SCORPION WITH TWO TAILS

SCORPION WITH TWO TAILS: A giallo without sex and violence is like a Big Mac without the “special sauce.” Why bother? And this made-for-TV miniseries adapted into a theatrical feature just doesn’t generate the explicit thrills fans have come to expect from the genre. The involvement of director Sergio Martino (Torso) and writer Ernesto Gastaldi (The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh) only adds to the disappointment, since both men are responsible for some of the most memorable entries in the Italian industry. The story sends our potentially psychic protagonist from New York to Italy after her husband (John Saxon in a very brief role) is murdered upon discovering an ancient Etruscan tomb. From there Gastaldi’s script splits into a smuggling sub-plot, murder-mystery and supernatural thriller, with none of the elements ever really gelling coherently. No one says a giallo has to make sense – in fact, some of the best ones are a confusing mess – but Scorpion with Two Tails falls short in two many areas to recommend as anything more than obscure title for genre completists. MYA’s DVD presentation is about on par with their video transfers from Door into Darkness last month. Extras include deleted scenes from the never-aired TV version and a poster gallery.