Murder Obsession Blu-ray offers solid video and decent audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
Michael is a successful actor, but he has a scandal in his past: at a tender age he knifed his father to death. He and his girlfriend Deborah go to his mother's for the weekend, and are joined by the director and others from a recent film project, who are given a rather cool reception by the superstitious housekeeper Oliver. Soon rude things begin happening to some of the guests, and Michael fears a repeat of his nightmare past is in progress.
It's not every day that one comes into contact with a movie that opens with a philosophical quote before it showcases slashings, stabbings, demonic worship, breast fondling, spider and bat attacks, and a homage to the Michelangelo painting "Pieta." 1981's "Murder Obsession" (also known as "Murder Syndrome") is a film packed with oddity and horror ambition, and while it doesn't provide a sustained display of terror, this gory mystery has enough salacious details and viciousness to keep the average giallo fan invested in the proceedings. Of course, it could be stranger, more alert, and erotically charged, yet "Murder Obsession" carries itself confidently, weaving in and out of dreamscapes to provide the viewer with a few handfuls of evildoing and suspicion. Plus, the feature offers the rare opportunity to view a scene where a Herve Villechaize-sized spider fondles the legs of a screaming woman, which is almost worth the purchase price alone.
Haunted by the knowledge that he murdered his own father, a beloved conductor and musician, as a child, movie actor Michael (Stefano Patrizi) has decided to return to the scene of the crime, visiting his mother Glenda (Anita Strindberg) in her remote Italian home. Accompanied by girlfriend Debora (Silvia Dionsio), Michael is unnerved by the visit, but remains determined to face his fears, soon joined by three filmmaking friends, including lover and co-star Beryl (Laura Gemser). Left to explore a largely abandoned home with iffy electrical reliability, the group responds to a strange energy surrounding the property, a troubling feeling that soon infiltrates their dreams. While Michael comes to terms with his scarred past, misfortune revisits his life when dead bodies begin to pop up in his presence, leaving him to worry about the return of old habits. Of primary concern is dark magic, which haunts Debora and intrigues Glenda, while servant Oliver (John Richardson) tends to the daily business of the house, stalking the backgrounds while all hell breaks loose, with someone or something killing off the guests one by one.
As previously mentioned, "Murder Obsession" opens with a quote concerning the true soulful residence of the Devil, cluing viewers early on that the effort is not pursuing a run-of-the-mill escalation of slasher shenanigans, but something more insidious. That promise is kept by director Riccardo Freda (a veteran of twisted shockers), who attempts to undermine slasher formula by burrowing into the unconscious mind, muddying the clarity of murder with strange asides into dreamscapes and nightmares, bringing a sense of theatricality to the picture. The feature's primary nighttime diversion is found with Debora, who finds herself lost inside the bowels of the house, topless (of course) and tormented by bats and enormous spiders, while masked ghouls watch her torture routine while barfing green goo all over their ceremonial robes. Who really needs throat-slittings and hatchet attacks when there's this? The broad leaps into abstract terror keep "Murder Obsession" appealing, pulling the story in unexpected directions while allowing Freda to ornament the movie with potent visuals constructed out of crude special effects. It's entertaining to watch the production realize certain extravagant concepts for demonic distress (at one point, a Barbie doll is used to give a giant spider monstrous scale), buttressing the mystery with inviting detours into exploitative elements of sex and violence. Actually, the sex is quite dull, performed robotically by the actors as though they were being forced to make out at gunpoint (Dionsio looks as though she would rather be anywhere than under Patrizi's roaming lips), but the violence is vivid, with enough bloodshed to satisfy gorehounds, while the script dispatches victims with a varied set of tools and techniques.
