An innocent teacher is suspected of a really sick series of murders (after this film, the verb "to solange" should have been added to the dictionary) and must clear himself, ala Hitchcock. Supposedly based on one of Edgar Wallace's books (there _is_ a hidden room), they still must have taken an awful lot of creative license. Joe D'Amato uses the 2.35 frame as only a style-uber-content DP can, though Dallamano deserves a lot of credit for making the story so engrossing. Morricone's score is truly haunting (available on CD with his score for Lenzi's "Spasmo"), adding a note of sadness to the gruesome proceedings. As with the best horror, there's nothing explicit in the murder scenes, wisely leaving the details of the truly hideous murders to the viewers' imaginations. ("Giallo in Venice" also featured a murderer solanging a victim but ruined it by showing the whole thing.) This one's definitely worth checking out, though widescreen is a must.

This is not only one of the best, but also one of the most important Italian gialli in that it forms a nexus with a two other genres of film that influenced or were influenced by the gialli. This was a West German co-production, nominally set In England, and (very loosely) based on an Edgar Wallace novel which connects it to the West German "krimi" series, a more obscure series than the Italian gialli but a clear influence on the latter. Stylistically, this colorful and garish film is much more of a giallo than a krimi, but influence is there, and it features Joachim Fuchsberger and Karin Bal, who were both popular actors in the earlier krimis, in supporting roles .

Perhaps even more interesting is the connection between this movie and the American/Canadian slasher films. Along with "Bay of Blood", "Schoolgirl Killer", "Torso", the Spanish film "La Residencia" and the British film "Assault", this was one of the European films that received the widest release stateside and probably had the greatest influence on the early slasher genre. This movie kicked off what could be called the "schoolgirl gialli". Unlike the other gialli, which focused on decadent adult European jet-setters, but like the slasher films, the "schoolgirl giallo" had seemingly innocent adolescent protagonists being picked off by a deviant, but often moralistic killer. But while the slasher movie victims were merely guilty of promiscuity and other typically irresponsible teen behavior, their schoolgirl gialli peers were engaged in behavior that one hopes even in Europe at the time wasn't typical--ie. teen prostitution, sex orgies, back-alley abortions.

Even though it was made years earlier, this movie is actually a lot sleazier, but also much better made than the vast majority of slasher films. The "hero" is a gym teacher at a private girl's college who witnesses one of the murders. The problem is he was schtupping one of his students in a rowboat at the time! It greatly helps though that this character is played by the very likable Fabio Testi. It also helps that none of the girls is especially believable as a "sixth former"--the victims, who are dispatched in very unpleasant (and full-frontal) fashion are too voluptuous to be believable as teenagers, while the two female leads--Spaniard Cristina Galbo and American Camille Keaton, were actually both in their early twenties at the time and at the very height of their very considerable beauty. Most importantly, however, this movie is very well-made and stylistic with an excellent musical score. Director Massimo Dallamano ranks right up there with Mario Bava, Dario Argento, Lucio Fulci, and Sergio "Torso" Martino as one of the true masters of the Italian giallo thrillers.

For what it's worth I personally own over 120 Italian gialli, and though I would be loath to rank all of them, I would certainly put this one in the top five.

What a remarkable film! In spite of high expectations and entirely praising comments by fellow Horror fans, Massimo Dallamano's "Cosa Avete Fatto A Solange" aka. "What Have You Done To Solange" of 1972 was still capable of astonishing me with its brilliance. This complex and mesmerizing film delivers cinematic perfection in every aspect and stands out as one of the most ingenious Gialli ever made. I am an avid fan of Gialli, and this is an absolute must-see for every fan of this great (sub-)genre. "What Have You Done To Solange" is not only essential to those who share my enthusiasm for Italian Horror cinema, however. Be it the convoluted plot, the ingenious camera work, the brilliant score by Maestro Ennio Morricone or the constant, tantalizing suspense - there is not a single aspect that is not brilliant about this stunning film, that I highly recommend to any suspense-lover in general.

Henry Rossini (Fabio Testi), a married Italian teacher at a Catholic London private school for girls, has an affair with one of his students (Christina Galbó). When they are having a romantic boat-ride on the Thames, the girl suddenly yells that she has just seen a knife. Henry first laughs her claims off as hysteria, until the body of another girl, also one of his students is found right at the exact same spot the following day. It is not long until other murders of girls occur, all carried out in the same, horrid manner...

The film is not as gory as many other brilliant Gialli (such as Dario Argento's films), but the manner in which the murders are carried out is more than a bit nasty. The film has one of the most compelling plots ever in Horror cinema, and is stunningly suspenseful from the very beginning. The eerie atmosphere is even intensified by a brilliant and mesmerizing score by none other than the great Ennio Morricone. The brilliant cinematography was done by Joe D'Amato, the infamous 'king of sleaze' himself who shocked audiences in the 80s when he directed gruesome productions such as "Antropophagus" and "Buio Omega". The performances are also excellent. Fabio Testi, who is famous among fans of Italian genre-cinema, mainly for starring in crime and police flicks, stars in his most memorable role here. Karin Baal is excellent as his German wife, and Joachim Fuchsberger delivers a solid performance as the investigating police detective. Great performances also come from the sexy female cast, most memorably from Camille Keaton, who is best known for the infamous Exploitation shocker "I Spit On Your Grave" of 1978.

Like two other excellent Gialli (Argento's "Bird With The Crystal Plumage" and Lenzi's "Seven Blood-Stained Orchids") this was heavily cut and sold as an Edgar Wallace film in Germany. People in German speaking countries: Avoid the mutilated German version and get uncut international versions instead. This is brilliant suspense cinema at its finest and an uncut version is absolutely essential! I could go on praising this film forever, but instead I will end my review with a recommendation: Get "What Have You Done To Solange" as soon as you possibly can! It is easily one of the most compelling Gialli ever made and absolutely essential for every Horror-lover to see! 10/10

This is a good murder mystery, based on an Edgar Wallace novel. It has all the ingredients of a good giallo: horrible murders, sex, religion and nightmarish flashbacks.(Especially the one at the end is bound to give you bad dreams).

The plot isn't always logical, and the acting isn't very convincing. But the direction is good and the music by Ennio Morricone is one of the best scores he has ever made.

If you like the movies of Dario Argento, you'll love this one.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE?

If you are reading this review, then the likelihood is that you already know firsthand or have a very good idea of what a great giallo thriller this film is. I don't want to say too much, because as anyone who has seen this film already knows, divulging even the most minor details can potentially spoil everything. This much I CAN say:

Elizabeth is a young woman having an affair with her married Catholic high school teacher, Henry. One one rendezvous she witnesses what she believes to be a murder committed by a man dressed like a priest. Sure enough the body of one of Elizabeth's classmates turns up, and not long after more of her classmates show up dead. The only apparent link is that all of them are attending the same Catholic high school, and all of them are killed in the same shocking manner (I won't divulge the vital MO used by the killer, but I will say that you'll be glad it's not explicitly shown!). But as sophisticated giallo fans know, there is indeed a connection between this string of dead girls. It's up to Elizabeth, Henry, and Herta to uncover the dark secret of exactly what has been done to Solange...

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? gets off to a rather slow start, and I have to admit that for the first 30 min or so I thought that the film was going to be a vastly overrated disappointment. However, much to my satisfaction, I was quite wrong. Although it takes a while to get there, once this movie gets going, it simply does not let up. That's not to say that it has a particularly fast pace, but the story unfolds with so many twists and turns and new characters that mystery fans will be tingling with glee. As if the intriguing title were not enough, the slowly but surely unfolding technique of the screenplay will leave your mouth watering for a big pay off. And, unlike 99% of otherwise good thrillers, this movie has an extraordinary denouement. The final minutes of the film will shock you, stun you, and have you starting the film all over again. Furthermore, the killer's identity in the film is not only a surprise, but it also makes perfect sense in the context of the story...a rare feat achieved in thrillers, but one which caps off the film quite nicely (to say the least!).

I would not go so far as to say that I could see this film being written/directed by Dario Argento, because it is not quite as exciting or edgy or offbeat as his works. However, unlike many of the giallo thrillers that have managed to make it to the US (dozens and dozens were produced in Italy during the early 70s, only a fraction of which were distributed in the US one way or another), "Solange" is a film which can certainly be ranked on the same level as some of Argento's classics. I might not put it up there with Deep Red or Tenebre, but I'd certainly place it on the same ranks as The Animal Trilogy.

