Todeskreis Libelle

Instead of an extremely sloppy movie, "A Dragonfly for Each Corpse" is Spanish giallo that is competently made and entertaining enough to be enjoyed by genre fans. Naschy is surprisingly interesting as a main character and the whole thing has a nice pacing and isn't too long for it's own good. It's nothing marvelous, thrilling, memorable or God forbid scary, but it's still a decent crime story for a relaxing afternoon and as a nice bonus, if you are watching an uncensored version, you will be rewarded with a little bit of nudity. All in all, it could have been much worse. 6/10! Only for Naschi and genre fans!

A Dragonfly for Each Corpse is quite unusual in that it is a Spanish movie filmed in Italy. More specifically, it tries to pass itself off as an Italian giallo. By the time this had been released this particular sub-genre had already past its peak years but its characteristics were so well established by that point that they could be mimicked quite easily. This film doesn't just copy the conventions of the genre; it also goes to the trouble of setting its action in Milan to make it seem even more like a true Italian product.

Its director was León Klimovsky who made quite a lot of genre pictures, including the impressive Vampire's Night Orgy (1974). In this one, he directs the top Iberian horror actor of the day, Paul Naschy. This chunky leading man appeared in many genre pics and in this instance he plays a cynical, violent cop who investigates a serial murder case. The killer's calling card is a wax dragonfly left on the corpses of the victims, all of whom are considered 'degenerates'. Interestingly, Naschy's detective actually seems to sympathise with the killer's objectives for the most part! Anyway, what follows is a violent and sleazy whodunit, where the mystery killer batters their way through the cast via a variety of slaughter methods.

The mystery here is, as is typical for the genre, somewhat convoluted with quite a large selection of suspects/victims. It's not a bad mystery though, even if it might be a bit heavy on the police procedural side of things. Admittedly it does end with a particularly biscuit-taking lack of explanation for the mayhem that we have just spent the last 90 minutes witnessing and the unmasking of the killer is somewhat underwhelming too. But this is not really a deal-breaker given that gialli in general often put very little effort into this side of things. On the other hand, there is a pleasing selection of salacious content sprinkled throughout to keep things interesting such as violent murders, completely gratuitous nudity, a seedy plot-line and a stupendously silly set-piece where one character tries to make a getaway on a roller-coaster car! So all-in-all, a pretty enjoyable movie with the requisite lack of political correction and an abundance of of-its-time fashions that make these films so much fun.

This thrilling film deals with Paolo Scaporelli (Paul Naschy or Jacinto Molina who plays in Dirty Harry style with cigar included) is a police inspector assigned by his chief (Mariano Vidal Molina) to investigate the case of the ¨dragonfly¨ , killing series have been committed by an ominous murderer at city of Milan . The psycho-killer murders his victims cruelly by means of slashing , beheading and axing . The inspector is helped by his gorgeous girlfriend (Erika Blanc) . The series-killer puts a dragonfly on the corpses of the victims as pimps , prostitutes drug addicts and underground people . There are several suspicious , who's the killer ? .

This is a Spanish Gialli though filmed in Italy . It contains suspense , tension , whodunit and lots of blood and guts with abundant sensationalistic scenes and a Naif style. The movie has a bit of ridiculous gore with loads of blood similar to tomato . B-entertainment with a fairly suspenseful and horrifying story in which a killer series undergoes a criminal spree by means of slitting , necrophilia , decapitation and other brutal executions . This tale about a Detective and people who is attacked by a malevolent murderous begins well and grows more and more until the exciting finale in which we figure out the nasty guilty on a building , including some strong fight scenes . There is another double version that packs nudism in charge of Erika Blanc and other women . Lots of blood and gore in several images that impacted the viewers for that time . The film follows the Dario Argento wake formed by his animal trilogy as ¨Four flies on grey velvet , The cat with nine tails and The bird with the crystal plumage ¨ . Nice cinematography in correct remastering by Miguel Mila and shot on location in Milan city . Ample support cast , usual of Eurotrah as Angel Aranda , Vidal Molina and Maria Kosti ,Eduardo Calvo , both of whom habitual of Jacinto Molina films . The late Naschy was a good professional , writing, filmmaking and acting about hundred titles , mainly in terror genre. ¨ A dragonfly for each corpse¨ is written by Molina along with 21 screenplays as ¨Mark of Wolfman¨, ¨Night of Walpurgis¨, ¨Vengeance of the mummy¨, ¨Licantropo¨, among them . He directed 13 films as ¨The Cantabros¨, ¨Return of Wolfman¨, ¨The Beast and the magic sword¨ and many others.

This slasher motion picture is professionally directed by Leon Klimovsky , a slick craftsman who directed all kind of genres, as Terror for Paul Naschy (Marshall of hell,Rebellion of dead one,Orgy of vampires, Werewolf shadow,Dr Jekill vs. the werewolf), Warlike(June 44 attack force Normandy, A bullet for Rommel, Bridge over Elba) and Western (Badland drifter,Some dollars for Django,Death knows no time, Two thousand dollars for Coyote) . Rating . 5 , acceptable and passable. The picture will appeal to Paul Naschy fans and Giallo buffs .

A Dragonfly for Each Corpse is a Spanish take on the popular Italian thriller known as the Giallo, and stars prolific Spanish horror star Paul Naschy. The Giallo was well established by 1974, and it's clear that director León Klimovsky knew this; as his film continually attempts to imitate the Italian films...but this isn't really a problem, as many of the actual Italian productions imitate each other, and it has to be said that the director hasn't done a bad job of making a non-Italian Giallo. The central plot theme has been seen in cinema many times before this film was released, and many times after; in films like Dario Argento's Tenebrae, and popular American thriller 'Seven'. We follow a killer who has taken it upon himself to clean up the streets, by picking off everyone that offends his eye. His trademark is a dragonfly, which is left at the scene of each crime, thus earning the killer the name 'The Dragonfly Killer'. We focus on the police investigation into the killings, which is lead by hard-bitten copper Inspector Scaporella.

By keeping the focus away from the murders and more on the investigation, director León Klimovsky has passed up on the opportunity of making a really interesting movie. The way that the investigation is handled isn't bad, and there's enough intrigue generated to see it through; but the way that the film is handled takes the attention away from the murders...which is never good in a film like this. There is a fair amount of blood in this film, however, but it never reaches the highs that you'd expect it to given the splatter at the beginning. Paul Naschy manages to put in a good performance as the cop at the centre of the story, but some of the rest of the cast bring it down; and the film suffers from far too many nuisances with the script, which gets a little too ridiculous too many times. By far the biggest problem with the film comes at the conclusion. Giallo's are infamous for not making a lot of sense and leaving things wide open...but there's barely an explanation at all here, and it's a shame because it could have been the highlight. But even so, this is entertaining enough; and the hilarious roller-coaster getaway ensures that I won't be forgetting it soon.

I am aware that when I see a Leon Klimovsky film, it will be at the same time, that little bit different from the norm but just a little lacking in expertise, or funding, or both. I also tend to expect to see the likable if unreliable, Paul Naschy. Great title and great pre credit sequence and we seem destined for a great little film, despite my reservations, but soon, despite a rapid sequence of sexy killings, things are become somewhat leaden. Scenes do not flow into one another as they should, stark dialogue seems unfitting and a level of predictability builds. But never mind, Naschy does well enough as the chief investigator, I'll hear nothing said against Erika Blanc who plays his wife (and gets changed into another wonderful 70s outfit every other scene) and in truth acts the rest of the cast off the film. All in all, not a very fine film but colourful and all action with just too many of those so bad its good moments.