User reviews

Unlike many Giallo films, Antonio Marghetiti's Schoolgirl Killer hardly features any of the blood, sex and general sleaze that have made the genre famous, and instead puts its focus on the murder mystery and central set of characters. In fact, it's amazing just how restrained this film is, considering that it is set in an all-girls school and how almost every Giallo film with a similar setting takes full of advantage of this. The director does an exquisite job of presenting his story and his setting, and the film features some stunning camera work, which beautifully captures the well designed sets, and the fashion sense of the girls at the college. The film begins with a murder in which the killer strangles a woman and has the body put into a trunk which is then delivered to an all-girls school. Shortly thereafter; Betty-Ann, a student at the school is murdered in the basement, and when another young girl is killed in the shower, the police, led by Inspector Durant, are called in. And they're not the only ones on the case, as amateur detective Jill is also investigating.

It's true that there is hardly any originality at all in the film, and influences range from the obvious films such as Blood and Black Lace, to a certain American classic. This has lead many to call the film tired and unexciting, but I disagree as the relaxed way that the story is told allows the audience to get involved with the mystery, and the comedy elements of the film bode well with all giggling girls school environment. The main problem with this film is that's barely any blood whatsoever, which leaves the murder scenes feeling rather. There are other subplots going on, however - things such as the tentative romance between a teacher and one of the pupils, and Margheriti does well at presenting a whole range of characters, any of which could be guessed at as the killer before the twist ending is revealed. The ending of the film has been used so many times now that it's a cliché, but that aside; it does come as something of a surprise. The problem with the ending, however, is that it basically admits that most of the film has been rather pointless, as there were only two people that needed to be murdered - but Giallo isn't well known for logic, and while this might be derivative, it's still well worth seeing!

This 60's giallo is from the days before the genre truly took form. With the notable exception of Mario Bava's Blood and Black Lace, gialli produced before Dario Argento's groundbreaking debut The Bird with the Crystal Plumage were relatively restrained affairs with very little violence. Despite its exploitative-sounding title, Naked You Die is firmly in this bracket. It has a somewhat playful tone much of the time and the murders are very tame indeed and contrary to what you might reasonably expect from the title, there is no actual nudity either. Instead it's a bloodless but reasonably stylish mystery-thriller that displays some key hallmarks of the genre.

The film starts out typically enough with a woman being murdered by a black-gloved assassin while taking a bath. Although the actual violence here - and throughout the movie - is extremely tame; the killer merely squeezes the victim's necks quite lightly and briefly and they then fall over dead. It's very soft stuff but is indicative of the tone of the film as a whole, as despite the girl-school setting and the topic of a maniac on the loose, the movie adopts an almost comic approach a lot of the time, with quite a lot of playful humour and a lightness of touch that certainly would not go on to be a recognisable feature of the giallo genre in subsequent years. Still the film does have other more typical elements of this sub-genre such as a great Euro soundtrack, some nice photography, a host of eccentric characters, a barrel-load of red herrings and a convoluted conclusion – this said ending is both predictable and senseless, while somehow still being quite effective.

Naked You Die is not a prime example of giallo cinema. It's a minor entry which showcases the type of films from the early days of the genre. It might disappoint those after something sleazy or violent. However, if you are at all a fan of this sub-genre then there is certainly enough here to enjoy. Just be aware that the thrills on offer are of a more breezy kind.

Creepy Italian horror mystery very much like an early Dario Argento film with mad killer stalking a girls posh school. Well photographed and very atmospheric. Killer is a surprise (but follow the clues!) Never released on VHS or DVD. I saw this as a kid in 1968, never saw it again but it vividly stuck in my mind.

This is interesting giallo-style Italian thriller similar to the later horror masterpiece Suspiria but without the supernatural elements, and the schoolgirl giallo What Have You Done to Solange? but with less sleaze (in fact, it seemed like the edited version shown in the US didn't even have any nudity in it). It's very hard to find these days, but worth finding. It's a very seminal film if nothing else. The first bathtub murder was borrowed verbatim for the murder of the Cristine Galbo character in Solange. I'm pretty sure the morbid joke of the killer keeping the first body around right under the nose of the later victims inspired Black Christmas, which in turn inspired Halloween, and after that the deluge. (In fact, much of the later US slasher subgenre could easily be traced to two Italian films--this one and Mario Bava's Twitch of the Death Nerve). And certainly no one can deny the influence on Suspiria. While it probably wasn't the first horror movie/thriller to be set in a girl's school or girl's dormitory, it might have been the first to fully the exploit the psycho-killer and "Ten Little Indians" possibilities of this creepy setting. If you like this movie(and you speak Spanish), also check out the contemporary Spanish horror/thriller, La Residencia which is very similar.

