STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER

First released in the UK (albeit in a very limited theatrical fashion) back in the late 1970s following some extensive censoring by the BBFC it was with much anticipation and glee that the news of STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER was being resubmitted to the film board for a long overdue DVD release in the UK. Welcomingly, in this new century of enlightened film classification, the film has passed uncut (a surefire impossibility 20 years ago) so the lovely folk at Shameless Screen Entertainment have another genre fan appeasing sleazefest onto the shelves for your delectation…

Billed onscreen here as NUDE X L'ASSASSINO, Andrea Bianchi 's STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER is a film that till now I had read much about but had never seen (outside of salacious posters and lobby card images) so was the 30 year wait worth it? The film opens with a botched back door abortion where the poor lass being treated has a fatal heart attack and the panicked surgeon calls upon an unseen assailant to help dispose of the body (by means of dumping the corpse back at the victims flat in the bathtub to try imply sudden unexpected death at home).

The victim though has a vengeful ally who dons the traditional black leather get up with motorcycle helmet and goes on a vicious killing spree brutally mutilating all her former work colleagues at the local model agency. Being a 1970's eurotrash movie the ensemble cast comprises of recognizable Italian exploitation stalwarts led by the always stunningly beautiful Edwige Fenech (Magda Cortis) who, as upcoming photographers assistant to uber sleazy predator Carlo Bianchi (played by Nino Castelnuovo), steals the show here simply with her presence as one of the most vivacious women to ever set foot onto the screen.

Fenech obsessiveness aside, STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER is very much a Giallo by numbers affair though that should not be problematic for fans of the genre - especially so when delivered here with such brazenly exploitative panache. The film simply follows bloody set piece after bloody set piece, all interspersed with as much sleaze and nudity as it can cram in between (and during) kills - all of which must be music to the ears of any Giallo fan. The gore early doors (although bloody) does seem quite restrained with close quick cuts but as the plot (eh?) progresses things get more gorily adventurous with ear slicings and cock gouging to appease the demanding schlock gore fan and whilst not as gorily outlandish as Andrea Bianchi 's later fan favourite zombie opus NIGHTS OF TERROR (Le Notti del terrore) STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER still delivers the goods when it comes to the graphic fun!

Where STRIP NUDE does trump its Giallo counterparts also though is with the level of smut and sleaze, most of the cast are either stripped down to the undies if not naked throughout and when you have stunning women such as Fenech stripped down to stockings in the first reel for an oral scene I'd expect most exploitation fans will be in a state of semi arousal throughout (which in itself is amusing if only for the historical censor baiting aspect of mixing stimulating sex and death onscreen). But it is this aspect that makes STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER so much more salaciously gratifying as the film really does cross the line of taste when it comes to sex, sleaze and disregard for political correctness (right up to the outrageously tasteless closing joke shot of Fenech and lead Castelnuovo that even had this reviewers jaw open in disbelief at the frivolity of it all!)

Don't be misguided though, STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER is by no means a polished Giallo classic - more the outlandish low budget bastard offspring of the genre. At times Bianchi's direction is solid in the Giallo tradition but in moments you get little goof treats (such as the briefly visible camera crew in the mirror of the scene with the blow up doll clutching fat man) and the script leaves a lot to desire. That said, the exploitative nature of the movie and the way its delivered far outweighs any greatly apparent flaws (and hey I'd recommend picking this up for Fenech alone!)

The anamorphic widescreen image looks great, although it's not pin sharp perfect throughout it shows a level of clarity that will impress no end folk used to bootleg variations. The dubbed English audio is solid also and the main feature is accompanied by a lovely trailer for the movie which although looks to have been created by the Shameless team really does capture the 1970s theatrical ambience. Similarly, the DVD itself opens with a selection of Shameless trailers that will without doubt have genre fans positively drooling (with restored gems such as The Designated Victim, Oasis of Fear and Baby Yaga).

STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER is a Giallo sleaze fans dream come true and this release from the fine folk at Shameless Screen Entertainment just goes to prove once again that they truly are leading the way in the genre field here in the UK. Absolutely essential viewing.

Review by Alan Simpson