Nova York - Cidade Violenta

A violent shocker with high level on vivid imagery and pure cinematic style in which a nasty murderer executing grisly killings by means of a hypodermic needle-wielding psycho-killer . It starts with a series of murders rock a dance academy in New York . As the mysterous and owner directress , Candice (Olga Karlatos) of a prestigious New York ballet school teams up with a suspicious male model (Ray Lovelock) to solve a series of weird murders of a few of the dancers . Along the way , a tough Police Inspector Lt. Borges (Cosimo Cinieri) investigates the bizarre murders . Save the last dance . . . For hell! .Depraved - Demonic - Diabolical - And Beyond! .New York's best dancers are dying for a part in the next Broadway hit.

Eerie and creepy thriller with full of killings , sexual violence , red herrings , grisly murders by means of a razor blade executed by a psychopath on the loose , loathsome and lots of blood and gore . A mysoginist whodunit with plenty of nudism , explicit scenes of violence and Giallo style , no for squeamish . Concerning the classic giallo plot in which a series killer with a hidden agenda carrying out a criminal spree . It has flamboyant imagery , graphic gore and moody atmospherics , while mixing disco music from Keith Emerson and dancing images in Flashdance style along with Gialli characteristics. Starring the beautiful Greek actress Olga Karlatos giving a fine and attractive acting . Karlatos surrounded and well supported by an Italian cast of usual Italian B actors , such as : Ray Lovelock , Cosimo Cinieri , Geretta Geretta , Christian Borromeo and Claudio Cassinelli who passed away a bit later on , whilst filming Sergio Martino's 'Fists of Steel' .

The motion picture was middlingly directed by Lucio Fulci , and being entertaining enough. And financed in tight budget by Augusto Caminito , Fulci's regular producer and occassionally director . Fulci was one of the most controversial filmmakers in terror genre , though frequently derided as sheer sensationalism and commerciality. Here Lucio Fulci directs in his usual style filled with flaws , failures and gaps , but professionally made because being a nice artisan . Critics are divided over both the moral and talents of Fulci (1927-1996), who sometimes directed under the alias Louis Fuller. For some reviewers many of his flicks are extremely cruel and savage , yet their gory surface often concealing social, religious , or provoking commentaries or other thoughful , intelligent issues . Nevertheless , most of them considering his works have undeniably provided a considerable influence on the terror genre , creating decent efforts on low budget flicks . Standing out his ¨Don't Torture a Duckling¨ deemed to be one of his best pictures . And in the adventure genre with two financially successful Jack London 'White Fang' adventure movies in 1973 and 1974 which were ¨Zanna Bianca¨, and ¨Il ritorno di Zanna Bianca¨. Also during the mid and late 1970s, Fulci directed two 'Spaghetti Westerns' : ¨Four of Apocalypse¨ (1975) and ¨Sella d'argento¨ or ¨Silver Saddle¨(1978), and another 'giallo' ; ¨The Psychic¨ (1977), as well as a few sex-comedies which include the political spoof : ¨The Eroticist¨(1972) , and the vampire comedy ¨Young Dracula¨ (1975) , and the violent Mafia crime-drama ¨Luca the smuggler¨ (1979) . In 1979, Fulci's film making career successfully another high point with him, breaking into the international market with ¨Zombi 2¨ (1979), an in-name-only sequel to George A. Romero's Zombi: Night of the Lving Dead (1978), which had been released in Italy as 'Zombi'. And hiis big hit ¨New York Ripper¨ , at the time rated as a video nasty , due to it and why the excessive extra violence was heavily cut or prohibited in a large number of countries . With this film established Fulci as a gore director par excellence . Over the next three years, Fulci plied his trade with finesse and flair-play , rivaling even the popularity of his "opponent" the great Dario Argento, with such sanguine classics as ¨City of the Living Dead¨ (1980) and ¨Beyond¨ (1981). These films, as well as the reviled "New York Ripper" (1982) are actually intelligently crafted, with sound commentaries on everything from American life to religion. And he went on his fall with lousy movies, but eventually Fulci at least found work in television . Rating : 5/10 . Average , only for Lucio Fulci completists .

After the death of a highly regarded female dancer at New York's Artistic Dance Centre, the eyes turn to each other, as they learn that they are competing for only three spots that could see them living their dreams. Their dance teacher Candice Norman pushes them to the brink to achieve that goal, due to an accident that crushed her chance. Lt. Borges gets the case, and soon other well-regarded dance students are following the same fate of a hat-pin in the heart. Is joyously, and ambition becoming part of it, but Candice starts believing it's the man in her dreams George Webb, who she eventually meets, that might have something to do with the killings.

Oh didn't the flash dance era hit hard! With a clunky, overwrought soundtrack like this you just get that tingling sensation to join in with the dance routines. For some reason I got Blondie's groovy "Danceaway" stuck my head, when watching it. Constantly it was playing on a loop! Okay the cheesiness of the times really does shine through, but I thought it was a fair effort. It can drag and labour on from time to time, but director Lucio Fulci visually counter-punches those weak spots with raucous masterstrokes of suspense, mood and a slight touch of malevolence. Around this time his was at his peak of displaying gore and splatter to the extreme, but on this occasion his holding back quite a bit to basic deaths involving the unique, but repetitive hat pin to the heart. However the bare flesh is still evident, and there's a sexually arousing dance number or two. The surprisingly well executed use of the camera, lighting and the setting to the lead up to the deaths were far more effective. Fulci stylishly milks his artistic merit with some inspired images. To bad its brought undone by its second rate script with silly reasoning's and contrived developments. It's a trashy and unusual mix of dance and Giallo, but it could've been more twisted than the monotonous and goofy treatment it got. Other than a diverting grizzled, cynic cop performance by Cosimo Cinieri (with such great lines "… school full of S.O.B"), the rest of the lead acting is quite bland (Olga Karlato and Ray Lovelock) and the hilariously hideous dubbing didn't help. Claudio Cassinelli had his amusing moments. I guess the lovely looking girls are just there to pout at the camera and look good. The eclectically flashy music score by Keith Emerson is true to the era and fashionably stylised.

Interestingly watchable novelty that's well-directed, but the material doesn't really rise for the occasion, as it succumbs to unintentional silliness.

One of Lucio Fulci's "gentler" films, MURDER ROCK is not very popular among gore fans (largely because of the lack of eye gougings and disembowellments), but it has much to recommend. The story deals with a maniac who is killing the girls at a dance school in New York -- together, a cop and a psychiatrist track the maniac down. Keith Emerson contributes a dated, but enjoyable, soundtrack, and cinematographer Giuseppe Pinori makes fine use of half-lighting, a la Mario Bava's SEI DONNE PER L'ASSASSINO. Fulci cameos as an agent. Recommended for Italian horror buffs. *** out of ****

Lucio Fulci is one of the best and most underrated directors in history. Though not all of his films were great, at least 7 of this films should be in any horror anthology. This film is hard to find, though it was released here in Argentina. In the beginning I thought this was gonna be Flashdance - The Return, but ends up being a clever thriller. The killer's method is original, and the resolution quite surprising. Not one of Fulci's best, but a very good film indeed. Score: 8.

Lucio Fulci's foray into the world of competitive dance represents both a curious departure from his signature gore-soaked horror films and a surprisingly effective entry into the giallo tradition. Set against the backdrop of New York's cutthroat dance scene, this 1984 thriller combines the director's visual flair with Keith Emerson's pulsating synthesizer score to create an atmosphere that oscillates between sleazy exploitation and genuine suspense. While the film occasionally stumbles under the weight of its own ambitious concept, it delivers enough memorable sequences and stylistic flourishes to satisfy both Fulci devotees and giallo enthusiasts seeking something slightly different from the usual formula.

The Arts for Living Center provides the perfect setting for Fulci's exploration of artistic ambition turned deadly, where the pursuit of perfection becomes literally fatal. The director demonstrates his understanding of the dance world's inherent drama, using the rehearsal studio as a pressure cooker where jealousy and competition simmer beneath the surface of artistic collaboration. The cinematography captures the graceful movements of the dancers while maintaining an underlying sense of menace, particularly during the elaborate dance sequences that serve as both showcase and potential hunting ground for the mysterious killer.

Olga Karlatos delivers a commanding performance as Candice Norman, the academy's demanding director whose determination to solve the murders drives the narrative forward. Her portrayal balances authority with vulnerability, creating a character who feels genuinely invested in protecting her students while grappling with her own secrets. Ray Lovelock brings his characteristic intensity to the role of George, the enigmatic male model whose involvement in the investigation raises as many questions as it answers. Their chemistry provides the film with its emotional center, though their relationship development feels somewhat rushed given the constraints of the murder mystery format.

The film's most distinctive element lies in its unique fusion of dance choreography with traditional giallo elements. The killer's method of piercing victims' hearts with a hatpin creates a disturbing parallel between artistic precision and murderous intent. Fulci stages these murder sequences with his trademark attention to visceral detail, though he exercises more restraint than in his supernatural horror films. The dance sequences themselves are impressively choreographed and photographed, capturing the athleticism and artistry of professional dance without ever feeling like mere padding.

The investigation unfolds through familiar giallo conventions, yet the dance academy setting provides fresh opportunities for red herrings and misdirection. The competitive atmosphere naturally breeds suspicion among the performers, making virtually every character a potential suspect. Fulci wisely allows the mystery to develop organically through character interactions rather than relying solely on exposition, though some plot developments feel contrived when examined closely. The revelation of the killer's identity and motivation provides adequate closure, even if it doesn't achieve the psychological complexity of the genre's finest entries.

Keith Emerson's electronic score deserves particular praise for its ability to enhance both the dance sequences and the suspenseful moments without overwhelming either. The music captures the era's fascination with synthesizer-driven soundtracks while serving the story's dramatic needs. The production design effectively transforms New York locations into a believable world of artistic ambition and hidden dangers, though some interior scenes feel slightly cramped by budgetary limitations.