Some films are made to be revered, others are made to be forgotten. And then there’s Nude per l’assassino (or Strip Nude for Your Killer), a prime example of the kind of trash cinema that somehow ends up being a cult classic—because, well, it’s just bad enough to be funny. This 1975 giallo from Andrea Bianchi is the cinematic equivalent of cheap perfume—cloying, a little too much, and ultimately lingering in your nostrils far longer than you’d like. A film that tells a story with all the sophistication of a trashy romance novel, and half the intellectual stimulation.
On the surface, it’s got everything you’d expect from a 1970s Italian thriller—models, photographers, a killer, a dirty secret. But beneath the surface? Well, it’s not so much a thriller as it is a parade of clichés drenched in blood and nudity. Oh, and there’s a plot that, in theory, could’ve been intriguing. But why bother with an intricate narrative when you can just throw in a few sexploitation tropes and call it a day?
The Plot: So Much Sex and Murder, So Little Plot
The story kicks off with a fashion model who dies from a botched illegal abortion. It’s the kind of grim premise that could’ve launched an interesting social commentary about the dark underbelly of the fashion world. But nope, instead, we’re served a messy cocktail of sex, death, and confusion. The doctor involved in the abortion covers his tracks, only to get murdered by a faceless figure wearing a motorcycle helmet. This same helmeted menace then goes on to pick off more characters, most of whom are so thinly drawn they might as well have been painted onto a paper backdrop.
There are models. There are photographers. There are sinister characters, including a genuinely unpleasant photographer who likes to proposition his models for sex, because of course. The police investigation is as pointless as the script, and everyone seems to have the emotional range of a cardboard box. Sure, there’s a killer on the loose, but the real villain here is the plot that has absolutely no interest in giving us anything remotely resembling a coherent narrative.
It’s not hard to predict who the killer is and why they’re doing what they’re doing, especially when the “twist” is about as shocking as realizing you left your keys in the car. A lot of the mystery here is like a half-formed jigsaw puzzle—satisfying for a moment but ultimately frustrating and incomplete.
Edwige Fenech: The Only Thing Worth Watching
Now, let’s talk about the one reason anyone should bother watching this film: Edwige Fenech. She’s the true highlight here, bringing a touch of class to a movie that otherwise wallows in a sea of sleaze. As Magda, a photographer caught in the mess of murders, Fenech brings some much-needed charm and poise to the screen, even though her character is given about as much depth as the paper the script was written on.
Let’s face it, Nude per l’assassino isn’t really a movie about the story, but rather a vehicle to showcase Fenech’s beauty and her ability to wear a sheer blouse without anyone noticing anything else happening in the scene. She’s magnetic, even in a film that feels like it’s actively trying to keep her in the background. But even when she’s in the background, she glows in a way that makes everyone else seem like they’re just filling space. It’s not high art, but it’s certainly the only thing in this film that keeps you from wanting to throw your remote at the screen.
The Violence: Not Subtle, Not Clever, Just Unnecessary
Let’s talk about the violence—or rather, let’s talk about how unnecessary the violence is. Nude per l’assassino is a giallo in the purest form, which means the blood is aplenty, but the thrills are sparse. Bodies drop, knives stab, women scream—none of it is particularly surprising, nor is it executed in any way that’s remotely engaging. The violence here is a lazy attempt at titillation more than anything else, designed to shock with as little effort as possible. Whether it’s a naked woman on a wire-frame bed getting electrocuted or a model being hacked up by the faceless killer, the gore is more about filling in time between exploitation than actually building tension.
The film’s idea of suspense is to throw a lot of violence at the screen while hoping the audience gets distracted by the nudity long enough to ignore how bad the writing is. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t work.
The Supporting Cast: Faces You Won’t Remember, Performances You Won’t Care About
Nino Castelnuovo, as Carlo, plays the role of a charming photographer who has the emotional depth of a damp paper towel. His acting is as stiff as the models he’s trying to photograph, and as a leading man, he has all the charisma of a potato. Solvi Stubing as Patrizia is similarly forgettable—her role as a mysterious woman with ties to the murders barely makes a dent in the proceedings.
As for the supporting characters, they’re all just there to die—slowly, painfully, and without the slightest bit of emotional investment. The film’s big reveal at the end tries to give a little weight to the deaths, but it’s not even close to being earned. It’s more like an afterthought, thrown in to make things interesting when we’re all way past caring.
Conclusion: A Cliché-Filled, Sleazy, and Forgettable Giallo
Nude per l’assassino is a film that would like to think it’s a thrilling mystery, but in reality, it’s a lazy, sleazy mess that barely qualifies as a thriller. It tries to capitalize on the tropes of giallo films of the time, but ends up being so formulaic that it feels like a checklist rather than a story.
If you’re watching for the plot, you’ll be disappointed. If you’re watching for the characters, well, you’re already a lost cause. But if you’re here for Edwige Fenech, that’s where the film delivers. Her presence is the only thing that makes the rest of the nonsense bearable.
This isn’t a film you’ll remember for its suspense or clever twists. It’s a film you’ll remember for how much it misses the mark on everything it attempts, and how Edwige Fenech’s incredible beauty is the only thing worth watching through the haze of bad decisions.
Edwige Fenech – Italy’s cult movie beauty queen – https://pochepictures.com/edwige-fenech-from-beauty-queen-to-cult-cinema-icon/
