One on Top of the Other (1969)

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Just perfect...

A different way of telling a story

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Lucio Fulci's stamp on this meandering and largely forgettable soft-boiled thriller is pretty much limited to his name in the credits. Though Perversion Story pre-dates Fulci's emergence as one of the most beloved Italian horror directors of all time, most genre fans who take a look at this early experiment will end up wishing that he had found his dark muse sooner.Granted, Perversion Story isn't unwatchable, and as a fairly standard twist-driven caper there are times when the film works quite well. Fulci certainly takes a stylish approach to the affair, and manages to wring a fair amount of suspense out of the often-incomprehensible plot. But the absurd denouement falls resoundingly flat, and any steam Fulci builds along the way is abruptly quelled when the film unravels in the final act.The story centers around the womanizing Dr. Dumurrier, his shady mistress, and a stripper/prostitute who bears a striking resemblance to the physician's dead wife, Susan. When police discover that Mrs. Dumurrier was poisoned, suspicion naturally falls upon the doctor, who finds himself $2-million richer thanks to a particularly generous life insurance policy. As the plot unfolds, we discover that Dr. Dumurrier may be being framed for the murder, and more startlingly, that Susan may not actually be dead at all.Despite the alternate titles' emphasis on the carnal components of the story, Fulci's reliance on soft-core sex to drive the movie is actually notably restrained. Only a couple of sequences venture into that territory, and the flat, mechanical nature of the performers' congress strips these sequences of much of their eroticism. However, Fulci does a fine job of using artistic lighting and angles to heighten the sensuality of these scenes, and thanks to nifty touches like a camera shot looking up through the mattress at the writhing bodies above, even if the actors look bored while they explore each other, you won't be bored watching them.Elsewhere, the acting is decidedly above par, with excellent performances from Jean Sorel and the sultry Marisa Mell as Dr. Dumurrier and exotic dancer Monica Weston, respectively. The strongest moments of the film revolve around the sparring between these two characters, and the film doesn't really veer off track until the grander scheme takes center stage.Some of the intricacies of the plot are a bit muddled and hard to digest, and the film errs by spending too much time forcing us to follow ultimately inconsequential characters in an attempt to plant red herrings. The basic story is sturdy enough on its own, and a more tidy presentation would probably have served it much better.The climactic reveal by the character responsible for the machinations plaguing Dr. Dumurrier's life plays out like a James Bond super-criminal confessing their entire nefarious plot, and brings the dangling threads together in a lazy and unsatisfying fashion. The final fate that befalls the villains of the piece likewise fails to pack a punch, and when you really sit down and ponder the logistics of their comeuppance, it ends up being the most absurd element in the film. Worse, by the time this allegedly shocking finale arrives, things have become so tedious and dull that you probably won't really care what happens anyway.Regardless of the more interesting elements at work here, even the most ardent Fulci completist isn't likely to visit this entry on his resume very often. However, if you simply need this in your library, I'd advise you to seek out the Severin DVD edition, which includes a CD of the solid musical score as a bonus. But my most sincere recommendation is to skip this entire fiasco and use the time to watch Zombie again instead.

Pretty decent stab at an erotic thriller from the Goremeister General. It's all the things you would want: stylish, sexy, and gripping. It's also crisply shot and has an excellent Riz Ortolani score. Again, the dubbing is pretty ropey but if, by this point, you're seeking out some of Fulci's lesser-known works then it's safe to assume you've made your peace with this constant problem.Marissa Mell is great as the femme fatale and Elsa Martinelli is cool and chic as the devoted mistress who, despite herself, can't stop believing in her man. In fact, the female performances are much stronger than the men, probably because Jean Sorel doesn't have much to do except wander around with his shirt off, looking bewildered.Great photography of San Francisco, looking as good - if not better - than in BULLITT. There's also a fine cameo from Jean Sobieski, for connoisseurs of louche photographers in movies.The only real problem is that the film isn't quite gripping enough. The premise is set up well in the first half hour or so, and the suspense and mystery sustained during the kinky interludes in the middle, but all is revealed through a clumsy expository scene with about 20 minutes remaining and after that it runs out of steam.Well worth a look though.6/10

This may not be a horror film or even strictly a giallo but still it's a top notch sex and psychedelic dressed mystery that is a must see for fans of mid sixties to mid seventies Italian cinema. Perhaps more restrained than one might expect from Fulci and the pace a little uneven but this film looks so good! Great cinematography with splendid sweeping scenic shots of San Francisco and playful quirky close-ups that make one gasp. Full of delights such as the photo shoots, the nightclub sequences as well as the splendid use of the locations plus a super soundtrack from Riz Ortolani and not forgetting plenty of colourful nudity. The conclusion is sensational and the death row sequences suitably creepy and if there is more than a whiff of Hitchcock, whose complaining? Excellent.

Lucio Fulci may be best known for his zombie splatter-fests and that's a shame because he's really so much more than that. If you see the name Fulci and expect a gore-fest, you'll be disappointed. This one is even more bloodless than his other Gialli. But if you want a solid Italian thriller, you've discovered a real winner. I have no reservations about placing One on Top of the Other near the top of the list of the 60-odd Gialli I've seen. One on Top of the Other actually features very few, if any, horror elements. Instead, the movie focuses on two of the other Giallo trademarks – sleaze and mystery. And Fulci does a fantastic job with both. As for the sleaze, there's probably more nudity and sex in this movie than in Fulci's A Lizard in a Woman's Skin and Don't Torture a Duckling combined. As for the mystery elements, Fulci fills the film with enough red herrings and other mystery tricks for two or three movies. I was completely engrossed and entertained form the opening credits. Solid cinematography, nice San Francisco locations, an outstanding Riz Ortolani score, above average acting, and Marisa Mell make One on Top of the Other a new favorite of mine.My only complaint (and it is admittedly a small one) is the amount of screen time showing the film's protagonist sitting on death row waiting to die. A little tighter editing during this 10 or so minute segment might have helped make One on Top of the Other the best Giallo I've ever seen.I mentioned Marisa Mell in the opening paragraph and if you're a fan, you owe it to yourself to track down a copy of One on Top of the Other. She never looked better and I've never seen so much of her. Her motorcycle striptease scene is worth the price of admission. Check it out! Come on, Anchor Bay – give us that Region 1 release!