Even if you have never seen this film before, I can assure you that it will be worth owning for any fans of thrillers/gialli/Italian horror. It's simply stunning, and speaking as an avid fan of Hitchcock, Bava, and Argento, I cannot recommend it enough.

My Grade: A

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? (1972): Enrico Rossini (Fabio Testi) is a married teacher involved in an affair with one of his students, Elizabeth (Christine Galbó). One afternoon in a park, while enjoying one of their amorous trysts, Elizabeth witnesses the murder of a young woman, a crime that her lover does not see. When the corpse of a student is found at the park, the teacher finally believes Elizabeth and decides to revisit the scene of the murder. More girls are killed and the police begin to suspect that Enrico is the murderer. In a desperate attempt to clear his name, Enrico turns detective and eventually discovers the secret of a young woman named Solange (Camille Keaton), whose shocking past is linked to both the killer's choice of victims and the gruesome manner in which he dispatches them. This solidly plotted and engrossing murder thriller is easily among the finest galls ever made. The conventional storyline is enlivened with genuinely surprising twists, strong characters and a shocking, unexpected ending. Slickly directed by Massimo Dallamano, and featuring striking cinematography by Aristide Massachessi (who, as Joe D'Amato, had a subsequent career as one of the most incompetent directors of all time), SOLANGE is an unusually well made and restrained Italian thriller. Excellent performances from Fabio Testi, Joachin Fuchsberger, Karin Baal and the beautiful Christine Galbo raise the movie's quality level even higher. A fine, moody Ennio Morricone score provides some necessary tension enhancement. If you've never seen a Gilli before, the film is a great starting point for anyone interested in taking an initial plunge into this fascinating genre.

The Shriek Show DVD is one of this small company's finest releases yet. The widescreen (1.85:1) transfer features gorgeous colors and sharp detailing, with only a few speckles, hair marks and some modest print damage. The movie itself is the real prize here as the extras are fairly skimpy: A poster and lobby card gallery is scored to the movie's main title theme and a nice 12 page booklet is provided with liner notes and quite a few stills. Finally, five trailers are included, for SOLANGE itself and some other related Shriek Show releases. Despite the lack of enticing extras, this is a worthy addition to any horror/suspense enthusiast's DVD library.

The opening to "Solange?" has the ring of familiarity to it. The setting is outdoors on a riverbank, the characters are Elizabeth (winsome English Rose) and Enrico (passionate Italian male). The camera closes in on Elizabeth's eyes as she finally succumbs to the older man's advances when images flash suddenly across the screen - a girl running, an outstretched hand, the flash of a blade - courtesy of some seamless editing. It's an exercise in how unsettling something can be when occurring on a bright sunny day. It also employs Argento's recurrent motif of skewed perception. Elizabeth (Cristina Galbó) is unsure of what she's actually seen and Enrico (Fabio Testi), exasperated by what he assumes are delay tactics, brings the boat to shore.

The following morning a body has been found on the same stretch of the Thames. A girl from Elizabeth's school has been knifed to death in a manner that will have you crossing your legs for the duration. Having left behind a piece of evidence which places him near the scene of the crime, and later caught on camera among a throng of onlookers by a TV crew covering the story, Enrico (the girls' tutor) finds himself with some explaining to do. It's not long before others fall victim to the maniac, and as pieces of the puzzle are uncovered little by little, the mystery seems tied to a particular clique of students and their association with the enigmatic girl in the title, who left the school suddenly the year before.

Right from the start we're in very assured hands. This is a giallo which pretty much has it all, balancing the stranger in a strange land figure (Enrico) compelled by circumstance to find out his own answers to a series of brutal murders by a black-gloved killer, with a police procedural element which for once is treated with absolute seriousness and a deft touch. Joachim Fuchsberger (Inspector Barth) gives arguably the best portrayal in the genre of an investigator in charge, being neither bumbling comic relief nor bullish, misogynist caricature. Everything is treated with care and reverence, relying on solid fingerprint policing rather than outlandish pseudo-science, which in itself raises the film a few notches above average. Every clue, every red herring, every motive is duly noted and accounted for and used to drive the story along a series of ever darker revelations.

Along the way, Dallamano is careful to anticipate our anticipation and gives little twists throughout to narrative and character. Enrico's wife Herta (Karin Baal) starts life almost as a parody of both the wronged wife and the Teutonic blonde (think Helga from 'allo 'allo with her blouse buttoned up) gradually becoming a more nuanced, genuinely sympathetic individual. Enrico (as the tutor engaged in an affair with one of his students) is painted in shades of grey, rather than as the complete louse we might expect, and when the illusive Solange (whose presence here is something akin to Hitchcock's "smoking gun") makes her entrance via a quirk of serendipity shared with the viewer alone, she resembles a pallid version of Botticelli's Venus, the subtlety of which only becomes clear with time. Even perfectly innocent London street names ("Evelyn Gardens") take on more sinister connotations.

What impresses most is how Dallamano - mindful of his choice of victim - manages to foster a feeling of genuine shock in everyone right down to the minor players, and makes some effort to deal with the after-effects of the killings. A scene where Barth interviews the shell-shocked parents of the first girl is sensitively handled and admirably underplayed. In a neat piece of editing the father's reaction to the facts of his daughter's demise is transported into the following scene at the girl's funeral. The sleazier aspects of this "schoolgirl slasher" are, on the face of it at least, mitigated somewhat by the fact the schoolgirls are actually eighteen (and everyone looks about five years older than they are). The requisite nudity is largely confined to the girls' shower room, and beyond mere titillation these scenes epitomise the film's undercurrents of secrecy and confession, as the girls share whispered confidences while we are led by the camera into collusion with the local peeping tom, POV-style, through a hole in the wall.

In doing so the film points to the viewer and to itself via a form of oblique morality play. It's no coincidence that the river bank murder and Elizabeth's further recall occur during the film's two seduction scenes, symbolically the threat being as much to Elizabeth's virtue from Enrico's ardent wedding tackle (intent on a little death of its own) as much as from the killer's knife. Placed in context, "Solange?" is set in a period when society was still coming to grips with all the swinging that began a decade before. On the surface it's a gripping Italian thriller with all the key elements in place and where the killer's true motive holds water, but at its core it can be viewed as a subversion of the giallo genre, lamenting on innocence lost and the accelerated haste with which child becomes adult (often stumbling in the process) both then and now, leaving its audience to ponder some uncomfortable truths. This is an outstanding entry in the genre and an affecting slice of cinema, with quality dubbing and a widescreen presentation that makes the most of its outdoor settings creating a nostalgia for a London long gone.

In London, the Italian gym teacher Enrico 'Henry' Rosseni (Fabio Testi) is having a love affair with his eighteen year-old student Elizabeth Seccles (Christine Galbo), who is the daughter of the owner of the Catholic School where he works and she studies. His estranged wife Herta Rosseni (Karin Baal) is the mathematics teacher in the same school. On Sunday afternoon, Rosseni and Elizabeth are in a boat in a grove and the girl glances at a knife and a man hunting down a woman. Rosseni believes she is giving a pretext to avoid him and does not pay attention to her. On the next morning, Rosseni learns that a teenager was murdered in the river bank in the grove and he drives to the location. Inspector Barth (Joachim Fuchsberger) goes to the school since the victim Hilda studied there and soon Rosseni becomes the prime suspect since he protects Elizabeth, who could give an alibi to him. When a second student is murdered, Elizabeth recalls that the killer where a black soutane worn by priests. While the police investigate the suspects, Elizabeth is killed and Rosseni decides also to investigate. He teams up with Herta and the find the name of the mysterious Solange Beauregard. They seek her out but what might have happened to Solange?

"Cosa avete fatto a Solange?", a;k;a "What Have They Done to Solange?" , is an intriguing giallo with a totally unpredictable story full of mystery and tension. The erotic plot is well-written with many twist and suspects. The conclusion surprises the viewer and it is worthwhile watching this film that is not dated. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O quê Vocês Fizeram com Solange?" ("What Have You Done to Solange?)

What Have They Done to Solange? puts all of it's efforts into the mystery that it is uncovering. Unlike a lot of giallo, this one doesn't put the focus on overly gory death scenes and use the mystery as an excuse to string them together; it's focus is the mystery, and the murders are secondary to it. Due to the graphic and sexual nature of the death scenes, however; this is probably a good thing. The plot of the movie follows an investigation of the death of a schoolgirl. After the death, a teacher at the school, Enrico, becomes the main suspect because of his close affiliation to several of the girls in his class. When more schoolgirls turn up dead, Enrico and his wife decide to try and solve the murder themselves.

