Hatchet for the Honeymoon (Blu-ray) 88 Films Ltd

From director Mario Bava, the Godfather of Italian horror, comes Hatchet for the Honeymoon, a superlative early 70s slasher which places us and the erstwhile filmmaker back in the realm of the Gialli feature, a cinematic sub-genre he practically invented.

With echoes of Psycho (1960) and Peeping Tom (1960), this unsettling production sees troubled protagonist John Harrington (Stephen Forsythe) turning to a life of serial killing. Refused a divorce by his uncaring wife, and haunted by childhood trauma John takes out his murderous frustrations on a string of would-be brides who innocently cross his path.

Undoubtedly an influence on later movies like Maniac (1980), and a host of other chillers, this often-overlooked piece from one of Europe’s finest, is a smart, beautifully stylised, gory delight.