Titles can be misleading. Antonio Margheriti's "Nude... Si Muore" (aka. "Naked You Die"/"Schoolgirl Killer") is NOT the exploitative and blood-soaked Giallo full of sleaze and nudity one might expect from its title. Sure, the film was made in 1968, at which time the Italian Giallo had not reached the sleaze and violence level it obtained in the early 70s, but the title "Naked You Die" still promises nastiness, especially in the wonderful Giallo-genre. What "Nude... Si Muore" is, however, is a superbly set, beautifully shot and atmospheric Giallo that sets its focus on the mystery, more than on the Horror elements. Yet I cannot deny that the film did just not quite reach my (very high) expectations. For two reasons, that is. First off, I am a great fan of the late genius director Antonio Margheriti. His brilliant Gothic masterpiece "Danza Macabra" (aka. "Castle Of Blood", 1964, with the wonderful Barbara Steele, my favorite actress, in the lead) is a personal favorite of mine, and many of his other films, such as "La Vergine Di Norimberga" ("Terror Castle", 1963) are also excellent films that every Horror fan must see. Secondly, this film was recommended to me by a fellow Giallo-buff as being particularly great and atmospheric. And atmospheric it is, and doubtlessly a very good thriller, but, as far as I am considered it is not a particularly impressive film within my beloved Giallo-sub-genre.

A posh boarding school for girls from rich families is being stalked by a killer. Several new teachers have arrived, and, naturally, everybody is a suspect... The performances are quite good, the cast includes well known faces for fans of Italian genre-cinema, such as Mark Damon ("I Tre Volti Della Paura") and regular cult-cinema actor Luciano Pigozzi, who, among many other films, often had supporting roles in Mario Bava's films. Beautiful Elonora Brown stars in the lead, sadly it is the last role the then 20-year-old actress has played up to date. The girls are entirety pretty, and I also found the actresses' performances quite good. The film's most memorable qualities are the superb and beautiful setting and ingenious camera work, intensified by a funky and great score by Carlo Savina. What (slightly) annoyed me at times was the constant attempt of bringing in (very cheesy) humor. Also, the mystery part could have been a little more complex. Overall, "Nude... Si Muore" has some flaws, but it is supremely shot, highly atmospheric and very entertaining, and a film that my fellow Giallo-buffs should enjoy. Recommended.

Margherriti directs a pedestrian giallo in a highly styli-zed way that results in a watchable film that's entirely predictable. Plus, despite the title, there's no nudity and a lot of the murders are stranglings! That's almost as bad as that slasher I watched once where someone was killed by carbon monoxide poisoning!

Following a murder at the start of the film, with the corpse getting dumped into a fancy suitcase, we find ourselves at the Gary Glitter Boarding School for Horny Teenagers, where our group of teenage girls are all into Mark Damon (and he's into them! Ah, young love), or into the new swimming teacher (that's a plot point), or avoiding the attentions of the headmistress, who is into them. Hmm.

Basically, this is about as average as you can get, plot wise, for a giallo. You've got your black gloved killer, the red herrings (especially Luciano Pigozzi as a peeping tom), the sexism, but also great colour schemes, set design, and costume design. I even managed to guess the killer and their motives, which is unusual for me as I'm a dumbass.

Despite all the odds, it's still worth a watch, because Margherriti's no fool when it comes to making film, or you could just wait and watch Seven Death's In The Cats Eye, which has a gorilla as a suspect! You heard me.

