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The man who brought you such successful chillers as "5 Dolls for an August Moon" , ¨Operazione Paura¨ ,¨Black Sabbath¨ , "Six Women for the Murderer" , ¨The Evil Eye¨ goes back in this nice film that packs great cinematography , impressive spectacle and well staged killings . It begins developing an elaborate animated collage for the film opening credits , being originally created by the great Mario Bava . The flick deals with a respected fashion mogul who runs a house of style where happens several bloody murders and gruesome executions . As a bridal design shop owner called John Harrington (Stephen Forsyth) kills various young brides-to-be (Femi Benussi) in an attempt to unlock a repressed childhood trauma that's causing him to commit murder . John contracts a new fashion model , that person ultimately being Helen Wood (Dagmar Lassander) , who eventually gets a little too close for his comfort . Harrington is facing further torment in the mutually unsatisfying marriage to Mildred (Laura Betti , originally the script didn't include the role , it was only after expressed interest in working with Bava that the director re-wrote the script so that Betti could have a suitable starring) who subsequently to return to haunt him as a ghost . Meanwhile , a police inspector named Russell (Jesus Puente) investigates the strange killings , being his prime suspect Harrington . When Russel enters Carrington's home , the latter tells the screams heard are caused by the television set (the TV show that Harrington refers to in an attempt to fool Inspector is a clip from Mario Bava's own Black Sabbath (1963) - specifically the "Wurdalak" sequence featuring Boris Karloff) .

Mario Bava strikes again in this mysterious and grisly picture with haunting atmosphere , colorful photography and strange musical score . Bava's great success (the first was ¨Black Sunday¨ or ¨Mask of Demon¨)is compellingly directed with startling visual content . This frightening movie is plenty of thrills , chills , high body-count and glimmer color in lurid pastel with phenomenal results . Interesting screenplay filled with twists , turns and rare situations by prolific Santiago Moncada , an usual playwright . This is a classic slasher where the intrigue , tension , suspense appear threatening and lurking in every room , corridors and luxurious interior and exterior . Nice as well as twisted acting by Stephen Forsyth as a psychotic killer who manages a model house . This genuinely mysterious story is well photographed by the same Mario Bava with magenta shades of ochre , translucently pale turquoises and deep orange-red . Filmed on location in Barcelona , Harrington's villa , Rome , Paris and studios Alfonso Balcazar . The Spanish villa that the majority of the film was shot at was formerly the touristic home of Spanish dictator Generalissimo Francisco Franco .

The movie well produced by Manuel Caño belongs to Italian Giallo genre , Bava (¨Planet of vampires¨, ¨House of exorcism¨) along with Riccardo Freda (¨Secret of Dr. Hitchcock¨ , ¨Il Vampiri¨) are the fundamental creators . In fact , both of whom collaborated deeply among them , as Bava finished two Fedra's films ¨Il Vampiri¨ and ¨Caltiki¨ . These Giallo movies are characterized by overblown use of color in shining red blood , usual zooms and utilization of images-shock . Later on , there appears Dario Argento (¨Deep red¨, ¨Suspiria¨,¨Inferno¨), another essential filmmaker of classic Latino terror films . Rating : Good, this is one more imaginative slasher pictures in which the camera stalks in sinister style throughout a story with magnificent visual skills.

In the late sixties Bava began reinventing the murder mystery formula he single-handedly created with films like THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH and BLOOD AND BLACK LACE. In this film you know from the start who the killer is and so this film becomes a look into the crazed mind of a guy with childhood trauma who kills women. There's a great experimental score, cool fashions and a dance nightclub sequence for all you Sixties kitsch fans out there. Stephen Forsyth gives a great wide-eyed psycho performance and Bava forsakes his usual stylishly colored lighting for dreamy surreal imagery during the murder scenes. Bava even sticks in scenes from his earlier films on a TV as an in-joke for his fans.

Interesting, complex look at a man who must kill young brides in order to unlock the secret of who killed his own mother. With each hacked bride, the main character of Harrington sees more and more of his terrible childhood memory when he saw his own mother axed. The acting in this film is nothing terribly special, nor is the story, but Bava'a direction is a visual treasure to behold. As always, he makes the most he can with the camera lens. Some of the shots are inspiring as Bava directs our attention through small orifices sometimes like a small window. His use of a room with mannequins is very effective too. Bava even has fun with his little joke of having Harrington watching Bava's own Black Sabbath on television when having just killed his wife he is visited by the police. Style and visual artistry ripen all around only to be harvested by Bava's gluttonous camera lens. The plot, although missing huge pieces of coherence and logic, is fairly well-crafted. The acting is adequate. I particularly liked the actress that played Harrington's vitriolic wife and the character of the police inspector.The sense of the sixties and fanciful colours pervade almost every scene, and the soundtrack is very suitable to this material. For some horror fans, the film may seem somewhat slow, but it kept my interest throughout.

