Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1970)

- Il rosso segno della follia
"The truth is, I am completely mad.", 27 March 2006

I've always considered Hatchet for the Honeymoon one of the "weaker" Bava films. It doesn't have the artistry of Black Sunday or the flair of Blood and Black Lace. Even with these perceived flaws, a weak Bava is still an enjoyable experience.

The basic story: Models and customers of a wedding gown design house are turning up dead on their wedding day. Each one viciously killed by a hatchet (meat clever) wielding maniac. It's not difficult figuring out who the killer is. Hatchet for the Honeymoon doesn't follow the normal rules of a horror/mystery. Think of it as a backwards Giallo. There are no clever red herrings, no suspicious characters, and no dead-end clues. Instead, the main character, John Harrington (Stephen Forsyth), reveals early on that he's a crazed killer. A bit of dialogue uttered by John early in the movie give tremendous insight into his character – "A woman should only live till her wedding day. She should love once and then die'."

But in this case, our killer feels he has a justifiable (albeit selfish) reason to kill. Each time he murders a woman, a vision that has haunted him becomes clearer. He's obsessed with discovering the meaning of the vision. How many brides must die before John discovers the secret of his vision?

John also has a nagging wife whom he would like to divorce. But, it seems that she has the money and won't let him go. Instead, she would rather make his life miserable. Deciding he can't take anymore of his wife, John kills her. Still not wanting to leave John, the wife's ghost continues to torment John. In a bizarre twist, John – the lunatic – is being driven mad by his wife. Is it possible for a homicidal maniac to be driven crazy?

The performances are fairly standard for this kind of film. Stephen Forsyth is more than adequate for the role of the hunky (did I just use that word) killer. I've always felt that his wife, played by Laura Betti, is the only real weak point in the cast. She just doesn't come across very naturally. In scenes where she is tormenting John from the grave, she's appears to be nothing more than an actress playing a part. I never bought into her performance.

While there are flashes of Bava's brilliance, much of Bava's trademark style seems muted. For example, while the room of mannequins makes a nice scene, it's not awash in color like scenes from Bava's Black Sabbath or Blood and Black Lace. Instead, it's a fairly dark room without any terribly unusual lighting. It's not that Bava's work here isn't impressive, because it is. There are scenes shot through peep holes and small windows that show other facets of Bava's creativity.

I should also mention the score. The music, by Sante Maria Romitelli is a real asset to the movie. Much of it is a loving, soft, romantic score. This type of music mixed with the idea of burying a hatchet in someone may seem inappropriate, but it makes these scenes even more chilling. A perfect example of this is the music box tune John plays when killing the bride in the mannequin room. It's a very effective use of music.

7/10