The Red Queen Killed Seven Times
(aka: La Dama rossa uccide sette volte)
(1972)
review by Monkeyman

Two young girls get into an argument about a doll-during a vicious cat-fight,their attention is drawn to a painting on the wall of "The Red Queen".Their exasperated grandfather explains the curse of the Red Queen to the girls-every hundred years the Red Queen returns and kills seven victims before she can return from whence she came.
The opening credits roll,and a delightful main theme from Bruno Nicolai is played over a montage of scenes where one of the girls,Francesca,constantly plays tricks on the other sister Kitty,much to her annoyance.

The film then cuts to the present day,where we are introduced to Kitty(Barbara Bouchet),the other sister, who is now working for a fashion house.Kitty is deeply troubled,and is obviously keeping a dark secret which is causing her to have nightmares and visions.
The owner of the Fashion House is the sleazy Hans Meyer,and it isnt long before he is murdered in a park whilst trying to procure the services of a prostitute.Before you can say "Blood and Black Lace",various staff and models from the fashion house are being bumped off left right and centre.Has the Red Queen returned to fulfil her prophecy?

Kitty meanwhile is being blackmailed by a sleazy young man who says he "knows her dark secret".Kitty gets very upset when people mention her sister,insisting that she is now working abroad.
Another model is murdered,in what is perhaps the films finest scene,when she is knocked unconcious and then stuffed into the back of a van.She trys to escape but is thwarted by the killer,who appears to be wearing a red cloak just like the Red Queen in the painting,and is soon identified as looking just like Francesca,Kittys errant sister.

An inheritance subplot is introduced,as is a nod to Poes "Black Cat",and a superb finale involving a room filling with water and a helpless heroine trying to escape is almost reminiscent of "The Perils of Pauline" !!

The film doesnt stint on the gore either-people are bashed over the head,stabbed in the hand and decapitated(although it has to be said that the head isnt the most convincing special effect ever laid down on film!!)

This is the only film of Miraglias I am aware of,and its a pity he didnt dabble more in the suspense field as "Red Queen" is an excellent thriller in anyones book.It is beautifully photographed by Alberto Spagnoli,and contains another consistently excellent score from Bruno Nicolai.

The fashion house setting is lifted from Bavas excellent Blood and Black Lace,and while "Red Queen" isnt up to the standards of that masterpiece it is a solid thriller and is well worth tracking down.
Onto the available versions of the film,and sad to say there is only one version of the film that does the film any justice and that is the German release,which contains all the violence and is crystal clear.The downside to this version is that it is German language and contains no English subs.

The version on review here is the Greek pan and scan release,which contains a very washed out picture and only adequate sound.It is,however,in English amd contains the precredit scene which is missing from the German release for some reason.It is very slightly shorn of some of its violence,but for the xenophobes amongst us who dont like watching a film without the benefit of the English language its probably the best version to go for.

This is one film which is crying out for a decent DVD release-come on Blue Underground,what are you waiting for!!