The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (1971)

- Lo strano vizio della Signora Wardh
A great example of the genre, 10 March 2006

The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh has just about everything a Giallo fan could ask for. All of the necessary ingredients are here: brutal murders, bizarre sex scenes, plot twists, interesting camera work, a nice score, and Edwige Fenech. - Brutal Murders: The killer uses a razor to slash his victims' throats to ribbons resulting in plenty of blood flow. - Bizarre Sex: I don't' know about you but beating the crap out of your partner prior to engaging in sex seems pretty bizarre to me. - Plot Twists: Just when you're sure you finally gotten a handle on the plot and solved the mystery, The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh gives you yet another twist to wrap your mind around. - Interesting Camera Work: The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh is a great looking film with unusual camera angle and lens choices. Visually, it's very pleasing. - A Nice Score: Even though composer Nora Orlandi's main theme is repeated throughout the film, I never get tired of hearing it. It's a hauntingly beautiful piece that helps set the mood of the film very well. - Edwige Fenech: The Queen of the Giallo.

The plot involves a crazed killer with an eye for women is on the loose. Julie Wardh (Edwige Fenech) is very much afraid because of the direct threats she has received from the killer. She's also convinced the killer is an ex-boyfriend. When the real killer is himself killed, that should put an end to Julie's fears. But it doesn't. The threats against Julie's life continue. I readily admit that there are plot holes big enough to drive a truck through and lapses in logic the size of the Grand Canyon, but that hardly matters when you're having this much fun with a movie. Blemishes and all, The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh is a great example of the genre and one of the reasons I keep seeking out these hard to find Italian gems.

8/10