While this is quite a popular giallo – thanks largely to its sensationalistic title and the fact that the film was originally conceived, as CRY NIGHTMARE, by Mario Bava – its reputation is rather mixed and, having watched the thing for myself, with good reason! Not only is there barely any nudity (with the violence being similarly tame!) but the plot itself – despite the much-used girl-college setting (among the picture's myriad alternate titles are SCHOOLGIRL KILLER and THE MINISKIRT MURDERS!) – is fairly weak…references to Alfred Hithcock's PSYCHO [1960] and Bava's own THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH [1963] notwithstanding or, for that matter, its own affinity with another far superior effort from Margheriti himself, SEVEN DEATHS IN THE CAT'S EYE [1973], and Dario Argento's PHENOMENA [1984])! Besides, the whole giallo atmosphere is further nipped in the bud with an overwhelming light touch courtesy of a vivacious girl student who fancies herself a sleuth! Of course, the script supplies plenty of red herrings – with at least three characters made out to be the possible killer – but the revelation at the climax brings little surprise (while admittedly effectively handled); the attempted murder at the pool, however, is simply ludicrous. The film is nevertheless good-looking, features a kitschy score by Carlo Savina (shamelessly borrowing the instantly-recognizable riff from Neal Hefti's "Batman" theme!) and a reasonable cast – including ex-Hollywood leading-men Mark Damon and a rapidly-aged Michael Rennie (as the Police Inspector on the case), Luciano Pigozzi (the Italian Peter Lorre as the school's peeping-tom caretaker i.e. the type of role he could play in his sleep) and, it goes without saying, a bevy of attractive females, on both the student and teacher fronts – a lesbian undertone is even implied in the relationship between the middle-aged headmistress and her young assistant and a newly-arrived teacher sports androgynous features! – but especially put-upon heroine Eleonora Brown (who had actually been Sophia Loren's victimized daughter in Vittorio De Sica's award-winning TWO WOMEN [1960]!).

There are artists (like Argento)and there are hacks (like Bruno Mattei) and inbetween there are pros like Antonio Margheriti. He could turn out quite competent movies which, although lacking in originality, have a certain verve. This one develops more along the lines of an Agatha Christie effort than anything else, eschewing as it does the supernatural elements of the ostensibly similar SUSPIRIA.

I wouldn't bother with the cut version as it has been trimmed of almost all the nudity and violence, which are pretty much what one watches these things for. What remains are the performances: Michael Rennie fans should beware as he is barely in it, but there is a great (dubbed) turn from Lorenza Guerrieri as Jill, a hyper-imaginative pupil.

For Margheriti fans, I would place this among his dreary late-60s efforts - nowhere near the Gothic elegance of DANSE MACABRE or VIRGIN OF NUREMBERG, and neither coming close to the simple joie de vivre of his 80s movies with David Warbeck.

Hum-drum and fairly routine murder mystery set in an all-girls school, with a mysterious killer eradicating them one by one. It is fairly stylish and keeps the gore to a minimum; as a result it works as an interesting mystery, nicely resolved, but with a few exceptions the characters are poorly and dully acted and it's not a very provocative story, and there's a bizarre coda at the end involving a sudden James Bondian character who shows up as one of the girls' dads, which obtrusive and unnecessary). Much of the film's storyline and many of its set-pieces are things we've seen before many times. It's a straightforwardly depicted murder mystery but devoid of almost any elements of the usual giallo trappings (graphic gore and unabashed nudity), as such it's kind of a "giallo light" – enjoyable but without the visceral punch that the cinematic ilk has come to be known for. Perhaps the biggest drawback of the film, like many thrillers, is that the characters constantly perform completely unnaturally, speaking and acting and behaving in a manner which is completely unrealistic, unnatural, and often illogical; what they do moves the plot forward but they never really make the story, its setting, or its characters fully realistic and convincing.Michael Rennie guest stars (dubbed into Italian by somebody else) as the police investigator. English actress Sally Smith is delightful as one of the spunkier students with a knack at investigating herself; she is very energetic and expressive and lots of fun to watch; unfortunately she didn't do much after this. Eleanora Brown is also very memorable as the redhead student who becomes the primary target for the killer; she was in a couple giallos prior to this but appeared in no more films afterward. The rest of the cast, including the vastly overrated Italostar Mark Damon, are pretty much uninteresting. Antonio Margheriti's direction is solid and effective, though, and the film is well shot and nicely edited. A moderately pleasing Carlo Savina score provides an enjoyable musical backdrop, as does the rousing 007-ish main title song, "Nightmare."

