Le Manoir aux filles

Well, my relationship with Giallo thus far has been so good that I wouldn't hesitate to name this sort of film as my favourite - but I was bound to come up against a completely redundant one before long, and that's exactly what we have here. Naked Girl Killed in the Park is as uninspiring as its title, which is unfortunate as the plot itself is ripe for springing a good Giallo from. We follow the murder of a rich man whose body was found on an amusement park ride. The most intriguing thing about this murder is that the man has just completed a one million dollar life insurance deal! Naturally, the insurance company isn't too keen on paying out after such a short period of time, so they send out their best agent; who starts his investigation by infiltrating the family and seducing the youngest daughter. Director Alfonso Brescia continually fails to generate any suspense and/or intrigue - and this means that the resulting film is really rather boring. The music rarely fits what's on screen - and the film also seems bathed in the score, rather than having the two exist in harmony.

The murders are far too tame, and while some blood wouldn't have saved the movie; it would have garnered it slightly more praise at least. The acting is mostly terrible, with Robert Hoffman (A Black Veil for Lisa, Spasmo) not doing brilliantly in leading a cast of unknowns with his under-wrought performance. The title of the film does come true as a naked dead girl does turn up in a park; but it's over half way through before that happens, and since the murder that kicks the plot off involves a rich man and a carnival, it makes you wonder why this title was chosen - probably to drag in more viewers. The plot is not very well handled at all, and I spent most of the film wondering what exactly was going on. It's not long before the movie starts to get boring, and it's that reason that is responsible for not even the rather good ending making any sort of impression on this Giallo fan. Overall, Naked Girl Killed in the Park is the worst Giallo I've seen so far - and while I don't doubt that there are worse films lurking in the wilderness of the Italian thriller, this one certainly isn't worth tracking down.

Lurid (and inaccurate - it's an old man fully dressed who is killed in a park; a naked woman IS killed much later, but nowhere near a park) title for a tepid thriller, though it does have three exceptionally good-looking women (including a "mother" who is about the same age as her daughters!), a couple of original / outrageous twists, and some dizzying camerawork at the end. **1/2 out of 4.

The best thing I can say about this minor giallo is that there really IS a naked girl killed in a park. In fact, as per the Italian title there is a COMPLETELY naked girl killed in a park. (There's a couple other naked girls too, but only one of them is killed in a park). That's pretty much the highlight of the movie though.

It starts off in a pretty interesting way with the first-person POV of a funhouse ride which turns out to be from the POV of a dead man!The dead man had just bought a million dollar life insurance, so an intrepid insurance investigator (Robert Hoffman) is called in. He dodges the police investigator on the case (former Bond villain Adolf Celli)and becomes involved with the man's two sexy but neurotic daughters as well as his sexy but neurotic widow (who judging by the looks of her must have given birth to her two daughters when she was about ten). More people die before the final revelation which, unfortunately, is pretty stupid and involves the guilty party delivering a ridiculous soliloquy to a giant portrait of the dead man. It ends back in the amusement park with yet another pretty dumb turn of events.

The lead Hoffman is awful, but Celli is pretty good if underused. The women are pretty, but they're definitely not at the acting level of an Edwige Fenech, Rosalba Neri, or Erica Blanc, or even lesser lights of the gialli like Nieves Navarro or Femi Benussi. Pretty forgettable overall--except for the naked girl killed in park.

Wealthy financier Johan Wallenberger is murdered in a House of Horrors of Madrid amusement park.His daughter Catherine(Pilar Velazquez)is taunted by mysterious and highly menacing phone calls and stalked by a stranger.An investigator from insurance company named Chris(Robert Hoffman)comes to Catherine's mansion where her wealthy family lives including her often drinking mother Magda(Irina Demick)and her sexually active elder sister Barbara(Patrizia Adiutori)who will be later found naked and slashed in the park.Mediocre giallo directed by highly prolific Italian director Alfonso Brescia.The film is poorly paced and quite tedious at times.Still Spanish scenery is wonderful and there is plenty of nudity.There is an interesting back story about Nazi war criminals and pretty unexpected climax.6 razors out of 10.

