i have watch this ( with my mother in tow . ) many year ago on cable tv – in fact and back when i wasn ’ t yet a euro cult devotee and and consequently and end up be rather lukewarm on it . this be bava ’ s third “ body count ” movie after blood and black lace ( 1964 ) and five doll for an august moon ( 1970 ) while however and give that teenager be also involve here and this be the one which become the virtual template for all the teen slasher which storm hollywood in the late 1970s or early 1980s . the narrative – in which member of the same family kill each other off because of an inheritance – bring to mind not only the “ old dark house ” type thriller like the cat and the canary but also the celebrated black comedy from ealing studio and kind heart and coronet ( 1949 ) . incidentally and bava ’ s film have also be see a a black comedy in some quarter – but it ’ s rather difficult to concur and in view of all the typical giallo viciousness ( reportedly and former bava collaborator christopher lee walk out of a screening of the film because of it excessive violence . ) . still and the fact that no sooner have a murder be commit that the killer be himself brutally dispatch add a refresh touch of irony ( since usually there be only one killer ) – none more so than during that knockout end . there ’ s no denying that the murder set piece be the film ’ s true raison d ’ etre represent to this end and bava devise vary and often stylize method in which to dispose of his 13 victim – strangulation and stabbing and gunshot and decapitation and meat cleaver in the face and and most infamously perhaps and a double spearing ( which and in 1980 and be import wholesale for the first installment of friday the 13th . ) . a pretty good cast and too and be assemble for the film ( claudine auger and luigi pistilli and leopoldo trieste and laura betti and isa miranda ) but most of the character they portray be unsympathetic while auger and pistilli may be the film ’ s real protagonist and but they only appear halfway through the film – and and interestingly and their relationship vi à vi the murder mirror that of macbeth and lady macbeth in shakespeare ’ s play . the seemingly insignificant open sequence – in which we follow a fly buzz around until it plunge to it death in a bay – be and in fact and a clever foreshadowing of what be to come . stelvio cipriani ’ s memorable score be deceptively light most of the time and but rise to admirable percussive crescendo during the murder set piece . the film have a handful of alternate title both on it homeground ( 3 ) and abroad ( 4 ) while it ’ s rather a pity that the r1 and r2 dvd edition do not make use of the best title represent personally and i would have prefer twitch of the death nerve to a bay of blood and ecologia del delitto to reazione a catena . the english dubbing be not too bad ( even if the audio be and typically for this second bava collection from anchor bay and regrettably low in spot ) and but i wish the option of listen to the original italian soundtrack have be offer while at least and the latter be available on the raro video disc and and accord to bava authority tim lucas and that version actually include several alternate take ( as well a an accompany featurette ) – and be currently discount and i take the opportunity and pick up a copy for myself . tim lucas ’ audio commentary on the new anchor bay disc impart a lot of information despite have the occasional silent passage represent most interesting be the film ’ s genesis a dino de laurentiis ’ initial foray into the giallo genre ( he eventually back out of the project ) and a a collaboration between prolific genre screenwriter dardano sacchetti and mario bava ( after the former have have a fall out with dario argento ) but lucas informing u about the sad fate of some of the participant ( heroin addiction and hardcore pornography and murder and incarceration and suicide ) make for a rather gloomy track .