made with
sorry for the mistakes!
A Lizard in a Woman's Skin
The first few minutes are an absolute pleasure. No words, only the
comment by Ennio Morricone in the mood to look for new paths that
accompanies the psychedelic, hallucinated and erotic visions of the
protagonist led by Lucio Fulci and the fine cinematography by Luigi
Kuveiller.
A seductive beginning, not only for the presence of Florinda Bolkan and
a half-naked Anita Strindberg, for a thriller in which Fulci, as
always, gives her own version of the genre, although we are near Dario
Argento, with some references to Hithcock.
Leaving aside the title that is only an argento’s reference
wanted by the production for obvious commercial reasons, the Roman
director takes us into a psychedelic story, with several stylistic
pearls and the clear goal of destroying psychoanalysis of which ours
has never been publicly great fans and also certain hypocrisy of the
wealthy class.
Unfortunately, the film often enters a story that is too dense,
difficult to follow, which confuses the viewer to whom all that remains
is to cling to the suggestive visions proposed. Those are many. The
scientist who takes pictures around the corpse. The scene that led
Fulci and Rambaldi some troubles, that is, the one in which
vivisectioned dogs appear an effect that today is not very credible but
brought the two to court. The bright colours and the brilliant idea of
the "blind" witnesses.
We are in London. Carol Hammond (Florinda Bolkan) is the daughter of a
well-known lawyer, married to Frank (Jean Sorel), another well-known
lawyer. The woman is really disturbed by the uninhibited and party life
of nearby Julia Durer (Anita Strinberg). Carol being treated by a
psychoanalyst says she had a dream in which she killed Julia. A few
days later Julia Durer is found dead in her apartment and in the way
described by Carol. As if this were not enough near the corpse, objects
and footprints of Carol are found who the main suspect becomes. But the
investigation also involves other people, from Frank, to lover Deborah,
her stepdaughter and some hippie friends of the victim. To lead the
case is the too brainy inspector Corvin (Stanley Baker) who finally
find who is the culprit.
If, as said, the story is difficult to follow and, after the film is
finished, it leaves some doubts, but Fulci directs with great
skill an excellent cast, which travels well in the many psychoanalytic
sides.