The wedding dress designer John Harrington (Stephen Forsyth) has a stylish studio and is unhappily married with the wealthy Mildred Harrington (Laura Betti). His mother was murdered in the studio when he was a boy and he has a childhood trauma with her death. John is a madman and serial-killer, who murders brides-to-be with a hatchet and uses an incinerator to get rid of their bodies is his greenhouse. When John kills Mildred, her ghost haunts him and his madness gets worse. Inspector Russell (Jesus Puente) is investigating the murders and John Harrington is his prime suspect. Will John escape from the smart inspector?

"Il rosso segno della follia", a.k.a. "Hatchet for the Honeymoon", is a different giallo from Mario Bava since the viewer knows who the serial-killer is since the beginning. The cinematography, camera work and locations are magnificent and supported by a great music score. The profile of the serial-killer is interesting and his duel with the intelligent inspector is a good part of the film. Laura Betti in the role of John's wife is top-notch. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Alerta Vermelho da Loucura" ("The Red Alert of Madness")

Mario Bava giallo about a guy who runs a wedding dress design and manufacturing company in Paris - whilst having a sideline in murdering young brides whilst they're wearing their wedding dresses. That's not a spoiler; unlike most gialli, in this one we know who the killer is right from the start. The mystery is more involved with his motivation. We know that each killing helps him piece together some long-forgotten childhood trauma, and that he's compelled to keep killing until he's got the whole picture - but exactly what that trauma is we don't know until the end. Canadian actor Stephen Forsyth plays the killer, who in character feels like a cross between Norman Bates and Patrick Bateman, whilst looking like a cross between Clint Eastwood and Timothy Dalton (Forsyth only made 10 movies for some reason, of which this was his last). It's a bit lighter on blood than you'd expect from the title, and there aren't too many onscreen kills. But it does have a real switch-up halfway through when it becomes a ghost story! It's not as gripping as some of Bava's stuff, but it's still fun. 6.5/10.

It's sort of like Psycho, only not, and it's sort of like any number of other serial-killer movies, except you know who the bad guy is from literally the first scene. But we don't watch Mario Bava movies for the intricate plots or, as in this case, for the strong acting. We watch them for the grisly visuals! Man's a maestro of mayhem when it comes to presenting blood. Very stylish movie, very well shot. Forsyth is positively wooden, though.

Handsome bridal shop owner is troubled by mysteries from his childhood which seem to drive him to murder brides-to-be. However he may have other problems after the ghost of his vindictive wife starts to haunt him.

Hatchet for the Honeymoon is one deliciously strange and darkly comical chiller from the great Mario Bava. As usual Bava's direction is excellent and inventive; particularly the dynamic camera-work and vivid imagery. The story is quite compelling as it goes against the norm and takes the killer's point of view and makes us surprisingly sympathetic toward him. The plot also takes some nicely off-beat twists as it brims with moments of macabre humor, sharp suspense, and some touches of dream-like surrealism. In addition the music score of Sante Maria Romitelli is jazzy and quite beautiful at times; a nice contribution to the colorful cinematography.

The cast is fairly solid too. Star Stephen Forsyth does a wonderfully brooding performance and makes his psychotic character strangely likable (one wonders if Bret Easton Ellis saw this film before writing American Psycho). Forsyth is perfectly matched by co-star Laura Betti, who does a fiendish performance as Forsyth's domineering wife.

Hatchet for the Honeymoon is a real treat for fans of Bava and the giallo genre, or those that just enjoy odd-ball horror films. It's one of Bava's most interesting works and remains perhaps the most overlooked of his films.

*** 1/2 out of ****

Man, I love Mario Bava's work! Every film I've seen of his is a pure masterpiece in my eyes and a complete cinematic ‘orgasm'! Hatchet for the Honeymoon is somewhat different compared to most of his other movies and perhaps even his most accessible film. Hatchet handles about a more common horror theme (namely a serial killer and his motivations) but in the very first place it is another Bava-omnibus of stylish direction, wonderful music, beautiful scenery and a unique, tense atmosphere. Bava never ceases to surprise me…I find it truly remarkable how this director is able to portray such ugly things (murder, insanity, aggression…) in an artistic way! Also, the film is far ahead of its time with the portrayal of a horrible murderer as a classy and intelligent businessman. Stephen Forsyth is brilliantly cast as John. He owns a fashion gallery in Paris, specialized in wedding dresses and there are a lot of models working for them. He urgently wants to divorce his wife because he despises her, but she won't let him. Like it's the most normal thing in the world, John confesses to the audience that he's a multiple murderer…' A woman should only live till her wedding day', he says, `love once and then die'! Forsyth was a genius choice to play John; he's handsome and extremely charismatic but also very frightening and morbid-looking at the same time. John is aware that he's sick, yet he can't control the urge to kill again. The second half of the film is even more brilliant, with a perfect image of a man stuck in a downwards spiral of insanity. Actually, what Bava does here, is single-handedly changing the rules of the giallo! The identity of the killer is exposed right from the beginning, yet there are numerous other aspects to discover about his personality…like what was the origin of his hunger for violence and misery?

Hatchet for the Honeymoon isn't the director best film (that honor goes to Black Sunday, without a doubt) but it still is a perfect score of 10 out of 10 in my book. I can only bring forward one negative aspect and that is – like usual – the annoying dubbing. Definitely also worth a mention: the beautiful female leads (and side-characters) in Hatchet. Dagmar Lassander is the stunning beauty that also appeared in Fulci's House by the Cemetary. Femi Bunissi plays another one of John's victims. I didn't know her, but she certainly is a gifted and gorgeous lady. Enter the world of Mario Bava as soon as possible! You won't regret it!!

In Hatchet For The Honeymoon, Mario Bava, father of the giallo, attempts to redefine the genre he practically created by radically altering the format: whereas most giallos try to keep the viewer guessing at the identity of the killer until the end, Hatchet immediately reveals its murderer to be wealthy businessman John Harrington (Stephen Forsyth), a self proclaimed madman who has a thing for butchering new brides with his oh-so-shiny cleaver; the trouble is, he has no idea what has caused this particular compulsion.

The question Bava is posing to his audience is no longer 'WHO is committing the murders?', but rather 'WHY are they being committed?'.

Clues come in the form of brief flashbacks, which are revealed to Harrington after each successive kill. Can our hatchet wielding loony drag enough information from his subconscious to finally unravel the mystery; will inquisitive copper Inspector Russell (Jesús Puente) crack the case before many more brides go missing; or can you, the viewer, beat both of them to solving the puzzle.

Unfortunately, no matter how innovative this approach may seem, Bava's little experiment is not a great success: with the identity of the killer known to the viewer from the outset, any opportunities to create suspense are few and far between: apart from one well orchestrated sequence, in which Harrington tries to shoo the nosey policeman from his home whilst blood from his murdered wife drips dangerously nearby, the film is practically tension free. In a final bid to add a little life to all of the death, the director eventually changes tack and introduces a supernatural angle to the story that proves to be pretty entertaining, if only for its sheer incongruity: the ghost of Harrington's wife pops up to drive her hubby even crazier than before!

If you are keen to acquaint yourself with Bava, or the giallo genre in general, Hatchet for The Honeymoon probably isn't the greatest place to start: although the director makes good use of shadows and colour, this is far from his most striking work; there is nothing to rival the glorious excesses of a Fulci or an Argento; the women are attractive, but fail to realise the importance of getting nekkid; and the death scenes are noticeably devoid of inventive gore.

John Harrington runs a model agency specialising in bride gowns. He likes model railways and occasionally dressing up as a bride. The latter means he's in killer mode doing what he must do or, as he puts it, 'continue to wield the cleaver' until his 'issues' are resolved. The title suggests a similarity to Leonard Kastle's The Honeymoon Killers but in reality the films are far apart. Kastle's film is gritty, almost documentary-like and contains the massive presence of Shirley Stoler, while Bava opts for a style flamboyant even by giallo standards and has a handsome cast to match.

The spirit of Psycho looms large, though Bava's lightness of touch offsets the potentially gruesome subject matter - there's a very funny scene in a kitsch disco (with terrific music) where the cleaver wielder is thrown out for suggesting a threesome involving one of the dancers and his dead wife. It's true to say that it's style over substance, but that's the point

This movie really isn't the greatest one around but it surely is an entertaining one, which still makes this movie perfectly watchable.

Guess that this movie is a Giallo but it's different than usual. Although the movie is basically shot as a Giallo, it's story is quite different from what you would expect and takes some different approaches with its genre. Not necessarily great ones but it nevertheless still makes the movie somewhat original.

It's certainly quite a creative movie, that takes some odd angles and approaches at times. Still it's a perfectly accessible movie really, so don't let some of the odd sequences scare you off.

