Don’t Torture A Duckling (Arrown Video – UHD)

Director: Lucio Fulci
Screenplay: Lucio Fulci, Roberto Gianviti, Gianfranco Clerici
Starring: Florinda Bolkan, Barbara Bouchet, Tomas Milian, Irene Papas,  Marc Porel, Georges Wilson
Country: Italy
Running Time: 105 minutes
Year: 1972
Certificate: 18

Without a doubt, one of the more well known and perhaps notorious Italian horror directors is Lucio Fulci. Often called “The Godfather of Gore”, his films run the gamut from gory horror, perhaps those he’s more famous for including the likes of Zombie Flesh Eaters, The Beyond and City of the Living Dead, to gangster movies, spaghetti westerns and even an adaptation of the children’s novel White Fang. Often extreme and exploitational, sometimes grimy and sleazy (New York Ripper, I’m looking at you), Fulci’s reputation often precedes him. But nestled among Fulci’s mid career output is a film which is probably the best the director ever made, a story which combines aspects of classic Giallo with folk horror to create something utterly dark which is both highly compelling and incredibly affecting…

I’ve been borderline obsessed with Fulci as a director since Zombie Flesh Eaters was finally taken off the BBFC’s notorious Video Nasties list in the 90’s and allowed to screen on Channel 4 in all its uncut glory. Here was a type of horror that was almost alien to me at the time, but one which resonated with its bold visuals and uncompromising violence. As more of these previously little seen films became available to view, the one that always seemed to pass me by was Don’t Torture A Duckling. I think, for some reason, younger me had dropped it into the same box labelled “sleaze” that also housed films like I Spit On Your Grave and Last House On The Left, absolutely misunderstanding what the film was actually about.

Set in a small Italian town, Don’t Torture A Duckling tells the tale of a series of violent murders of your boys. As the frequency of these murders increases, all eyes in the town look to a local woman; recluse, obsessed with the occult and witchcraft and frequently subjected to insults and mockery from the local children, is Maciara the one committing these awful crimes? But what could be a straightforward “who-dunnit” style Giallo movie adds much broader strokes to its canvas.

Alongside the mystery elements is a hint of folk horror told through not only Maciara’s witchcraft, but through the overall superstitions of the village. This is amplified through the eyes of outsiders who come into the community, from Barbara Bouchet’s voluptuous and rich socialite to Tomas Milian’s reporter, characters who almost seem alien in this environment; and what a striking environment it is, a town with severe physical and social decay and suggestions of something more sinister bubbling under the surface. Add in a dash of intolerance, prejudice and a plotline exploring the toxic influence of the Catholic church, and Don’t Torture A Duckling turns out to be a bleak and melancholic but surprisingly thought provoking thriller, and easily Lucio Fulci’s best film.

It’s also probably one of Fulci’s best looking films. While the director can’t be accused of making anything that is visually dull or uninspired, his more extreme output often has a very specific, heightened look to it. Don’t Torture A Duckling, however, is almost hyper-real by comparison. The sun-bleached, saturated looks of the town are hammered home with beautiful wide angle shots, almost painterly in their composition, while the interiors play with light and shadow to striking effect. There are some fabulous split diopter shots used throughout as well, elevating what could have been simple dialogue scenes. It’s also surprisingly restrained in its gore, given who the director is, leaving it for only sequences where it can make the most impact. It’s a great looking film and one that can be appreciated even better in this new 4K transfer from Arrow, a film that every Giallo fan needs to add to their collection.

Bonus Features

• Brand new 4K restoration from the original 2-perf Techniscope camera negative by Arrow Films
• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray™ presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Newly restored original lossless mono Italian and English soundtracks
• Optional English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack
• Audio commentary by Troy Howarth, author of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films
• Giallo a la Campagna, a video discussion with Mikel J. Koven, author of La Dolce Morte: Vernacular Cinema and the Italian Giallo Film
• Hell is Already in Us, a video essay by critic Kat Ellinger
• Lucio Fulci Remembers, a rare 1988 audio interview with the filmmaker
• Who Killed Donald Duck, an interview with actress Barbara Bouchet
• Those Days with Lucio, an interview with actress Florinda Bolkan
• The DP’s Eye, an interview with cinematographer Sergio D’Offizi
• From the Cutting Table, an interview with editor Bruno Micheli
• Endless Torture, an interview with makeup artist Maurizio Trani
• Theatrical trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady
• Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by Barry Forshaw and Howard Hughes

As with many of Arrow’s recent 4K releases, Don’t Torture A Duckling brings across the bonus features from their existing Blu Ray release, meaning existing owners will need to consider whether they want to double dip. For new collectors, though, this is a fantastic set with a remarkable array of modern reflections on the film, as well as a superb archive of interviews with the cast and crew – including the elusive director! Add to that some superb new cover art from Arrow regular Ilan Sheady and you get a collectors edition of a great film that’s well worth the purchase.