Movie Review - Delirium

Delirium

AKA: Delirio Caldo

1972

Cinamerica International / G R P Cinematografica

Romatt Releasing / Anchor Bay Entertainment / Blue Underground

3.75 / 10

This is another dire film that could have been much better as the story has a good premise.

Dr Herbert Lyutak is a doctor of psychology and he is suffering from shell-shock after he returns from the war.  While suffering from this psychological ailment he kills a woman he's given a lift too as she's rejected his sexual advances, though his mind blanks out the incident.  As time passes he gets glimpses of the murder and informs the police of his visions.  They, in turn, start to suspect that something isn't quite right with the good doctor.  As we progress through the movie we get an insight into his newly formed sexual deviations and his wife's' ability to conform to them because of her love for him.  There are a few twists and turns though it's the last twist which really makes this a "Throw-away" movie.

Unfortunately, it's the unbelievably appalling acting, especially from the lead actors, and the abysmally bad writing along with awful direction and cutting that really kills this film.

Mickey Hargitay (Dr Herbert Lyutak) acting skills come straight out of the redwood forests.  There are actually times you think a makeup artist will come on with a sander as a puppeteer appears to move him into his next position.   His wife, Marcia Lyutak, played by Rita Calderoni, is so over-the-top that it passes from amusing into dreadful.

The pace is all over the place and there are some scenes that appear to have been thrown in just to titillate, especially the light S&M and lesbian scene as there's no sense or reason for them being in that section of the film.  The lesbian scene is also one of the longest segments in the film.  This is a shame as the opening sequence, the pickup and murder of the girls is done really well - nicely shot and thought out.  I thought I was going to be watching a respectable movie... boy was I wrong.

I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, not even fans of Italian Gallo as there are much better examples of it out there to watch.

Story - Flash Fiction - The Room

By Stephen A Abell

Copyright: 3rd May 2017

Number Of Words: 300

He loved this website.

Since his best friend gave him the address he'd visited every day.  From all the available girls, Lil’Daisy was his favourite.  She was twenty-something though wore her hair in two pigtails and along with her soft sweet voice this gave her the glamour of being younger.  No doubt that’s what the punters wanted… but not him.  Her vivid blue eyes were the attraction, he envisioned diving into them to float and drift for hours.

His hands were sweating… his heart palpitating… as he typed one word and one punctuation into the message box and hit send... and it felt as though he were having a heart attack - Private?

Yes - flashed the reply in the chat box - Private 500 tokens.  True Private 1000 tokens.

He typed in - 1000 - in the token box and hit the mouse button.  The gift was underway.

Thirty seconds later, he alone was drinking in her beauty.  She lifted the tablet and asked the screen, “Do you want to spin the wheel of chance?  It decides what we do… or do you have something special in mind?”

Anything would be good; he just wanted to be with her for a little while.

- Spin

The wheel on the tablet whirled; the options were a blur.

As the wheel slowed he noticed only two choices…  a shiver ran down his back.

LIVE

DIE

What the hell?

The wheel slowed… slowed… stopped.

DIE

Before he could type anything, Lil’Daisy brought a knife up to her throat and in one graceful movement, she sliced deep, severing the jugular.

Transfixed, he watched as blood jetted in wild arcs from the wound and her life drowned in her eyes of blue.

The screen went blank then a notice filled the sudden void.  

This Model Is No Longer Available!

Afterword:

I am a member of the wonderful writer's website writing.com - WdC to the enlightened. If you are a writer of any style, be it, poetry, stories, essays, etc. then I would highly recommend the site.

After being away from WdC for a few years I dared to venture back and try my hand and a few contests to see if I could unblock my writer's mind and imagination. I love the Daily Flash Fiction Challenge as it really makes you work to produce something of substance. The judge sets the prompt, which is usually three random words - in the case of the above story they were Notice; Daisy; Wheel. Then all I had to do was write a story - with a beginning, a middle, and an ending in three-hundred words or less.

That last bit is the kicker as it's so short a word limit I always overshoot the target. Though this is the other reason I love the contest as it makes you reread the story and edit out elements of the story, all the while you're trying to keep the context, the flow, and the power of the tale. It's a wonderful skill to learn.

This story was in the back of my mind after reading about the "Blue Whale" game that is supposedly going on with teens, where they are dared to keep hurting themselves until their last dare where they are commanded to commit suicide. I just couldn't believe that teens would fall for this but maybe their lives are so bad this way out seems like a good thing. Anyway, that story kicked off the idea for the above story, which I hoped you enjoyed.