A Chilling Exploration of Faith and Fear

Read Time:5 Minute, 48 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Don't Torture a Duckling (Non si sevizia un paperino)
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Genre: Giallo, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Year Released: 1972, Arrow Video 4K 2025
Runtime: 1h 45m
Director(s): Lucio Fulci
Writer(s): Lucio Fulci, Roberto Gianviti, Gianfranco Clerici
Cast: Florinda Bolkan, Barbara Bouchet, Tomas Milian, Irene Papas, Marc Porel, Georges Wilson, Antonello Campodifiori, Ugo D'Alessio, Virgilio Gazzolo, Vito Passeri, Rosalia Maggio
Where To Watch: available March 25, 2025; pre-order your copy here: www.arrowvideo.com, www.mvdshop.com, or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: There’s something especially eerie about a mystery set in an isolated community, where the lines between truth and superstition blur, and paranoia can be as deadly as any killer. This is the unsettling core of DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING, a film that takes the structure of a murder mystery and layers it with social commentary and tension. While director Lucio Fulci is often associated with his later horror films, this entry in the Giallo genre is one of his most intriguing works, delivering a fascinating narrative and an examination of the fears lurking beneath the surface of small-town life.

The story unfolds in a rural Italian village, an environment that immediately sets the film apart from the glitzy, modern settings typically found in Giallo. When a string of gruesome child murders shakes the tight-knit community, long-held prejudices and suspicions begin to take over. Instead of carefully investigating, the villagers seek easy answers, targeting outsiders and those who don’t fit their rigid moral framework. This fear-driven response only adds to the escalating tension, as the real culprit remains hidden behind a cloud of misdirection and hysteria. (sounds like the US and our current government administration.)

Among those caught in the crossfire is Maciara, a woman living on the fringes of society due to her association with folk magic. Her character is one of the most compelling in the film, as she is both feared and reviled by the villagers, who are desperate for someone to blame. Her arc takes a devastating turn in one of the film’s most gut-wrenching sequences, a moment that highlights how quickly fear can transform into cruelty. Meanwhile, Patrizia, a woman with a troubled past whose arrival in the village immediately sparks gossip and disapproval, is looked at suspiciously. Her interactions with the local boys push the film into uncomfortable territory, emphasizing the clash between repression and indulgence that runs through the story.

Journalist Andrea Martelli is the outsider trying to piece together the mystery, his approach clashing with the town’s emotionally charged suspicions. As he sifts through the tangled web of half-truths and small-town secrets, it becomes clear that the real horror isn’t just the murders—it’s the way the community reacts to them. The film builds a sense of dread, not through conventional Giallo-style masked killers and elaborate murder sequences, but by exploring the darker sides of human nature, where fear and prejudice can be just as dangerous as any weapon.

Riz Ortolani's haunting score adds to the film’s disquieting tone. While Giallo films are often known for their jazzy, pulse-pounding soundtracks, this one opts for something more melancholic. The music contrasts the unfolding violence, particularly in one of the film’s most shocking moments, where a soft melody underscores brutality. This stark juxtaposition enhances the horror, making the violence feel all the more disturbing.

At its release, DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING stirred controversy for its themes and unflinching approach to difficult subject matter. The film’s critique of religious influence and its willingness to explore the darkest aspects of human behavior made it a divisive work. Still, over time, it has been reevaluated as one of Fulci’s most impressive films. While it may not have the same widespread recognition as some of the more famous Giallo titles, it stands out for its willingness to challenge conventions and push beyond the usual formula.

DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING blends mystery, horror, and social critique. It’s a film that doesn’t just present a puzzle for the audience to solve but uses that puzzle to hold a mirror to the darker aspects of human nature. It challenges the viewer, forcing them to confront uncomfortable truths about morality, justice, and how societies deal with fear. It remains one of the most thought-provoking genre entries, proving that sometimes, the scariest monsters aren’t the ones lurking in the shadows—they’re the ones we create ourselves.

Bonus Materials:
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

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[photo courtesy of ARROW VIDEO, MVD ENTERTAINMENT]

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