Review of One on Top of the Other

"One on top of the Other" predates the biggest successes of Lucio Fulci as a director and definitely his still on-going reputation as The Godfather of Gore. Yet, this is one best films he ever made and it unquestionably ranks among the most solidly plotted gialli ever! From the first minute to the very last, "One on top of the Other" is a compelling thriller that constantly introduces mysterious characters and features clever red herrings until everything sorts out nicely in the astonishing denouement. The story is suitably set in San Francisco, where the infamous doctor George Dummurier owns a private clinic but spends most of his time on the road with his mistress Jane. When George's actual wife unexpectedly dies from a fatal asthma-attack, he receives a two million dollar paycheck from the insurance company. This naturally raises questions, as everybody knew that the couple wasn't happily married. The police suspects George of murder, but things get even more complicated when a nightclub stripper, who's the reflecting image of George's dead wife, is frequently spotted in his company. Despite also being known as "Perversion Story", this movie mainly focuses on style and tension, and the only remotely gore sequence involves an autopsy on a decomposing body. The lack of further murders or sleaze is a bit of a weakness, but this is widely compensated by Fulci's concentration on coherence for a change, and the multiple tributes to classic Film Noirs and Alfred Hitchcock's repertoire. The acting performances are at least ten times better than usual in Italian horror productions, with Marisa Mell ("Danger: Diabolik!", "Seven Blood-Stained Orchids") and Jean Sorel ("Short Night of the Glass Dolls", "Lizard in a Woman's Skin") really leaving a good impression. The music by Riz Ortolani is mesmerizing, as always, the choreography is often very imaginative and there's some splendid camera-work with multiple great shots of San Francisco locations. In case you're an admirer of story-driven crime films, or just Italian cinema in general, this is definitely a movie you should keep an eye open for! You were the man, Lucio... And we miss miss you more every day!