It certainly isn't the movie tense movie due, which is mostly due to its different approach. Unlike other Giallo movies, in this movie we know from the first sequence on who is the killer. All that the movie tries to answer is why does he kill off young girls, who are about to get married. This is were the movie its twists are supposedly are supposed to come from but there really isn't that much mystery or tension present in this movie though. That doesn't mean that the movie isn't taking some unexpected but also yet unlikely approaches with its story.

The movie also isn't anything gory really, which will probably disappoint a lot of genre fans. Despite the killings in this movie, there isn't anything shocking to see in this one.

Still the movie at all times remains perfectly watchable due to its pleasant style and pace. The movie is a really entertaining one, that compensates itself for its obvious and apparent more weaker points.

7/10

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I say strange because I'm not quite sure what exactly "Hatchet for the Honeymoon" was supposed to be (but enjoyed it nonetheless). It features many of the traditional giallo elements - a black-clad killer, lots of beautiful young women who may as well have "Murder Victim" tattooed on their foreheads, incompetent detectives, childhood psychological trauma, spooky childhood toys... Yet it also diverges from the giallo blueprint in some ways by incorporating an odd, Twilight Zone-style supernatural element into the plot, and also a wry commentary on bourgeois married life. There are clear elements of both Psycho and Peeping Tom in the story, and it also predates both the 1980 slasher film He Knows You're Alone, and the Bret Easton Ellis book (and later film) American Psycho.

As usual with Mario Bava, the cinematography, production design and lighting are all beautiful to look at, and there are two great suspense set-pieces: the scene where the killer waltzes with his next victim to the eerie tune of a music box in a shadowy, elegant store-room full of creepy plastic mannequins in wedding dresses; and the scene where he talks to the suspicious cop while his dead wife's arm is hanging from the staircase and dripping blood onto the carpet.

It's also a surprisingly funny film in many ways. Special mention must go to Laura Betti's hilarious performance as Mildred, the evil wife from hell.

All in all, "Hatchet for the Honeymoon" is an intriguing and often underrated addition to Mario Bava's formidable canon. Stylish, entertaining and darkly funny.

John (Stephen Forsyth) is trapped in a marriage he cannot escape because his wife (Laura Betti) controls the money. he has a secret that no one suspects - he is a serial killer.

He kills women on their honeymoon and some that are leaving him to get married. He is trying to finds some answers. he is completely crazy, of course.

Inspector Russell (Jesús Puente), who seems to be channeling Columbo, is trying to find out what happened to several women who are missing. He shows just as John has killed his wife, who continues to haunt him even after she is buried.

He eventually discovers the secret he has repressed in this suspenseful film that forgoes nudity and gore for suspenseful terror and madness.

It's surprising that the guy who basically invented the giallo subgenre of Italian thriller film could himself make an entry as generic and colourless as "Hatchet for the Honeymoon", but here we are. The movie looks, sounds, and plays like every giallo ever made. I couldn't believe it was made by Mario Bava, who at least has a distinctive visual style. That's nowhere to be found here. It's like he deliberately took out all of his personal touches to make a movie that would blend in with all the others already made, and all those that were yet to come.

The (overly familiar) plot concerns a rich, handsome young man who, unbeknownst to anyone else, is a killer. He has some unresolved trauma repressed in his mind that bring out the homicidal maniac in him: something to do with his mother and a wedding dress.

He is married to some horrible shrew of a woman, and kills young women on the side - including the beautiful Femi Benussi, who is dispatched much sooner than I would have liked.

The only thing, if anything, that might separate "Hatchet for the Honeymoon" from any other giallo is the fact that we know who the killer is right from the beginning... though I'm pretty sure I've seen that in other gialli, this may have been the first to do it. The mystery is not the identity of the killer, but the cause of his murderousness. It was not a mystery I cared to solve.

I was extremely surprised with the quality of this film. Mario Bava has created a flawless production. His use of colour is second to none. The sets and lighting are also top notch, conveying an eerie mood. Some lovely point of view shots are also utilized by Bava.

This film tells the story of John Harrington, who runs a fashion house specialising in bridal wear. He is unhappily married to his overbearing wife Mildred and he is also insane.

I would hesitate to call this a Giallo movie as the killer is revealed at the beginning of the film. This is more of a character study of the killer and his journey into madness.

For those interested in thrillers and atmosphere this comes highly recommended. Far better than Bavas better known Bay of Blood, which i found rather cheap looking in comparison.

This is a classic of Italian cinema. Highly recommended.