Don't Torture a Duckling

DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING is a rare bird in Lucio Fulci's very gilded cage of horror. Made a good seven years before his gorefests, starting with the excellent ZOMBIE, that defined his reputation here in America and the rest of the world, DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING is just as intense and brutal, if a bit less gruesome, than the typical Fulci fan is used to. Yet still in all, the story alone (co-written by Fulci) is as much a testament to Fulci's uncompromising and gutsy approach to horror and suspense as any gore scene in his later films (two scenes ended up starting off two later Fulci films). Hell, even the great Dario Argento says that this is one of Fulci's best films (it says so on the cover), and after my first viewing of DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING on New Year's Eve, I can see why; I also saw a lot of George Romeroesque social commentary in this film.Child murders and disappearances are very galvanizing experiences for any society, especially in a town like in this movie. Everybody is desperate for answers as to who would do such a horrible thing. There have even been a few cases where some townspeople resort to vigilante behavior towards a suspect to satisfy their need for justice. Fulci handles this story in a surprisingly tasteful matter, with only two instances of violence against children; the fact that little boys are being murdered is shocking enough!There are no likeable characters in the village, which makes the story more immediate and brutal. Even the little boys that are the targets of murder are portrayed as nasty (e.g., spying on naked people, killing animals with slingshots). The recent scandal with Michael Jackson gives more importance to the story arc involving Patrizia, whom one of the boys sees naked. The only character with any appeal is the reporter Andrea Martelli, who is covering the murders. That character is like the outsider that Argento gets you to identify with in his movies, and that plot device works wonders in this story.The chain-whipping of a local Wiccan by three men as pop music plays from a car radio is the most psychosocially relevant scene in horror history. It speaks volumes about how far some people will go to achieve a degree of justice in the wake of horrible crimes. In this case, these men are driven by superstition since the woman claimed to have placed a spell on the boys because they were messing around her property. That entire sequence, appropiately hard to watch and grisly, tells you all about the moral decay of the entire village. Fulci also used a chain-whipping scene to kick off THE BEYOND, my favorite Fulci film, and it holds the same meaning.*SPOILER ALERT* We all know how terrifying killers are in slasher movies, but imagine the killer being somebody who should protect you-such as a Clergyman. Just as Romero has always taken potshots at the military (e.g., THE CRAZIES, DAY OF THE DEAD), so Fulci knocks organized religion front and center here. The ultimate motivation behind the killings is a shocking one because it is so misguided. In fact, the eventual demise of the killer (reused for SEVEN NOTES IN BLACK/THE PSYCHIC) is all the more shocking when juxtaposed with some other footage. This plot point has more shock value in the wake of the scandal with the Catholic church of last year! I have never been stunned by a horror film since childhood until this one!If DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING were to be released in theaters today, it would generate a major firestorm of controversy, especially in light of the aforementioned events in the media. Yes, this movie was definitely too strong for Europeans to stomach back in 1972 (it didn't get released elsewhere at that time) and it remains potent today. A gritty and ground-breaking giallo, Lucio Fulci's DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING is a definite must-watch!

Upon opening the 2-Disc Case, the plastic disc holder insert holding the bluray disc was noted broken from the case.

Dario Argento lauded it as "one of Lucio Fulci's best films and a superb giallo." Based on that statement alone, it's guaranteed that Don't Torture a Duckling (1972) is a film worth watching and owning. Sure enough, this giallo gem didn't disappoint. If unfamiliar with gialli, they're basically Italian murder mystery movies comparable to some of Alfred Hitchcock's works. Murder scenes are always shown from the killer's perspective, the plot is fairly complex and full of twists, and when the killer is revealed in the climax, it's typically a shock--at least in the best gialli.Don't Torture a Duckling definitely represents the genre well. Great performances are given by all, and the story is gripping. Although light in gore for a Fulci film, the special-effects artists did a fantastic job showing convincing bloody wounds inflicted with various weapons. Furthermore, it's atypical to see all victims being children as in this film, which says something about the director's boldness and exploration of unconventional, unorthodox themes. Long live the godfather of gore, Lucio Fulci.I purchased Anchor Bay's 2000 release of Don't Torture a Duckling, uncut, on DVD, which I do not recommend because it only has the English dubbed version, and subtitles aren't included. Dubs really detract from enjoying a film as it was meant to be experienced. However, the audio/video quality is good, it's presented in widescreen format, a readable career biography about Fulci is on the DVD, and a short essay is included on a paper insert along with the chapter index. I do recommend Arrow Video's version, which will be replacing the DVD I have now at some point in the future. I have a few other movies that Arrow released, and they put a lot of love into their products--comparable to Criterion and Kino Lorber.

A lot of depravity goes on in this quiet Italian village. There's witchcraft, perverts of all kinds, sex, and violence. Several boys are brutally murdered. There are suspects aplenty starting with the village idiot/ peeping Tom. Then there's a salacious slut who enjoys getting naked and tempting a young boy. Also a suspect, the resident wicked witch who likes to dabble in the dark arts, which includes sticking pins into effigies then burying them once they've served their purpose. As soon as a hardnosed reporter starts digging into these crimes, a couple of new suspects come to light.The subject matter is decidedly taboo (killing children). The overriding themes involve drug addiction, voyeurism, pedophilia, and the nature of predatory adults who prey on the innocent. At times florid and overwrought, this spectacle is nonetheless an absorbing melodrama with a few subtle moments that one doesn't expect from Lucio Fulci. I was mesmerized and sickened by this discourse on iniquity. I do wish Fulci had spent more time though, delving into the mindset behind the murders rather than just concentrating on the villagers' reaction to them, which was entirely expected considering it involved their children. The reason for the murders was a brief sentence tossed in at the end (it only explained a tiny part of the killer's rationale).Slight complaint aside, Fulci artfully maneuvered through some tough terrain to deliver this powerful film.

El envío fue demasiado rapídoEl artículo esta nuevo de paqueteLa película es un clásico del señor Fulci por favor no se la pierdan

This is a far deeper, more meaningful giallo than 99% of the genre. Some say this is an anti-catholic film, however the experiences of a prominent non-catholic citizen demonstrates a more general antitheistic/anti-superstition theme. As an antitheist myself I’m biased in proclaiming the virtues of this film, however as the opposing view is delighting in a cult of human sacrifice which has an instrument of torture as its most prominent symbol, I regard my own bias in this review as trivial by comparison. It’s a laughable irony that people accused Fulci of “corrupting a child” by filming a short seduction scene; it has since been demonstrated that hundreds of children were regularly sexually abused by Catholic priests at the time. Thank you Lucio for encouraging people to think about these things!

... is what Lucio Fulci created with Don't Torture a Duckling. I rank it high and proclaim it a worthy contender to the great Giallos of our time.

Love this giallo so different from any other, a must own for fans of this film or if you are new to giallo buy this before it goes OOP.

Best Fulci! Best giallo! Very nice transfer. I could never understand why this film isn’t better known...