Co-written, albeit unaccredited, by Mario Bava (who's the greatest Italian horror genius of all times) and directed by Antonio Margheriti (who's the most underrated Italian horror genius of all time); this simply had to be a terrific Giallo-outing and a downright must-see for all fans of the Italian horror industry. It's a bit unfortunate that the majority of reviews I encountered thus far aren't as enthusiast as they ought to be. Several people seem to complain about the predictability of the plot and the overall lack of rudimentary Giallo trademarks like gory murders and naked chicks. Well, they do make a valid point but also appear to be forgetting that "Naked You Die" is actually one of the earliest entries in this wondrous sub genre of horror, predating Dario Argento's most famous Gialli ("Deep Red", "Bird with the Crystal Plumage") and carefully elaborating on the trend started by the aforementioned deity Mario Bava ("The Girl Who Knew Too Much", "Blood and Black Lace"). "Naked You Die" was made in an era when clichéd plot twists were still considered original and the image of black gloved hands around the neck of a young defenseless co-ed were still found ultimately shocking and disturbing. On the contrary, I bet in 1968 "Naked You Die" was quite controversial and provocative with its themes about lewd boarding schoolgirls secretly meeting up with their hunky teachers at night and pervert janitors peeping at young girls showering. And, if anything, this was undeniably an influential piece of horror film-making being one of the first to use a remote all-girl school as the playground setting for a psychopathic killer. Several films followed this example, including "The House that Screamed", "What Have you done to Solange" and – not in the least – Dario Argento's "Suspira" and more recent Lucky McKee's "The Woods".

The movie opens with the atmospheric and reasonably creepy murder of a young woman in her bathtub. For whatever motivation, the killer literally parcels up the victim in a suitcase and sends her to a secluded boarding school. Here, we meet a handful of playful and very sexy girls and an assembly of staff members (teachers, headmasters and garden personnel) that all appear suspicious in some way. As to be expected, not everything is kosher in this boarding school. The riding teacher meets up with his favorite pupil in the birdhouse, the overly talkative girl aspires to date the new gym teacher and the gardener is a peeping tom. When girls mysteriously start to disappear and turn up brutally murdered, the experienced police detective Durant has a difficult time getting everyone to fully cooperate with the investigation and tell the truth. The first half hour to forty-five minutes (after the promising intro) admittedly pass very tediously and there isn't much excitement to behold, but at the same time you could also claim director Margheriti takes the time and effort to extendedly introduce all his main characters and make them look extra suspicious. The pacing increases quite a bit around the hour, but sadly from then on the film also becomes very predictable and the climax is even downright transparent. Still, avid Giallo buffs will unquestionably find "Naked You Die" a highly pleasing effort, partly also thanks to the stylish photography, adequate acting performances and the stupendously catchy and rhythmic credit song "Nightmare".

One of the earlier gialli and originally helmed by Mario Bava. Some signs of this remain with the interior colours and particularly a couple of brief fantasy light exteriors but on the whole this does not have the mark of the great man. His tendency for humour is here but does not work well because of the way it has been handled. So, we have a select school for girls and because most girls are away with their parents, we only get about six of them and a similar number of teachers and ground staff. There is much murderous action from the very start but although this is kept up well throughout, it is rather sexless and bloodless. Not entirely though and there is enough varied and colourful action to amuse and entertain. Much and many are the twists and red herrings and gladly the eventual revealing is well done and relevant, probably providing one of the film's best sequences.

When I heard Mario Bava wrote the screenplay and that this was something of a body count giallo, I bought the DVD expecting a typically atmospheric '60s Italian film with great thrills, suspense and early gore. Maybe I expected too much.

A terrific opening title theme, "Nightmare," gets things off to an exciting start. Unfortunately, the film then bogs itself down in endless footage of squirrelly, bland females acting silly and flaky (behavior that is endearing to women but annoying to men). At long last, a few of them then endure some of the mildest, least violent and tidiest "deaths" ever seen.

This is not a brutal shocker like the earlier, "Blood and Black Lace." If anything, an irritating, bouncy humor persists throughout, leading me to suspect this was intended for the Sunday matinée crowd.

