The Perfect Killer


The Perfect Killer, also known as Satanic Mechanic, is a 1977 crime drama film directed by Mario Siciliano under the pseudonym Marlon Sirko. An Italian-Spanish co-production, it stars Lee Van Cleef, Carmen Cervera and John Ireland.

Plot

Cast

The film was produced by Metheus Film and Julio Pérez Tabernero P.C.

Release

The film was released in Italian cinemas by Matheus on 30 November 1977. In Spain, it was released in September 1981.

Reception

Corriere [della Sera]'s film critic Maurizio Porro described the film as "a schizophrenic giallo", ""not because of any sharp sense of tension, but due to a complete lack of logic and coherence". Film historian Roberto Curti noted the film's plot similarities with Charles Bronson's vehicles The Mechanic and Violent City, and described it as "essentially a rather downbeat film noir" that "looks little like other Italian crime efforts of the period", and praised the "remarkable villain" played by Alberto Dell'Acqua, whose scenes "are much more enjoyable that the overall story, which feels needlessly contrived at times and somewhat drags in its middle section".
The film grossed 221.903 million lire at the Italian box office.