- Genre
- Horror
- Year
- 1971
- Runtime
- 1h23
0
The Mad Butcher
A chilling hunt through Vienna's shadows — nobody is safe.
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Synopsis
Lo strangolatore di Vienna (released in some markets as The Mad Butcher) is a tense, character-driven thriller set against the grim urban landscape of 1970s Vienna. The film chronicles a wave of strangulation murders that throws the city into fear and suspicion, drawing together police, journalists, and ordinary citizens as they search for answers. Victor Buono, in a prominent role, brings a memorable presence that anchors the film’s uneasy atmosphere. Rather than relying solely on jump scares or gore, the movie emphasizes mood, shadowy cinematography, and a creeping sense of paranoia as the investigation reveals social fractures and moral ambiguity. Pacing is deliberate, building suspense through methodical scenes and unsettling encounters. Fans of vintage European crime cinema will find its blend of procedural elements and psychological unease characteristic of the era, while casual viewers should expect a slow-burn mystery focused more on atmosphere than on rapid-fire revelations.
Cast
Reviews
Critical and audience response to The Mad Butcher is mixed and limited, reflecting the film’s relative obscurity outside cult and giallo circles. IMDb lists the film with a user rating of 5.3/10, indicating a divided audience reaction: some viewers appreciate the period atmosphere and Victor Buono’s performance, while others find the pacing uneven and the plotting thin. ‘‘IMDb: 5.3/10’’ is the clearest aggregated data point available for general audiences.
Major critic aggregators provide little consensus. Rotten Tomatoes does not currently list a Tomatometer score for the film, and Metacritic similarly has no Metascore or aggregated critic rating — a sign that contemporary mainstream critical coverage was sparse. Among retrospective commentators and genre enthusiasts, common praise centers on Buono’s commanding screen presence and the film’s moody, authentic depiction of a decaying urban setting. Critics who view it favorably often call it an intriguing, if flawed, example of early 1970s Euro-crime cinema.
On the negative side, reviewers frequently cite uneven pacing, occasionally clumsy dubbing in exported prints, and a narrative that can feel thin compared with stronger entries in the giallo/poliziottesco traditions. For viewers expecting a tightly plotted whodunit or graphic thrills, the film can be disappointing; for those who appreciate atmosphere, period detail, and a slow-building sense of dread, it offers worthwhile moments. In short: The Mad Butcher is best approached as a cult-era crime thriller whose strengths (performance and mood) may not fully overcome its structural weaknesses for all viewers.