Some of the older cast members are quite good, including the aforementioned Damon. Michael Rennie shines in a later role and the school administrators are all suitably mysterious.

Not great, not bad, just so-so. While away a couple of hours with it, if you're in the right mood.

"Nude... si muore" (1968) is a giallo thriller from director Antonio Margheriti that delivers an intriguing premise and some stylish visuals, but ultimately falls short due to uneven pacing and a convoluted plot.

The plot revolves around a series of murders at an all-girls boarding school, a premise that promises suspense and intrigue. Sindoni effectively creates a moody, eerie setting that keeps viewers on edge. The use of color and shadow, typical of giallo films, is masterfully done, adding a layer of visual allure to the otherwise grim story.

However, the film's pacing is inconsistent, with moments of high tension often disrupted by slower, less engaging scenes. The characters, while visually memorable, lack depth, making it difficult to invest in their fates. The dialogue can be stilted at times, detracting from the overall immersion.

The performances are a mixed bag as well. While some actors manage to convey the necessary fear and suspicion, others fall flat, delivering lines in a manner that feels more wooden than chilling. The soundtrack, although atmospheric, sometimes feels repetitive and could have been used more effectively to heighten key moments.

Despite its flaws, "Nude... si muore" has its merits. Fans of the giallo genre will appreciate its visual style and the way it captures the essence of 1960s Italian horror. It's a film that showcases the potential of the genre but doesn't quite live up to it.

In summary, "Nude... si muore" is a visually captivating yet narratively uneven film.

A thrilling and bizarre film dealing with a prestigious youthful boarding house in which the corpses are piling up , there a serial killer is targeting the students and teachers , leaving top police inspector Michael Rennie with more than the usual suspects . Meanwhile an amateur sleuth attending girls' boarding school called ¨St. Hilda's School for girls¨helps the police . There are various suspicious people , as a teacher , a governess , a handman ...is the killer Mark Damon? Peeping Tom Luciano Pigozzi ? Who's the killer ? Soon he finds out that not everything is what he thought it was . Walk with her if you dare...for every step will bring you closer, closer, closer to the meaning of fear! Enter at your own risk ... for there is no such thing as a truly empty room I Or someone else?.Slaves to their own Strange Desires! ...prey to the nameless terror that stalks an 'exclusive' girls' school. Prisoners of their own strange desires...Each a plaything of the other's unholy passions ...Each a prey to the nameless horror that stalks the shadows!. Each a prisoner of her own strange desires each a plaything of the other's unholy passions each aprey to the nameless horror that stalks the shadows. The suspense is unbearable , be sure to see the electrifying shock, the climax is terrific!!!Behind the spiked gates of this "exclusive" girls' school, live... "The young , the evil and the savage"

Italian proto-Giallo movie with acceptable production design and fine cast , it contains intriguing events , tension , suspense , vicious killers and unexpected denouement . It is a so-so thriller with some moving scenes , a straightforward story with lots of murders , several suspicious people , twists and turns . Displaying a great number of red herrings , thrills , plot twists , and suspenseful events . In spite of some flaws and gaps , suspense keeps breathless , thanks to tension and intrigue . Italian version runs 98 mins , including some nude scenes , as the film was hacked by 15 minutes and retitled ¨Naked You Die¨ by American International Pictures to show mainly at drive-ins. The original script titled "Cry Nightmare" was written by Mario Bava , but is was entrusted to director Antonio Margheriti . This plot about murders at a Girls' Boarding House was subsequently remade in 1976 by Alberto de Martino as ¨Strange Shadows in an Empty Room¨. This Seven Virgins for the Devil (Italy) or Sette vergini per il diavolo (Italy) or Le sadique de la treizième heure (France) Naked You Die (United States) or The Young, the Evil and the Savage (World-wide, English title) benefits itself from appearances by gorgeous young starlettes to be followed long careers in the Eurotrash genres , such as : Silvia Dionisio, Eleanora Brown , Lorenza Guerrieri , Paola Natale and Malisa Longo's debut.

