How is heroin smuggled into the manor?

A couple in the group hides heroin inside Chinese artifacts brought back from the Orient as supposed gifts for the elderly relative.

Horror Cult Classic

Heroin, hidden secrets, and missing eyes haunt a weekend in a Gothic Italian manor.

CRAZY DESIRES OF A MURDERER

1977 · 1h 25m · NR · Horror / Mystery / Thriller · IMDB TMDB

A rich girl invites a few of her friends, including one she befriended during a recent trip to Asia, to her family manor to spend the weekend. Soon, someone gets horribly killed, and secrets and dark desires begin to unravel.

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Quick Answer

What is Crazy Desires of a Murderer about?

Crazy Desires of a Murderer is a 1977 Italian horror, mystery, and thriller film directed by Filippo Walter Ratti about a group of friends whose weekend at a family manor turns deadly as secrets, smuggling, and a suspected mad uncle lead to murder.

Programmer's Pick

Italian giallo gets saucy with a dash of taxidermy, a dash of heroin, and a castle full of suspects who really should have left their inhibitions (and valuables) at home. If you like your murder mysteries with topless intrigue and a psychosexual undercurrent, this one’s got you covered—sometimes uncovered.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

A gothic weekend getaway quickly unravels into a nightmare when a group of stylish friends gather at an imposing castle owned by the wheelchair-bound patriarch of one of the girls. Hidden among the luggage are Chinese artifacts concealing heroin, brought back from Asia and intended as gifts for the elderly relative—though not everyone present is aware of the illicit cargo. Beneath the manor, the protagonist’s deranged uncle—infamous for allegedly murdering his own sister and removing her eyes—prowls the catacombs, spying on the guests. When a gruesome murder strikes and another pair of eyes goes missing, suspicion and paranoia set in, with the eccentric uncle an obvious suspect. But in this tangled web of secrets and deception, nothing is quite what it seems.

Details & Specs

Director: Filippo Walter Ratti
Writer: Ambrogio Molteni
Release: 1977
Runtime: 1h 25m
Country: Italy
Language: Italian
Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Also Known As: The Morbid Habits of the Governess, The Green Eyes of Death, The Morbid Vices of a Housekeeper, Rivelazioni Erotiche di una Governante, Gli Occhi Verdi Della Morte, I Vizi Morbosi di una Governante, Crazy Desires of a Murderer, Original title: I vizi morbosi di una governante

Cast & Crew

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Director: Filippo Walter Ratti Writer: Ambrogio Molteni

Corrado Gaipa The Inspector

Isabelle Marchall Ileana De Chablais

Annie Carol Edel Berta

Patrizia Gori Elsa Leiter

Gaetano Russo Bobby Jelson

Giuseppe Colombo Frank Hoffman RZ Roberto Zattini Pierluigi La Rocca AG Adler Gray Gretel Schanz RB Rino Bellini AM Ambrogio Molteni SO Sergio Orsi SB Stuart Brisbane Colin Baron De Chablais - Ileana's Father

Explore More

Giallo Whodunnit Female Nudity Murder Female Rear Nudity Female Topless Nudity Female Full Frontal Nudity Violence Female Frontal Nudity Blood Sex Scene Bare Chested Male Rape Gore Flashback Cigarette Smoking Erotica Telephone Call

Why Cult

Giallo Whodunnit Mystery

The film blends classic Italian giallo style with a locked-room whodunnit, complete with a deranged uncle and a cast of suspicious guests.

Gothic Castle Setting

The action unfolds in a sprawling, atmospheric manor filled with secretive relatives, catacombs, and plenty of moody European intrigue.

Heroin Smuggling Twist

A heroin-smuggling subplot adds extra danger and duplicity, as Asian artifacts conceal more than just decorative value.

Psychosexual Overtones

Topless nudity, violent behavior, and suggestive acts give the film its distinctive, sleazy edge.

Scene Gallery

Threat File

Trigger

Friends gather at the manor with hidden heroin

Threat

Deranged uncle prowling catacombs

Effect

Guests are murdered and eyes are removed

Setting

Gothic Italian castle

Questions from the Vault

Who directed Crazy Desires of a Murderer? +

Filippo Walter Ratti directed Crazy Desires of a Murderer.

How long is Crazy Desires of a Murderer? +

Crazy Desires of a Murderer has a runtime of 85 minutes.

Is Crazy Desires of a Murderer a silent film? +

Yes, Crazy Desires of a Murderer is a silent film.

What genre is Crazy Desires of a Murderer? +

Crazy Desires of a Murderer is a horror, mystery, and thriller film.

Why do the murders involve missing eyes? +

The deranged uncle is rumored to have killed his sister and removed her eyes in the past, and when a guest is killed and her eyes are taken, suspicion falls on him once again.