A killer in a black mask, fedora and trench coat is going around slashing the throats of promiscuous wealthy married women. Inspector Farley Granger is in pursuit, but even he can’t seem to crack the case. He then tries a desperate Hail Mary to catch the killer, which could potentially blow up in his face.
The Slasher… is the Sex Maniac! is fairly sleazy all things considered. It has a generous body count and plenty of gratuitous T & A, which makes it highly recommended. Director Roberto Bianchi Montero, who is the father of Andrea (Burial Ground) Bianchi, keeps things moving along at a steady clip and is smart enough to evenly dole out the numerous kill scenes to prevent the audience from getting bored.
Granger is kind of one note in the thankless inspector role. Luciano Rossi is fun though as the creepy blonde morgue attendant who likes to touch up the female corpses a little too much, which of course makes him the prime suspect. However, it’s the ladies of the cast appearing in various stages of undress who are the most memorable.
Although the police procedural sequences are kind of rote and bland, the slashing scenes have a little bit of a kick to them. The scene aboard a train has some effective lighting, and the part where the slasher sneaks up behind his prey in a foggy bathroom is well done too. The thing that makes the flick cook is the third act twist. I won’t spoil it for you, but you have to wonder if Thomas Harris saw this before he wrote Red Dragon. The downbeat ending also packs a punch.
The film’s lasting legacy though is the fact that the producers later added hardcore scenes and notoriously rereleased it as “Penetration”, much to the embarrassment of Granger.
AKA: Confessions of a Sex Maniac. AKA: So Sweet, So Dead. AKA: Revelations of a Sex Maniac to the Head of the Criminal Investigation Division. AKA: Bad Girls. AKA: Penetration.
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