LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN/ UNA LUCERTOLA CON LA PELLE DI DONNA

Italy, 1971, 103 minutes, Colour.
Florinda Bolkan, Stanley Baker, Jean Sorel, Silvia Monti, Leo Genn.
Directed by Lucio Fulci.

Lucio Fulci is considered one of the most gory of film directors – with such films as Zombie Flesh Eaters and Ripper of New York. He was much criticised during his lifetime – although he became something of a cult figure. Originally a medical student, then a reporter, he began making films in the 1960s and continued through till the 1990s. Lizard in a Woman’s Skin is one of his earliest films – less a horror film than a murder mystery with esoteric and exotic overtones. Florinda Bolkan starred in a number of Italian films at this period. The international cast includes the British Stanley Baker and the French Jean Sorel.

The film is set in a rather exotic Italy – the aftermath of the late 60s with atmosphere, sex parties, hippie characters, drugs … It also is a psychological drama exploring counselling as well as dreams, and their manifestation in violent behaviour.

1. The significance of the title? Its sound and ugliness? Its meaning? The importance of the credits and drama? The significance as explained by the hippie?

2. How important was the atmosphere for this kind of film? Was it a successful thriller? The atmosphere of society, murder, aversion? How engrossing a thriller was this?

3. As regards the murder mystery, how important were the red herrings? Were these successfully handled? Were you tricked? The irony of the truth at the start and then at the end?

4. The importance of the presentation of Julia Durer in the dreams? Carol's role in the dreams? The fact that we saw her writing down her dreams? How important witness this for the film?

5. Did the film create an atmosphere for the family? The primness of the family at dinner and the wild party next door? The contrast of Carol and this family and the parties next door? The preoccupation and obsession with them?

6. What kind of person was Carol? Was she truly a lizard in a woman's skin? The quality of her dreams, their content and her character, their reality, the interpretation of the dreams? How repressed a woman was she? How puritanical and neurotic? How liberating were her dreams? Comment on the contrast between reality and appearance in the film.

7. How important a character was Julia Durer? The visual presentation of her sensuality? Her role in dreams and reality? The fact that she was murdered? What was audience response to her - hostile? Why?

8. The role of Frank Hammond: as a devoted husband, father? The growing awareness of his hypocrisy - attitude towards wife, daughter, mistress? His lies to his father-in-law? His apparent guilt? Was the character so well presented that he gained audience sympathy? Or was he suspected of the murder? Why?

9. Edmund Brighton: how attractive a character was he? Was he suspected of the murder by the audience? His attitude towards the situation, towards Frank, his trust in his daughter, and her reassurances to him? The fact that he was deceived? His accepting of guilt? How necessary was his death? Was it credible?

10. The importance of Joan Hammond for the film - her attempts to save her father, her being murdered by the hippies? What did this do for audience sympathies?

11. The importance of the hippies in the film - did you suspect them of the murder? The fact that they were not seen until halfway through, the fact that they thought they were guilty, their torturing of Joan and their chasing of Carol? Their being forced to murder to protect themselves? How ugly was the presentation of the hippies?

12. How well were the police presented? Inspector Corvan and his idiosyncrasies? His ruthlessness and relentlessness in pursuing the investigation? His style, the whistling, the pursuit of the truth?

13. Comment on the various accidents to Carol and their dramatic effect in this film - suspicions at home, her fright in the mental hospital, her scenes with her father, being chased by the hippies, the church and the bets, her escape?

14. How important was the psychology in the film - or was this just used for the thriller aspects? - eg the analysis of the tapes?

15. Comment on the bizarre style of the photography of this film - a strange swinging London? Or was this necessary for the atmosphere of the mystery?

16. Did the film offer any insights into human behaviour? Or was it just an enjoyable but bizarre thriller?