Mario Bava's beautifully filmed and highly bloody thriller is hailed as the grandfather of the slasher film and rightfully so.<br /><br />Fueding over a piece of valuable bay-side property leads to a series of violent murders and a list of strange greedy suspects.<br /><br />Reazione a catena (also known as Bay of Blood or Twitch of the Death Nerve) is a true example of the Italian technique of film making, it's style over substance. With this film we have a complex and at times difficult to understand plot, dashed with some dark humor, but the film leaves an unforgettable impression thanks to Bava's sleek direction and some of the wildest murders you will ever see on the big screen. In fact, many of said murders would later be ripped off for the Friday the 13th films. The fluid camera work is inventive and colorful. The filming locations are nicely scenic, making for a raw and atmospheric setting for the film. The locations are deceptively tranquil as they're surrounded by violent, manic chaos. The music score is haunting and beautiful too.<br /><br />The cast of the film does well over all, although being dubbed into English it gets difficult to appreciate the talents of any actor.<br /><br />At any rate Reazione a catena is classic Bava, some of the great directors finest work in fact, and an excellent example of the Italian horror genre for those who have yet to discover it. Definitely not for the squeamish though! <br /><br />**** out of ****