WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? (COSA AVETE FATTO S SOLANGE?)
(director/writer: Massimo Dallamano; screenwriters: story by Massimo Dallamano/Bruno Di Geronimo/Peter M. Thouet; cinematographer: Aristide Massaccesi; editor: Antonio Siciliano; music: Ennio Morricone; cast: Fabio Testi (Enrico ‘Henry’ Rosseni), Cristina Galbó (Elizabeth Seccles), Karin Baal (Herta Rosseni), Joachim Fuchsberger(Inspector Barth), Gunter Stoll (Prof. Bascombe), Pilar Castel (Janet Bryant), Camille Keaton (Solange Beauregard), Antony Vernon (Mr. Newton), Claudia Butenuth (Brenda Pilchard); Runtime: 96; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Leonardo Pescarolo/Fulvio Lucisano; Arrow Video; 1972-Italy/W. Germany-in Italian with English subtitles)
“A sleazy, shocking giallo.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A sleazy, shocking giallo. It’s directed with artistic finesse by Italian cinematographer-turned-director Massimo Dallamano(“What Have they Done To Your Daughters”/”Night Child”/”Red Rings of Fear”). It’s written by the director, Peter M. Thouet and Bruno Di Geronimo.
When a girl in an exclusive Catholic school, St. Mary’s Catholic School for Girls, is murdered, police investigate.
At St. Mary’s, gym teacher Enrico Rossini (Fabio Testi) is married to fellow teacher Herta (Karin Baal). Enrico has a troubling romance going on with the student Elizabeth Eccles (Cristina Galbo). While on a boat ride with her on the Thames, she sees on shore a knife flash. He dismisses it. But later the body of Hilda Erickson, a student at the school, is found stabbed to death at the shore. Inspector Barth (Joachim Fuchsberger) investigates and singles out Enrico as a prime suspect because of his rep as a flirt with the girls. Afraid to give his alibi for obvious reasons, Enrico investigates on his own. Soon another student (Pilar Castel) turns up murdered. When Elizabeth blabs to others she may have seen the killer dressed in a priest’s habit and having long black hair, she turns up murdered. The autopsy reveals Elizabeth was still a virgin.
Upon further investigation by Enrico and his wife, it’s discovered (near the movie’s end) that the three vics were into lesbian experimentation and wild sex parties with older men. Included in the group was a girl named Solange (Camille Keaton, the grand-daughter of Buster).
It’s a perverse thriller with nudity, gore and a creepy atmosphere. Rumors were spread that it was based on a crime novel by Edgar Wallace, the father of giallo, but that was proven to be false.
REVIEWED ON 2/3/2016 GRADE: B- https://dennisschwartzreviews.com/