THE DESIGNATED VICTIM (1971)
Label: Mondo Macabro
Region Code: Region Free
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 101 Minutes (Theatrical), 105 Minutes (Extended)
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.35:1)
Audio: Italian and English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles
Director: Maurizio Lucidi
Cast: Tomas Milian, Pierre Clementi, Katia Christine, Luigi Casellato, Marisa Bartoli, Ottavio Alessi, Sandra Cardini
In this early 70's giallo riff on Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train (1951) directed by Maurizio Lucidi (Probability Zero) we have disillusioned photographer Stefano (Tomas Milian, The Big Gundown) looking to leave his domineering wife Luisa (Marisa Bartoli) who controls the purse strings and gets caught up in a tit for tat murder scheme. It's while on a day trip to Caracas with his lover, a Parisian model named Fabienne (Katia Christie, The Hand That Feeds the Dead), that he meets an offbeat aristocrat named Count Matteo Tiepelo (Pierre Clémenti, Belle De Jour) seemingly by chance. The pair hit it off and later meet to talk, where Stefano shares his current domestic troubles, while Matteo in turn sharing that his older brother is also making his life a nightmare. Matteo suggest that they should help each other by agreeing to murder the other's problematic others, swapping murders. Stefano laughs the suggestion off as a dark bit of fantasy. However, a few days later Stefano's wife receives a bouquet of flowers with a note from Matteo describing how Stefano has forged his wife's signature on a stock sale which causes an argument, with Stefano storming off to stay at the couple's lake house. Along the way he picks up a German hitchhiker Cristina (Alessandra Cardini, The Tough Ones) and beds her, which later works against him. The next day he receives a phone call from the police informing him that his wife had been found strangled! Now Stefano is the prime suspect in his wife's murders and he comes to realize that the enigmatic Matteo has been pulling his strings from the beginning, setting up Stefano as the fall guy unless he follows through with the murder Matteo's troublesome older sibling.
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.35:1)
Audio: Italian and English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles
Director: Maurizio Lucidi
Cast: Tomas Milian, Pierre Clementi, Katia Christine, Luigi Casellato, Marisa Bartoli, Ottavio Alessi, Sandra Cardini
In this early 70's giallo riff on Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train (1951) directed by Maurizio Lucidi (Probability Zero) we have disillusioned photographer Stefano (Tomas Milian, The Big Gundown) looking to leave his domineering wife Luisa (Marisa Bartoli) who controls the purse strings and gets caught up in a tit for tat murder scheme. It's while on a day trip to Caracas with his lover, a Parisian model named Fabienne (Katia Christie, The Hand That Feeds the Dead), that he meets an offbeat aristocrat named Count Matteo Tiepelo (Pierre Clémenti, Belle De Jour) seemingly by chance. The pair hit it off and later meet to talk, where Stefano shares his current domestic troubles, while Matteo in turn sharing that his older brother is also making his life a nightmare. Matteo suggest that they should help each other by agreeing to murder the other's problematic others, swapping murders. Stefano laughs the suggestion off as a dark bit of fantasy. However, a few days later Stefano's wife receives a bouquet of flowers with a note from Matteo describing how Stefano has forged his wife's signature on a stock sale which causes an argument, with Stefano storming off to stay at the couple's lake house. Along the way he picks up a German hitchhiker Cristina (Alessandra Cardini, The Tough Ones) and beds her, which later works against him. The next day he receives a phone call from the police informing him that his wife had been found strangled! Now Stefano is the prime suspect in his wife's murders and he comes to realize that the enigmatic Matteo has been pulling his strings from the beginning, setting up Stefano as the fall guy unless he follows through with the murder Matteo's troublesome older sibling.
It's a wonderfully shot film set in Venice, the tense thriller has a dream-like atmosphere that could make you think that Stefano might be insane and perhaps Matteo doesn't even exist at all! Our protagonist is also a deliciously flawed character, a philandering playboy who even cheats on his side chic which comes back to bite him on the ass, and he's trying sell the company out from under his wife, but somehow he's still a likable guy, thanks in large part to the acting and charm of Tomas Milian. Stefano's relationship with Clemente's mysterious Matteo is also quite intriguing, the pair have quite good chemistry together and I enjoyed the way it all played out.
Audio/Video: The Designated Victim (1971) arrives on region-free Blu-ray from Mondo Macabro in 1080p HD framed in 2.35:1 widescreen, sourced from a 4K scan of original film elements. The theatrical cut look very pleasing with filmic grain and warm colors, and solid black levels. Clarity and depth aren't the strongest, but overall a pleasing presentation. The extended version is longer and features standard definition VHS inserts which are quite noticeable, but apparently there are no surviving film elements for these scenes.
Audio on the theatrical cut comes by way of both English and Italian DTS-HD MA 2.0 dual-mono with optional English subtitles. Everything is clean and well-balanced, and the score from Luis Backlot (Django) sounds terrific. The extended cut gets only has Italian DTS-HD MA 2.0 dual mono, also with English subtitles.
Extras kick of with a brand new Audio Commentary by Rachael Nisbet and Peter Jilmstad of the Fragments of Fear Podcast. The duo get into screenwriting of the film and it's status among the gialli of the era. It's an info packed track and shed a lot of light onto the film and its history, though at times it feels a bit too scripted and dry.
Interviews start off with the 48-minute Death and Beauty in Venice: Interview with writer and assistant director Aldo Lado (Short Night of the Glass Dolls) who talks about his time on the film, offering some interestingbtidbits about the production as well as his own film Short Night of the Glass Dolls. The 28-min Pierre Clementi: Pope of Counterculture: Interview with Balthazar Clementi, the son of Pierre Clementi who tells stories about his fathers career, run ins with the law, what he like personally and his legacy in film.
Additionally were getting the longer running Exclusive Extended Version with VHS-sourced inserts, a 2-min Alternate English Title Sequence, and three Trailers in both Italian and English including the alternate title Slam-Out. The disc is buttoned-up with the usual 14-minite Mondo Macabro Previews. The single-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork. His relationship with
Special Features:
- Brand new 4k transfer from film negative
- Death and Beauty in Venice: Interview with writer and assistant director Aldo Lado (48 min)
- Pierre Clementi: Pope of Counterculture: Interview with Balthazar Clementi (28 min)
- Audio Commentary by Rachael Nisbet and Peter Jilmstad of the Fragments of Fear podcast
- Exclusive Extended Version (105 min) HD
- Alternate English Title Sequence (2 min)
- Trailers (12 min)
- Mondo Macabro Previews (14 min)
- Brand new 4k transfer from film negative
- Death and Beauty in Venice: Interview with writer and assistant director Aldo Lado (48 min)
- Pierre Clementi: Pope of Counterculture: Interview with Balthazar Clementi (28 min)
- Audio Commentary by Rachael Nisbet and Peter Jilmstad of the Fragments of Fear podcast
- Exclusive Extended Version (105 min) HD
- Alternate English Title Sequence (2 min)
- Trailers (12 min)
- Mondo Macabro Previews (14 min)
The Designated Victim is a solid and stylish 70's giallo riff on the Strangers on a Train premise with terrific central performances from Milan and Clementi. If you're a fan of stylish 70's giallo and elaborate thrillers this Italian gem comes highly recommended.
Screenshots from the Mondo Macabro Blu-ray:
