Retro Blood 2003: Touch of Death (1988)

James Kline & J.H. Alison close out Lucio Fulci Month with his straight-to-video dark horror-comedy Touch of Death! We kick things off discussing Fulci’s late-‘80s decline, his struggles with producers, and the home video market that pushed many Italian horror films out of theaters. We also break down the film’s unique blend of gore and pitch-black comedy—at first trashing the humor, but slowly finding charm in its absurdity.

Our history segment takes us back to 1988: in wrestling, a bizarre WWF house show in Italy featuring Andre the Giant vs. Tito Santana, and in metal, Alison dives into Sanctuary’s debut album “Refuge Denied.”

We then explore the behind-the-scenes drama: Fulci writing/directing because producer Lamberto Tessicini ask him to Supervise but he had other plans in mind, the rushed budget, Fulci clashing with yet another producer, and Formula Home Video’s legal battles over distribution rights.

Finally, we review the movie itself—Lester, his obsession with windows & horse racing, the oddly marked female victims, the surprising gore, and Fulci’s twisted humor that leaves you laughing and cringing at the same time. A strange but fitting finale to our month-long dive into Fulci’s 1980s madness!

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