Assassinio al cimitero etrusco (Scorpion with Two Tails) (Murder in an Etruscan Cemetery) (1982)

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Sergio Martino directed this strange mixed-genre horror film starring Elvire Audray as the young widow of an archaeologist (John Saxon), who was murdered while working on an Etruscan dig. Dreaming a premonition of his death, the widow leaves New York for Italy to investigate. Before long, she is… More Sergio Martino directed this strange mixed-genre horror film starring Elvire Audray as the young widow of an archaeologist (John Saxon), who was murdered while working on an Etruscan dig. Dreaming a premonition of his death, the widow leaves New York for Italy to investigate. Before long, she is attacked by bats and is involved in several murders. Her father (Van Johnson) is smuggling heroin in one of 12 crates of Etruscan artifacts, but gets killed in a cave-in. Other victims have their heads twisted around backwards by an unknown assassin as the woman's premonitions continue and people tell her that she may be an Etruscan immortal. The secrets lie in a hidden tomb, and are revealed in a bizarre climax involving undercover narcotics agents, Etruscan zombies, magic stones and a huge anti-gravity crystal. The mystery is a clever one, the supernatural touches are never overdone, and there are a few real jolts in the screenplay by Ernesto Gastaldi and Dardano Sacchetti. The film is relatively bloodless for the time, but features a large number of maggots. Some prints eliminate the score in favor of over-dubbed music from Lucio Fulci's Paura nella Citta dei Morti Viventi. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi