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A lizard in a Woman's Skin (1971) - Blu-ray

5 beersPsychedelic dream sequences; wild orgies; LSD; and a scene of grotesque canine disemboweling experiments that nearly sent A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin’s famous director to prison.  This is the beating heart of an Italian cinematic masterpiece that explores the fuzzy gray areas where dreams and reality collide. 

The stylish mystery all manages to make sense, too.  No matter how outlandish the dream sequences are, A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin, released as Schizo here in the United States, keeps its wits about it to end on a note of finality that, if you’re watching close enough, satisfies more than just the wanton curiosities aroused by this thriller. 

Complete with an extended chase sequence through an abandoned Alexandra Palace that highlights a rather antiquated side of North London, this non-gloved giallo absolutely delivers the goods.  The characters, no matter how zonked out of their skulls they are, absolutely drive the identity of this film, making it a memorable mystery into the subconscious.  They issue the challenge with their keyed-in performances and keep pushing back against the film’s rather stylized pull to sexualize the surreal.  This is not a single-note submission. 

If you can get over the blatant goofiness of the title and understand that this movie isn’t a creature feature at all, director Lucio Fulci’s A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin might just teach you a thing of two about what the post-war Italian filmmakers did so wonderfully explicit with the murder mystery.  Inspector Corvin (Stanley Baker) has his hands full when he finds himself targeting a politician’s daughter for the murder of her free-spirited neighbor (Anita Strindberg), after a night of hot and heavy girl-on-girl action.

This film, Fulci’s fully realized ode to all things Freudian, remains a taut thriller that exemplifies the best in what the giallo genre once offered.  It also has a complex but memorable score from composer Ennio Morricone that highlights its fashionable stance as actress Florinda Bolkan (Don’t Torture a Duckling) finds herself waking from a dreamlike status only to wind up a suspect for murder.  And yet someone is trying to kill her!

And, thanks to the transfer upgrade by independent U.S. distributors Mondo Macabro, this erotic tale of murder and madness is made great once again, shining like the polished gemstone that it is.  A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin, while full of nocturnal emissions, is more than just a wet dream.

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A lizard in a Woman's Skin (1971) - Blu-ray

MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime:
95 mins
Director
: Lucio Fulci
Writer:
Lucio Fulci
Cast:
Florinda Bolkan, Stanley Baker, Jean Sorel
Genre
: Mystery
Tagline:
In the annals of the abnormal there is no more erotic a nightmare than the strange lusts of a... "LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN"
Memorable Movie Quote: "No, beautiful. Just beautiful."
Theatrical Distributor:
American International Pictures
Official Site:
Release Date:
March 20, 1973
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
February 9, 2016
Synopsis: A young woman is accused of murdering her debauched neighbor after dreaming it. Was she set up, or did she really do it?

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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

A lizard in a Woman's Skin (1971) - Blu-ray

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: Mondo Macabro
Available on Blu-ray
- February 9, 2016
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles
: English SDH
Audio:
English: LPCM Mono; Italian: LPCM Mono
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Region-free playback

Mondo Macabro grants Fulci’s film a 1080p release with a stunning clarity that is presented in an aspect ratio of 1.86:1 and is encoded with MPEG-4 AVC.  The results are grand and scenic, punctuated by sterling blues of the surrounding London skies and the ripe greens of the fertile land below.  The vibrant results extend to the fashion trends of the time because – especially on blu-ray – there’s no denying that this was a definite period of fashion peaks.  Clothing is tight, ribbed, and full of textures. Colors are saturated and black levels are strong. Contrast is good. Grain is also strong, never dipping in quality.  Included with the release are two tracks: an English LPCM 1.0 and an Italian LPCM 1.0.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  •  The feature-length audio commentary is provided by filmmaker Kit Gavin for this release and is quite detailed in covering the film, its influences, and its many locations.

Special Features:

Of most interest to fans of Fulci’s will be the inclusion of Antonietta De Lillo's documentary film Fulci: Day for Night which is punctuated by an interview with the director himself.  There are two other documentaries included, too.  We also an interview with Tony Adams, as well as a look at two of the film’s original trailers, and an alternatie opening.  All in all, this is a fantastic release.

  • Shedding the Skin (34 min)
  • Fulci: Day for Night (33 min)
  • When Worlds Collide (30 min)
  • From Burton to Baker: Tony Adams Interview (13 min)
  • Alternate Italian Opening
  • Theatrical Trailers
  • Radio Spots

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A lizard in a Woman's Skin (1971) - Blu-ray

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