[Blu-ray/DVD Review] THE SERGIO MARTINO COLLECTION
Courtesy of Arrow Films

There are quite a few directors now associated with Giallo films, but Sergio Martino definitely has earned his spot as one of the top ones to check out. While he has worked in other genres, he is best known for his Giallo thrillers. Arrow has recognized his contributions, releasing several of his movies on Blu-ray before, but has brought together three of their previous releases in what they call THE SERGIO MARTINO COLLECTION. The films included in this collection are The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail, Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have The Key, and The Suspicious Death of a Minor.

The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail finds the recently widowed Lisa Baumer in Athens to collect her husband’s life insurance policy. In total Hitchcock style, she quickly learns she’s not the only one looking to collect that cash. New characters are introduced, each with their own sleazy motive, and the bodies start piling up. Affairs and insurance investigators come into play, allowing the plot twists to keep you guessing. This is a real fun, sexy thriller for those who like a good murder mystery with some gratuitous moments.

Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have The Key has probably one of the best titles out there as it totally exemplifies how dramatic this movie really is. This is actually the only movie of the three I had previously seen prior to this set. Oliviero is one of those onscreen husbands that you love to hate. He gets off on humiliating his wife, Irina, in front of the sleazy parties he likes to host. Naked hippies dance around and everyone just accepts that he is an asshole. The plot is kicked off when his mistress is found with her throat slit and he is the prime suspect. While Your Vice plays primarily as an exploitive thriller, it plays off a lot of the works of Edgar Allen Poe, and the homages are obvious and exciting.

The Suspicious Death of a Minor is more of a detective thriller when compared to the previous two. Many scenes are played for laughs (or so I assumed) and feel a bit more on the lighter tone despite the subject matter. An undercover cop investigates the murder of an underage prostitute. At the same time, there’s a killer for hire getting rid of all the witnesses, one of them played by Barbara Magnolfi of Suspiria fame. This was probably my least favorite of the three, but still a good time and the most unlike the others.

Arrow has included the same discs previously released as individuals, including several offerings in special features. This includes two commentaries, interviews with Martino, and video essays. The physical attributes only consist of reversible artwork and the thin slip-box that holds all three.

Unfortunately, aside from the slip-box, there’s nothing new in this set that previous owners of the films can look forward to. No booklets are included either. However, newcomers looking for a reason to venture into Martino’s work have a great way to introduce themselves thanks to Arrow’s latest release of THE SERGIO MARTINO COLLECTION.

You can purchase THE SERGIO MARTINO COLLECTION here.

Jovy Skol
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