Horror Cult Classic

Murder, money, and trauma collide in an Italian horror whodunit set in New York City.

FORMULA FOR A MURDER

Terrifying medicine!

1985 · 01:36:00 · NR · Horror / Mystery / Thriller · IMDB TMDB

A teacher marries a traumatized, crippled woman who suffers from PTSD and is tormented by a traumatic event that happened in her past. As if she doesn't have enough problems, her husband is only marrying her to steal her money. One by one, people start turning up dead, as the murder plot unfolds.

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Quick Answer

What is Formula for a Murder about?

Formula for a Murder is a 1985 Italian horror, mystery, and thriller film directed by Alberto De Martino about a traumatized, wheelchair-bound woman whose new husband schemes to kill her for her money as a series of murders unfolds.

Synopsis

A fitness instructor marries a traumatized, crippled woman who suffers from PTSD and is tormented by a traumatic event that happened in her past. What is even more unfortunate is that her marriage is part of her maniac husband's evil scheme to kill her for her money. It isn't long before the formula is put into action and the gory body count starts to mount.

Details & Specs

Director: Alberto De Martino
Writers: Alberto De Martino, Vincenzo Mannino
Release: 1985
Runtime: 1h 36m
Country: Italy
Language: Italian
Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Also Known As: Presencia siniestra, Formule pour un meurtre, Συνταγή για φόνο, 7, Hyden Park: Fórmula para Um Crime, Dehşet Çığlığı

The SassyFlix Take

A slasher with a taste for psychological torment and gory payoffs, Formula for a Murder drags its twisted parade through upscale New York and straight into the vault of Euro-horror oddities. If you like your murder mysteries laced with sleaze, PTSD, and a scheming spouse, this one checks all the boxes—then buries them.

From the Vault

Not all Italian horror leaves the bodies in Rome.

Why Cult

Italian Slasher in NYC

This Italian horror-thriller shifts the gory whodunit formula to New York City, adding a cosmopolitan twist to its blood-soaked body count.

Psychological Trauma Angle

The protagonist's PTSD and physical vulnerability raise the stakes, making the murder plot a harrowing psychological game.

Scheming Husband Plot

A fitness instructor's twisted plan to marry for money and kill his traumatized wife injects an extra layer of menace and deception.

Gory Body Count

True to the slasher tag, the film doesn't hold back on its gruesome murders as the deadly plot unfolds.

Themes & Keywords

Murder New York City Whodunit Pedophile Slasher PTSD Marriage for Money Gore Traumatized Woman Scheming Husband Fitness Instructor Wheelchair-bound Protagonist

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Formula for a Murder about? +

Formula for a Murder follows a traumatized, wheelchair-bound woman whose new husband plans to kill her for her money, triggering a string of murders.

When was Formula for a Murder released? +

Formula for a Murder was released in 1985.

Who directed Formula for a Murder? +

Formula for a Murder was directed by Alberto De Martino.

How long is Formula for a Murder? +

Formula for a Murder has a runtime of 96 minutes.

What genre is Formula for a Murder? +

Formula for a Murder is a horror, mystery, and thriller film.