Seven Blood Stained Orchids

Decent Giallo for euro-trash fanatics
This 1971 giallo from Umberto Lenzi has never been released in the US in any form until this welcome Shriek Show release. The film itself is somewhat average as far as giallos go - the cinematography is nice, there's a black-gloved killer, some violent murder scenes (one with a power drill!), and some nudity to spice things up ---- but the mystery itself is pretty substandard and doesn't really have much punch. I also guessed the killer the first time that character appeared on screen - maybe I've just seen too many of these things.

Still, if you're a giallo fanatic or euro trash junkie, this disc is a no-brainer and you need to buy it. The anamorphic transfer looks great (bar some minor EE and shimmering around vertical lines or plaid clothing) and there's another great score by Riz Ortolani that will have you groovin' in no time. Extras include a 10 minute interview with Lenzi and a short interview with one of the female victims. Plus, the trailer and one for "Spasmo" and...

Beautiful babes and lots of style
Good god, I love Media Blasters! Every time you turn around, these guys are unleashing yet another depraved classic from years gone past. It seems that most of the stuff they release are Japanese anime flicks, a genre I haven't gotten into in a serious way yet, but they also make sure to release tons of gooey gorefests that send horror fans into paroxysms of joy. And they go out of their way (usually) to stuff the disc with plenty of supplemental materials like trailers, interviews, and commentaries. That doesn't sound like a big deal since lots of DVDs today contain extras, but it's a lot easier to find someone like Oliver Stone than it is to uncover the whereabouts of Ruggero Deodato or Umberto Lenzi. Heck, these guys actually locate cult favorites like George Eastman and Ivan Rassimov in order to interview them on camera! If you love films that delve deep into the inner recesses of shock cinema, Media Blasters is the place for you. Thanks to these guys, we can finally watch Lenzi's...

SUPERB!
SEVEN BLOOD-STAINED ORCHIDS is a close second to Argento's excellent DEEP RED as my favorite giallo! Directed with flair and tension by Umberto Lenzi, who was best known for CANNIBAL FEROX/MAKE THEM DIE SLOWLY, EATEN ALIVE, and NIGHTMARE CITY, ORCHIDS tells the story of a killer who murders women in all kinds of gruesome ways (bludgeoning, drowning, strangling, and power-drilling) and leaves a silver half-moon locket in their hands. One victim (Uschi Glass) survives her attack and, together with her husband (Antonio Sabato), she finds a connection between herself and the other victims: They were all at the seaside hotel that she once managed. And the locket belonged to a guest that was also there one day.

To reveal anymore about SEVEN BLOOD-STAINED ORCHIDS would be unfair, as this film requires very little foreknowledge as possible. The story is engrossing from beginning to end, the performances are great, and the murder sequences rank up there with anything Bava or Argento...

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