The mystery pans out very intricately, and small clues as to who is the murder and their motive are given out slowly as the film goes along; thus keeping your interest, but not giving you enough to chew on so that you will be able to solve the mystery, but it does give you enough to chew so that you will be able to develop theories as to who the murderer is. This is a very good thing, as it makes sure that the film is interesting throughout and it is guaranteed to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Trust me, you'll be begging to know who and why after the amount of suspense this movie builds up. That's not to say that this movie is all build up either; it pays off the viewer's patience at the end with a conclusion that is satisfyingly tragic, and also one that makes sense, and thereby gives the murderer and his intent a definite degree of potency, and we can even feel a little bit for him. A lot of Italian horror movies seem to fall down at the end as their conclusion doesn't make perfect sense, but that is not true of this movie; and that is a definite plus point.

This movie is given another edge over a lot of other giallo thanks to a great score by the king of great scores, Ennio Morricone. As usual, Morricone's score fits the film and gives it more reason to be memorable. The acting in What Have They Done to Solange? is not one of its main plus points, but it's not bad either. The screenplay is great, though, mostly due to the fact that it doesn't feature anything that's needless and it keeps developing for the entire duration of the movie, and this therefore makes sure that the viewer has to pay absolute attention to the film as missing two minutes of it could result in missing something important to the mystery, and it therefore ties the viewer to the movie in that way. This movie isn't as heavy on style as other giallos; as previously mentioned there's no overly gory death sequences, but it more than makes up for this loss in style with an abundance of substance, and that is better for this kind of intricate mystery.

Overall, What They Done to Solange? is an absolute highlight of the giallo style and is therefore recommended to anyone that likes this kind of movie. Unfortunately, What Have They Done to Solange is not readily available and that therefore means that people that want it will have to dig for it; but trust me, it's worth it.

The intriguingly titled giallo classic "What Have You Done To Solange?" (1972) is a film that certainly does live up to its excellent word of mouth. While the less said about its twisty-turny story, the better, I can mention that the plot here concerns a string of brutal murders that have been plaguing an all-girls' Catholic school in London, and the hunky Italian gym teacher (well played by Fabio Testi) who is having an affair with one of the young women (the gorgeous Spanish actress Christine Galbo). But things get a bit complicated when this student witnesses one of the murders during a Thames pleasure outing... Regarding those murders, perhaps "brutal" isn't a strong enough word to describe them, as this giallo nutjob has a tendency to stick his knife...well, this is a family Web site, so perhaps I shouldn't say. Mercifully, these slayings are not at all graphic--the picture would have been rated XXX if they were, and would have been too terrible to watch. Indeed, this film features hardly any gore at all; the suggested acts are quite bad enough. Still, this is an excellent example of the giallo genre, with a meaty, involving story; numerous shifty-eyed suspects; loads of pretty women; and the requisite murder set pieces. Massimo Dallamano has directed his film impeccably, eliciting fine performances from every player; the legendary Ennio Morricone has supplied an alternately lovely/creepy score; and cameraman Aristide Massacasi has nicely captured the beauty of London and its countryside. The film has been superbly dubbed--indeed, it looks as if the actors were originally speaking in English!--but the image on the Shriek Show DVD that I just saw looks cropped at the edges, as the opening and closing credits reveal. Also, I couldn't get the extras to work, for some reason. Still, the film looks clean and bright, and is not to be missed. It was even better the second time I watched it!

I was completely enthralled by this picture. This has to be not only one of the best Giallo's made but one of the best horror films. It has it all, beautiful woman, graphic murders, copious nudity, dubious dubbing, great suspense and a great musical score. All fans of the genre should not miss this one.

A group of friends from an all-girls school are being brutally murdered. The girls seem to be connected through Suspicion naturally falls on one of the teachers who had an affair with one of the girls. Even though his innocence is proved, he works to solve the case. The only real clue he has is a mysterious girl named Solange. If he is to stop the killer, he must discover the secret of what happened to Solange.

