Excellent Rural Giallo

Knowing that Lucio Fulci is best known for his OTT portrayal of decomposing corpses, putrescent sores and punctured eyeballs you might be surprised to find that this film isn't especially gory. It is more surprising that it isn't very well known because it's a delightfully morbid and well balanced murder-mystery with stylish presentation and a fiendish and beefy plot-line. The film is on the deeper, darker side of the often silly Giallo genre as the victims are all prepubescent boys and there are themes of superstition, mob-mentality and sexual awakening involved. There are also less nubile fashion victims than you would expect (just one, Barbara Bouchet) but there are a delicious selection of possible murderers, likeable leads and good solid pacing. The dubbing is slightly strange as with nearly all Italian films of this era but that doesn't really interfere. The film is also shot with style and creativity but not ostentatiously so. I would recomend this film to anyone with the slightest interest in murder-mysteries or Italian cinema.