HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON

John, owner of a fashion atelier, is a victim of terrible nightmares and is traumatized by the murder of his mother, which occurred in mysterious circumstances when he was still a child. Struck by uncontrollable fits of extreme madness, John massacres some of his models, avoiding the police, however. It will be a cunning police agent who puts an end to the murderous fury of the madman, making him end up in handcuffs. Also known as "An Axe for the Honeymoon," this thriller is well directed by the impeccable Mario Bava who, even in this film (of which he is also a co-screenwriter and director of photography), keeps his favorite theme unchanged: the psychological, dreamlike, and suggestive thriller. The film in question follows in the footsteps of its predecessor "6 Women for the Killer" (see the fashion atelier, in which a crazy unbalanced person was lurking) and partly also the superb "Operation Fear" (see the unforgettable appearances of the ghost of the little girl, in which the presence of evil is felt). In "The Red Sign of Madness," Bava outlines a concrete figure of a killer: a man of normal appearance, but who in reality hides a horrible past for which he turns into a executioner. He wears wedding dresses and also uses a music box that, with the music, accompanies the terrible massacres; this last detail undoubtedly reminds us of the masterpiece by Dario Argento ("Deep Red") where the masked maniac, before killing his victim, made them listen to the unsettling children's music, which all horror fans will certainly remember. Psychopathy and love, reality and nightmares, past and present are mixed in a decidedly positive and innovative way in this carefully crafted thriller, skillfully directed by the one who has redefined the horror genre. Notable are the good performances of Steve Forsyth as John Harrington, and of Laura Bettin; memorable also are the photography curated by Bava himself and the music by Sante Romitelli. If it were not for the too slow pacing and the multiple improvisations on the set (especially in the second part), the film would have deserved half a pumpkin more. Furthermore, the film has been unavailable for years, and continues to be so today, which is a real shame!