The mystery at the core of "Murder Obsession" doesn't carry enough firepower to knock the viewer flat. With such clunky attempts to introduce red herrings (a house guest insists he uses black gloves to prevent electrocution while drying his hair), it's easy to disengage from the whodunit aspects of the story, leaving more time to focus in the performances, which are quite competent for such a quickie endeavor. Strindberg is particularly fiery as Glenda, a sickly woman thrilled to be near her son again, though obviously in possession of dark secrets concerning the murder of her husband that she'd rather not expose. She plays sinister and anxious marvelously, also throwing in some light incestuous overtones as Glenda practically purrs when Michael draws near. That shade of ick is never explored in full. The rest of the ensemble dutifully works through levels of panic, giving full-bodied performances that help to goose the diabolical mood, contributing fully lathered screams and sweats.
Also assisting "Murder Obsession" is the score by Franco Mannio, which blends orchestral serenity with shocking musical stings, capturing the story's flirtations with misleading symphonic peace while driving home some scares of its own. Cinematography by Cristiano Pogany is equally valuable to the ominous atmosphere, maintaining a haunted house ambiance with a heavy gothic impression. The photography plays with candlelight and dark corners, yet isn't afraid to make the cast look like a million bucks, with detailed lighting illuminating the performances.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) looks fresh, bringing new life to a cult item. Colors are confident and vivid, with generous reds to help accentuate the bloodshed and interior décor of the setting. Outdoor hues also carry a natural quality, with forest greens making an impression. Skintones are accurate, retaining a human feel for unnatural situations of survival. Fine details are available for study, with a slight softness to the image that never impedes textures emerging from costumes and set design. Facial close-ups are also open for inspection, assisting emotional reactions and make-up particulars. There's a minor amount of ghosting detected, while edge delineation is satisfactory, with blacks communicative, only solidifying on rare occasion. Grain is comfortable, lending the viewing experience a cinematic feel.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix does its best to contain the inconsistent sonic landscape of this motion picture. Scoring is especially assertive, with loud orchestral movement to signify revelations and terror, ramping up harshly on the listener. Dialogue exchanges are also hit with varying volume levels, though most of the listening experience is comfortable, with only a few tinny peaks that cause discomfort due to the inherent thinness of the original track. Hiss and pops are present but never intrusive. The introduction of a pulsing heartbeat carries some bass to fill out the terror, but the track is primarily skeletal without much verve beyond the basics. Considering the obscurity of the title, what's corralled here is acceptable, just be aware of the colossal surges in sound.
An 11-page booklet containing an essay on "Murder Obsession" and biography on Freda is included.
In addition to the Original Cut (97:18) of the film on this disc, an English Cut (91:35) is provided.
Interview with Sergio Stivaletti (10:05, SD) chats with the famed make-up effects artist and film director (1997's "The Wax Mask"), who shares a few memories about his time on the "Murder Obsession" set, which was one of his first jobs in the horror business.
Interview with Claudio Simonetti (22:04, SD) is an interesting chat with the legendary composer and famed member of Goblin, who spends much of the featurette covering the history of horror music, leading to his own scoring origins under the guidance of Dario Argento. In fact, "Murder Obsession" doesn't even come up in the conversation, keeping this an informative education on film scores, not a direct dissection of the movie.
Interview with Gabriele Albanesi (8:52, SD) is a sit-down with the director of "Ulbaldo Terzani Horror Show," who shares his knowledge of Freda and the treatment of "Murder Obsession" during its initial theatrical release, mixing in plenty of critical analysis.
Deleted Scene (:24, SD) provides some extended suffering during a bathtub attack.
"Murder Obsession" doesn't quite possess the style or sophistication (save for the finale's loaded Michelangelo reference) of the genre's greatest achievements, but it's a satisfying cinematic meal of death, supported by an infatuation with demonic control and sacrifice. Sure, the picture can be very silly, hitting limitations in budget and special effects imagination, but it's never dragged completely underwater by absurdity, instead keeping itself freshly intimidating and moderately mysterious. It's a muscular effort from Freda, in what would become is last official feature as a filmmaker. When one ends a career with a movie spotlighting giant spiders and chainsaw attacks, it's clear it has been a very blessed, colorful occupation.