It contains an evocative and colorful cinematography by Fausto Zuccoli. Displaying a thrilling and frightening musical score by Bruno Nicolai , Ennio Morricone's usual collaborator. The motion picture was professional but regularly directed by terror expert Antonio Margheritti, though it displays some failures and shortcomings . Antonio Margheritti was a good craftsman , expert on terror and exploitation films. A prestigious filmmaker of Spaghetti Westerns, terror , adventures Peplum and anything else . Notorious Antonio directed with skill and aplomb from 1956 to his death in 2002 . Antonio was a former university engineering student who began shooting in 1956. He made all kinds of genres , some of them splendidly directed and others mediocre or flops . As he realized wartime movies , such as : ¨The Last Hunter¨, ¨Tornado¨, ¨Codename Wild Geese¨, ¨Der Commander¨ , ¨Command Leopard¨ . Sci-Fi : ¨War of Planets¨, Planet of the Prowl¨ , ¨Criminal of the Galaxy¨ , ¨Yor the Hunter from the future¨ , ¨Treasure Planet¨ . Spaghetti Western : ¨Joko¨, ¨Dynamite Joe¨, ¨The Stranger and the Gunfighter¨, ¨Take a Hard Ride¨ , ¨Ghosts go West¨ , ¨Joe implacable¨, ¨God Said to Cain¨. And Terror : Virgin of Nuremberg , Cannibal Apocalypse , Alien From Deep , ¨Flesh for Dracula¨ , ¨Flesh for Frankenstein¨, among others. Rating 5/10. Mediocre but passable for the enjoyable cast. The picture will appeal to Italian Gothic aficionados.

Making itself stand out among it's many giallo brethren who look as movies made by a group of monkeys operating a camera, "The Young, the Evil and the Savage" or "Naked You Die" doesn't have a lot more going for it. Contrary to the title, nudity is minimal and so is the violence and even the scare factor. Some novelty is brought in form of character called Jill, girl writing a spy novel interested in crime and mystery who helps solve the case, but she isn't developed enough. In the end, you are left with a movie that looks and feels by miles better than most of sloppy giallo escapades, but lacks substance and style to be something worth watching. I recommend it only to genre fans. The rest should avoid it. 6.5/10!

Naked You Die (1968) is an Italian giallo 🇮🇹 that I recently watched on Tubi. The storyline centers on a girls' school where a serial killer begins targeting students one by one. With a variety of suspicious characters scattered around the school, a detective works to uncover the identity of the murderer.

Directed by Antonio Margheriti (The Last Blood), the film stars Mark Damon (House of Usher), Eleonora Brown (The Last Judgement), Betty Low (The Royal Family), and Silvia Dionisio (A Girl Called Julius).

Though this film was written by Mario Bava (A Bay of Blood), it lacks the intensity and flair typical of his work. The acting is passable, and the dialogue often feels overdone. Despite the title, the nudity is minimal, and the serial killer's method of choking victims doesn't leave much of an impression. For a Bava-written giallo, this feels surprisingly tame-though it does feature the most brutal butterfly-related kill I've ever seen.

In conclusion, Naked You Die is an underwhelming entry in the giallo genre. There are far better options out there, and I'd recommend skipping this one. I'd rate it a 4/10.

#212 The Young, the Evil and the Savage (AKA: Naked... you die and Schoolgirl Killer) - 1968 (This Film Rates a C- ) This 77-minute English version (edited from the original 97-minute Italian cut) starts with a brief murder scene in a bathtub. The victim is put into a trunk and transported to the basement of strict and authoritative St. Hilda College, where a small group of seven girls are being supervised by an unsettling staff during a prolonged vacation period. As the students and staff are stalked and murdered, the pace slows, and the plot becomes overly predictable. The police investigation reveals a potential motive - a substantial inheritance - but the twist ending falls flat. Unfortunately, the film's lackluster murders, absent gore, and dull effects make for an unengaging watch. The script and acting are subpar, and the storyline lacks depth or interest. Some scenes are painfully long, silly, and cliche, with no redeeming qualities for any of the characters. The dialogue is often cringe-worthy, with lines like "Be careful of the spiders, don't talk nonsense girl." There are no T&A with only some teaser moments. The soundtrack creates tension even when the film cannot. It does not have enough to overcome its significant shortcomings. Overall, there isn't much here.

Decent movie with a satisfying detective story. Nothing exceptional but it does its duty. Some moments are also exciting but I don't get too out of balance.