One thing that is unique about Hatchet among giallo films is that the audience knows right away who the killer is: fashion designer John Harrington (Stephen Forsyth) admits up front in narration that he is a serial killer, talking over footage of him actually killing a young couple on a train. So, this isn't a mystery film per se. We already know the culprit. The interesting thing is why he is doing it. Every young girl he kills (always newlyweds, or girls wearing wedding dresses) reveals a bit more to John of the blurred memories of his mother's death.

His psychological state is not helped any by his shrewish older wife Mildred (Laura Betti), who constantly nags him, and reminds him that he is stuck with her since she will never grant a divorce. A number of young women connected to John in some way have gone missing. Several girls who worked for him as models have gone missing, in fact. This attracts the attention of stolid Inspector Russell (Jesus Puente), and also attractive young redhead Helen (Dagmar Lassander), who claims to be the friend of one of the missing girls.

Every time he kills, a young boy observes John. Perhaps it is a projection of his younger self? As the net grows tighter around him, John becomes more and more frantic to recover his lost memories and discover who it was that murdered his mother. Each murder reveals a tiny bit more, but it's not enough. And Mildred's nagging is incessant. Matters can only get uglier.

The story is a bit odd and forced, and narratively not Bava's best effort, but he as always exhibits a visual flair. The half remembered dream sequences are quite nicely impressionistic, with odd angles, and melting effects. Because we know who the killer up front, much of the dramatic heavy lifting that would ordinarily be done by the mystery story (trying to figure out the culprit) is absent, so that burden shifts to John's internal struggle. He seems to view the murders not with delight, but rather as an unpleasant duty to be performed grudgingly. He certainly doesn't display any remorse or guilt over killing all of these innocent women. It's just that he sees his final purpose as more important than their lives. This puts the protagonist in an awkward position vis-à-vis the viewer. Ordinarily, the audience is expected to identify and sympathize with the main character, at least to an extent. In Hatchet for the Honeymoon that main character is repugnant, and yet we still feel a discomfiting urge to identify with him. This discomfort is probably intended by Bava, as a commentary on voyeurism in film if nothing else. But it does leave the narrative somewhat empty and unsatisfying.

Nevertheless, this is a fascinating film, and quite beautifully shot. The performances are all quite good for gialli of this era as well, even the voiceovers, which in many films can be ludicrously bad. There is a lot to like here, even for non Bava fans. For those dedicated to his work, it's a must see. Recommended.

The DVD

Video:
The video is presented in 1.78:1 widescreen, and looks fairly good. It has been mastered in HD from the 35mm negative, according to the box copy. This is an older film, though, so there are still a number of scratches, lens dirt, etc. that can be seen from time to time. The colors are quite bright, and really pop out, which more than makes up.

Sound:
Audio is Dolby digital 2 channel, and has a few problems. There are moments of audible hiss and pop in the soundtrack, that will rise and fall in intensity, and are entirely absent at other times. It's rarely severe enough to interfere with one's enjoyment of the film.

Extras:
There are a couple of extras included on the disc. They are:

Trailers
Trailers are included for Hatchet for the Honeymoon, Black Sunday, Baron Blood, Lisa and the Devil and The House of Exorcism. Those last two appear to be the same film, with different titles, and have brief flashes of nudity, thus probably would be labeled red band trailers today.

Feature Length Commentary by Tim Lucas, Author of Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark
This commentary by Tim Lucas provides buckets of context for the film. Lucas discusses the film in comparison to other Bava works, lists filmographies for the various actors, talks about the symbolism and references on display, and reveals a lot of behind the scenes info. Lucas is incredibly knowledgeable about Bava and Hatchet for the Honeymoon and provides a fun and informative addition. This is a real plus.

Final Thoughts:
Hatchet for the Honeymoon is not Mario Bava's best film, and not a masterpiece in its own right, but it is quite interesting, both visually and thematically. For giallo and horror fans, and particularly devotees of Bava himself, this is a film to definitely put on the watch list. For all others, it provides ninety minutes of light fun. There's hardly a downside. Go check it out.