic:517”]David Warbeck aswell, what more could you want?

Have you seen THE LAST HUNTER with Warbeck in?[/quote]
THE LAST HUNTER is one of my favourite Italian action films and definately Margheriti’s best of that period, there is an uncut U.K. dvd which is 2.35:1 widescreen and a fantastic print :slight_smile:

10

[quote=“Bill san Antonio, post:8, topic:517”]I’ve seen only few non-westerns by Fulci, I’m interested of his giallos, Don’t Torture a Duckling and Lizard in woman’s skin. I’ve seen New York ripper which was great. Very brutal, violent and quite bizarre too but still very thrilling.

I’m not so much interested of 80’s horror anymore but I have the Zombie Flesh Eaters on dvd, haven’t watched it for nearly seven years. I liked it a lot back then though.

Contraband is strange film since people seem to regard it as one of the best of the crime genre or one of the worst. I don’t think it’s bad film but it’s not great either. Confusing plot and lots of violence and gore which is totally out of place.

Anyone seen his early drama Beatrice Cenci with Tomas Milian? I’ve heard it’s supposed to be very good.[/quote]
“DON’T TORTURE A DUCKLING” is an excellent Giallo with some beautiful scenery in it, Florida Bolkan’s ordeal really makes you feel for her in it, Tomas Milian, Marc Porel and Barbara Bouchet also star.

“BEATRICE CENCI” is actually Fulci’s personal favourite of all his films, there is a French DVD but unfortunately there is only a choice of Italian or French on it. There is and old U.K. pre-cert tape on the Fletcher label but it is extremely hard to find and it normally sells for well over £100!

11

What is the name of the Spaghetti western the old man mafia style boss is watching in CONTRABAND (or my preferred pre-cert title THE NAPLES CONNECTION) ?

12

I’m not sure you know, if i remember rightly a couple of times in the film you see him changing tv stations then stopping to watch a western.

Can anyone shed light on what this film / films may be?

13

[quote=“Yodlaf Peterson, post:12, topic:517”]I’m not sure you know, if i remember rightly a couple of times in the film you see him changing tv stations then stopping to watch a western.

Can anyone shed light on what this film / films may be?[/quote]

Yes, this one has bugged me for a long time!

I just love it, he is switching channels and the only thing he appears to like is this Spaghetti Western or Westerns.

Classic stuff.

14

[quote=“ENNIOO, post:11, topic:517”]What is the name of the Spaghetti western the old man mafia style boss is watching in CONTRABAND (or my preferred pre-cert title THE NAPLES CONNECTION) ?[/quote]I also quite like “THE SMUGGLER” as a title too, the old “NAPLES CONNECTION” was uncut then re-released as “THE SMUGGLER”

then this happened to it!

THE SMUGGLER ( 1987 ) Runtime: 87m 37s cut by 2m 52s
Director: Lucio Fulci Cast: Fabio Testi,Ivana Monti,Guido Alberti

Damn the BBFC. >:(

15

[quote=“Yodlaf Peterson, post:14, topic:517”]I also quite like “THE SMUGGLER” as a title too, the old “NAPLES CONNECTION” was uncut then re-released as “THE SMUGGLER”

then this happened to it!

THE SMUGGLER ( 1987 ) Runtime: 87m 37s cut by 2m 52s
Director: Lucio Fulci Cast: Fabio Testi,Ivana Monti,Guido Alberti

Damn the BBFC. >:([/quote]

Yes it pissed me off a bit this at the time aswell, they just cannot leave stuff alone.

Yes, the Smuggler title is O.K aswell, and I prefer these titles more than Contraband.

Naples Connection must be one of the few U.K pre-cert tapes of Fulci films around this period that was uncut, and was not on the banned list, whereas as others that were on the list (ie House By The Cemetry) were cut!.

I paid £20 for my pre cert tape in the late eighties as I remember, Walton Video, and two weeks later I come across one at a Car Boot sale for £1.50.

16

“PERVERSION STORY” should be out any time soon in the States with footage never before seen in an English language release.

17

it’s madness, BEYOND was also a heavily cut print and they banned it! Even ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS had a strong Uncut version and a soft one and the cun#s banned them both!

Foolishness

18

I have not seen this one, but I feel a purchase may be necessary.

I never found the pre-cert of this tape.

19

[quote=“ENNIOO, post:18, topic:517”]I have not seen this one, but I feel a purchase may be necessary.

I never found the pre-cert of this tape.[/quote][quote=“ENNIOO, post:18, topic:517”]I have not seen this one, but I feel a purchase may be necessary.

I never found the pre-cert of this tape.[/quote]
I remember seeing the old “ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER” at a film fair at Watford many years ago but is was too expensive for me so i left it.

20

I think it was on The INTER-OCEAN label as I recall.

One of my best films I managed to get on this label was WEAPONS OF DEATH, with Mr . Mean Henry Silvia.