the bloodstained butterfly

Although it was produced at the height of Italy's giallo boom, 1971's The Bloodstained Butterfly is remarkable not so much for its similarities to popular titles of the time as for its differences. With a focus on forensic science and courtroom drama, the film leans closer to Hitchcock's The Wrong Man than anything in Dario Argento's oeuvre. And, even though it all leads up to a remarkable twist, there's a surprising lack of sex and violence: two of the prime ingredients in the most memorable gialli. But it's director Duccio Tessari's tendency to take the road less traveled that actually makes Butterfly a stand-out in a genre filled with films that were only too happy to follow in one another's footsteps.

Opening with a confusing series of title cards introducing the main characters, the film segues into its opening murder: the brutal stabbing of a student whose body rolls into a crowded park. Witnesses identify a local sports reporter,

Alessandro Marchi, as the guilty party and with an almost insurmountable amount of physical evidence, Marchi is quickly convicted of the crime.

And yet, several loose ends raise some doubt. Marchi's family and attorney work on an appeal while his daughter convinces her new lover, Giorgio, to claim he saw a different man running away from the scene. Just when all hope seems to be lost, two more murders, committed in the same fashion, occur while Marchi is behind bars. Is he innocent...or is there a copycat killer on the loose?

The more familiar one is with the giallo formula, the more fun you'll have with The Bloodstained Butterfly. While the film fails to deliver the expected show stopping murder sequences, it lays the groundwork for one of the most truly ingenious endings in the genre...and a logical one at that. Tessari's emphasis on evidence gathering and new technology may seem a bit dated, but it's shot and edited in a unique newsgathering style that draws one in just the same.

The film ingeniously toys with your expectations right up until the final credits, using the character of Giorgio (Helmut Berger) - a common giallo suspect with a tortured past and taste for rough sex - as a decoy, diverting the audience's attention like a well rehearsed magic trick. Butterfly demands some patience to be sure. But just when you think it's dragged on the act too far, the finale sends you out smiling.

Arrow Video's special edition Blu-ray / DVD is as well rounded as they come, with a hi-def transfer worth the cash alone, and a healthy serving of extras. Authors Alan Jones and Kim Newman are reunited again for the commentary track, with Jones often stopping just too admire the "completeness" of the version provided (apparently it was his first viewing!). Troy Howarth contributes a great visual essay that breaks down the film's cast, crew and place in giallo history. Actress Evelyn Stewart is interviewed in an hour-long featurette about her lengthy career and director Duccio Tessari's wife, Lorella De Luca (who also appears in the film) provides some insights about her husband. Finally, Helmut Berger, who also introduces the film, is given his 15-minutes to weirdly wax poetic about his time on set.

There's more here - including trailers, promotional images, a reversible cover and limited edition 36-page booklet - than most casual fans could ever ask for. But giallo fans are rarely the casual sort. And Arrow certainly has their number.