This rarely watched Giallo turns out to be an acceptable thriller in which occurs a mysterious death at an attraction park , resulting in unpredictable consequences with thrilling events , deliciously twisted happenings and brief touches of erotism . Mystery/thriller with baroque giallo overtones and surprising intrigue, being well proceeded here and there , along with an unbearably tension in charge of the adequate protagonists . Insurance company sends its top man, an insurance investigator named Chris Buyer (Robert Hoffman) , he's assigned by the chiefs (Tomas Blanco, Philippe Leroy) of his company to investigate the death a wealthy industrialist named Johann Wallenberger who was found dead only hours after taking out a million dollar insurance policy . He decides to go undercover by dating the dead man's daughter , Catherine (Pilar Velazquez), who suffers astonishing nightmares and is taunted by menacing phone calls leaving her on edge of sanity , but before long , he's in her family home , in Madrid outskirts , there he meets her mother Magda (Irina Demick) who goes crazy and her sister Barbara Wallenberger (Patrizia Adiutori) who starts seducing him . Along the way , a stubborn commissioner called Huber (Adolfo Celi) begins investigating the grisly killings that are happening around the peculiar family .

A decent mystery/thriller with a lot of mysterious murders and combining the elements of intrigue with drama and plot twists . This is pretty entertaining stuff about a wealthy financier who has showed up dead outside a haunted house ride, while a young playboy investigator seeks answers from a luxurious countryside house . Suspenseful and interesting screenplay by expert Antonio Fos , Lorenzo Gicca Palli and Al Bradley himself , though quite tiring at times. There is a surprising murder in a House of Horrors of Madrid amusement park where was also filmed : ¨Umberto Lenzi's Nightmare City¨ (1980) and there is plenty of nakedness and even adding Nazi war criminals . This intriguing/chilling Italian/Spanish exploitation displays colorful images , disturbing frames , eerie scenes , nudism , mysterious events and a pretty unexpected, unpredictable conclusion . Atmospheric and oddball Giallo with chilling frames , a lot of naked people , twisted scenes , taking place cruel killings , and confusion around Wallemberg family . Some illogical parts in the story are more than compensated for the excitement provided by some bizarre images , though are sometimes poorly shot and tedious at times . The movie is running out of ideas a lot ; however , being still good enough to be fun . Stars the handsome Robert Hossein as an investigator from insurance company , Pilar Velazquez as the beautiful young who's stalked by a stranger , Irina Demick as the often drinking mother usually losing her mind and Patrizia Adiutori as her sexually active elder sister Barbara . Being a Spain/Italy co-production here shows up a number of familiar faces as Spanish actors , such as : Tomás Blanco , Lorenzo Robledo , Teresa Gimpera , Maria Vico and Italians as Philippe Leroy , Adolfo Celi , Franco Ressel , Howard Ross .

It displays an adequate and atmospheric cinematography by Alfonso Nieva , utterly filmed in Madrid , though interiors shot in Elios Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy . Likewise , it contains a mysterious and evocative musical score by Carlo Savina , a Morricone's disciple. This average giallo was regularly directed by really prolific Italian director Alfonso Brescia with flaws , gaps , shortcomings and a little bit cheesy . Alfonso Brescia often nicknamed Al Bradley was a below average director who in the 60s , 70s , and 80s made a lot of films . Bradley was a craftsman who directed all kind of genres . Alfonso Brescia or Al Bradley was born in Rome , 1930, and died in 2001 . He was a director and writer , known for directing Spaghetti Westerns : Days of Violence ,Killer Caliber and The Colt Is My Law . Alfonso began directing muscle-men epics as The Conqueror of Atlantis , The magnificent gladiator , La Rivolta dei Pretoriani . He also directed Sci-Fi and Sword and witchery genre as Iron Warrior , Sette Uomini D'Oro Nello Spazio , The war of the robots . Adventures : Zanna Bianca Il Cacciatore Solitario, White Fang and the Hunter , Amazons against Supermen , Adventures of Don Juan . And Wartime films such as Objetivo Rommel , Misiones Ardientes and Hell in Normandy . Rating 5.5 out of 10.