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The Independent Critic

STARRING
Fabio Testi, Cristina Galbo, Camille Keaton
DIRECTED BY
Massimo Dallamano
SCREENPLAY
Bruno Di Geronimo, Massimo Dallamano, Edgar Wallace (Novel)
MPAA RATING
Rated R
RUNNING TIME
107 Mins. (plus extras)
DISTRIBUTED BY
Arrow Films
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 "What Have You Done to Solange?" Gets the Arrow Films Treatment 
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A Fistful of Dollars cinematographer Massimo Dallamano was at the helm for this giallo classic which has, perhaps as its greatest claim to fame, the feature film debut of I Spit On Your Grave's Camille Keaton. In the film, a sexually sadistic killer is preying on the girls of St. Mary's School. Elizabeth, a student, witnessed one of the killings but has a hazy memory of it. Why is someone targeting St. Mary's and who is this girl named Solange?

What Have You Done To Solange? also stars Cristina Galbo (Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue) and Fabio Testi, also from I Spit On Your Grave fame.

While giallo films, essentially 20th century Italian thrillers in a VERY simplified description, have never been completely shy about doing a reveal, they are usually handled with greater subtlety than is contained within this film. Dallamano doesn't exactly handle things with subtlety, though Ennio Morricone's stellar score actually does.

What Have You Done To Solange? is a lesser giallo film for me, though it always seems to be added toward the tail-end of "best of" lists whenever film journalists ever start talking about giallo. The film's lack of subtlety and controversial yet mostly unseen killings add up to a film that isn't particularly interesting to watch unfold despite possessing incredible potential. The film runs a good 10-15 minutes too long, mostly because the big reveal is a bit too big and takes a way from much of the fun.

Of course, as always seems to be true, this Arrow Films release including Blu-ray and Dual Format DVD makes it all a whole lot better to watch and fans of giallo will appreciate the love and care that Arrow puts into their packaging. Special collection extras include:

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

  • Brand new 2K restoration of the film from the original camera negative
  • High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
  • Original Italian and English soundtracks in mono audio
  • Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack
  • Brand new audio commentary with critics Alan Jones and Kim Newman
  • What Have You Done to Decency? A conversation with Karin Baal – the actress shares her thoughts on Dallamano’s classic giallo in this brand new interview
  • First Action Hero – a newly-edited 2006 interview with actor and former stuntman Fabio Testi, including a look at his role in Solange
  • Old-School Producer – a newly-edited 2006 interview with producer Fulvio Lucisano
  • Innocence Lost: Solange and the “Schoolgirls in Peril” Trilogy – a brand new visual essay by Michael Mackenzie, exploring the themes of Solange and its two semi-sequels
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Malleus
  • Collector’s booklet featuring a new article on the giallo scores of Ennio Morricone by Howard Hughes, alongside a Camille Keaton career retrospective from Art Ettinger, comprising interview excerpts with the Solange actress, all illustrated with original archive stills and posters

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic