I don’t know what I would do if I were experiencing delirium. I never really thought about it, let alone considered the possibility. Perhaps I will at some point, but nonetheless, I’m glad I didn’t become delirious during my viewing, as that would’ve been unpleasant and perhaps too much to handle. After all, the insanity is as palpable as can be, and the madness meter is turned up to eleven. It’s not something you would typically expect from a giallo, at least not one that involves a reputable doctor who is believed to be the prime suspect of a series of murders and yet just about everyone loses their mind.

Who is the murderer? Who is the one preying on women and subjecting them to sexually deviant executions? I wouldn’t say the investigation is straightforward; however, it’s intriguing because of the uncertainty surrounding it as well as the fact that Dr. Lyutak is coming to terms with being impotent. The possibility that he’s taking out his sexual frustration on nubile young women is not out of the question; in fact, it’s very much in the limelight, what with the toll that the situation takes on Lyutak and his wife’s marriage. They’re in the thick of it, caught up in a whirlwind that doesn’t have a predictable outcome. If that isn’t an appealing ingredient, I don’t know what is.

There’s a lot of surreal imagery on display. It’s at its utmost, and it has an aura about it that permeates the screen. As such, elements such as voyeurism, vivid colors, sadomasochism, black leather gloves, brutality, torture, moral corruption, psychological strain, and insanity stand out all the more. They are at their utmost, contributing to a nightmarish and often disturbing state of affairs. It’s not exactly coherent, but the delirium that takes place never runs out of steam. If anything, it makes for an alluring albeit bizarre sequence of events. I don’t know how else to describe it, though I’m glad finally feasted my eyes on the madness.

Delirium is an example of a film that is difficult to define. I think that’s what makes it worthwhile, although it’d be a stretch to say that it adds up. Then again, if it did, I’d probably lose my mind over there being too much coherence.