A lot of the Gialli I've seen can realistically be described as quirky or campy. That's not the case with What Have You Done to Solange? It has a much more serious tone to it that can at times be almost depressing. I suppose if I were to compare it with any movie it would be Fulci's Don't Torture a Duckling. Both present dark, gritty portrayals of murder without a lot of the flash found in many of their brethren of the sub-genre. While much of the actual murder scenes take place off-screen, what is implied is as sick and twisted as you'll encounter. The gruesome aftermath of at least one of these deaths always leaves sick feeling in my stomach because of its brutality. And when you finally do meet Solange, she is as sad and pathetic a victim as I've ever seen in a movie. Overall, it's not what you would call a light-hearted watch, but it's one of the more engrossing Gialli I've seen.

Catholic School teacher Enrico Rosseni(the very cool Fabio Testi)and a student he's in love with are on the verge of having sex in a canoe when she partially sees the murder of a fellow classmate take place. A psychopath is murdering members of a clique of girls who behave naughty outside the school grounds by stabbing them vaginally in secluded areas nearby a maid's abode. Enrico's marriage to German school teacher Herta(Karin Baal)has been on the decline for some time and his virginal student Elizabeth(the simply lovely Cristina Galbó who is so wonderful in her limited screen time)is such a tender, lovely sweetheart his heart melts for her. But, the killer(who dresses as a priest and perhaps heard the confessional of the certain girls he wishes to murder)has been following Liz and can not take the chance of her remembering something of importance. Her life is in danger. When the killer drowns her in the tub of a secret love-nest she holds with Enrico, the case takes a unique turn. Liz was not killed the heinous way the other girls died and Enrico loses his job..this gives him added incentive to pursue who killed the young woman he was in love with. Better yet, weary and troubled Inspector Barth(Joachim Fuchsberger)will need all the help he can get in order for the madness of murdered Catholic girls to end and enlists the aid of Enrico(..after he himself is no longer deemed a suspect)to assist him. Herta, finding that her husband had not officially taken Liz's virginity, wishes for their marriage to rise from the ashes and pledges to help him find the beautiful 18 year old's murderer.

The title plays a major role in why the murders are occurring and the reasons they are directed at the specific females hunted down and stabbed in such a nasty way. The vaginal stabbings is a painful reminder of something that possibly happened to a sixteen year old girl named Solange(Camille Keaton, the constantly raped avenger in the notorious "I Spit on Your Grave"). Enrico will have to find the truth about Solange in order for the killing to stop and answers to arise.

Stunning, disturbing & ultimately compelling giallo impacts because of the vicious nature of the crimes and who they are occurring to. I must admit that the photo of the first victim with the knife buried in her vagina certainly shook me and that image allows us knowledge that this killer is committing this act with a passionate intent. The photography is first-rate, the developing mystery is outstanding, the final result is truly not only tragic but powerful. The cast is really good. This film had me under it's control from the get-go and I was held until the end. And, what's most interesting about this film is that, in a sense, you'll gain an understanding at exactly why the killer is committing such gruesome crime against the victims when everything falls into place and that may be it's greatest success. One of the finest examples of the Italian giallo.

If you like the late 60s, early 70s "giallo" thrillers of the Italian cinema, than this movie is for you.Although the story can hardly be called original, a mad killer on the loose in an all girl school,the movie does manage to give the viewer a satisfactory explanation as to the killer´s identity and motivation.The sex and gore scenes are pretty tame by todays standards.Supposedly, this movie is based on a story by Edgar Wallace.Since it was co-produced by Germany it got released under the title: "Das Geheimniss der gruenen Stecknadel" albeit cut by approximately 8 minutes.

OK, this film isn't a masterpiece, but hardly any films are. Like most giallos, it's sometimes boring and hard to get through with long segments of talking. The murders were mostly brief and not as violent as they could've been, but still there was a somewhat original way they were carried out (I won't spoil it for anyone.) Really, I prefer Dario Argento and Mario Bava when it comes to giallo, but seriously, you have to be fair when judging this film and not compare this director to the greats, like Argento. So I suppose you could call this one of the better 'non-Argento' giallos. The film itself is definitely worth taking a look at, but don't expect much. At the very most, it's worth a 7/10, which is still a pretty good rating.

Always a favorite in the underground film scene I was quite please to have finally seen this title on DVD.

Massimo Dellamano shows the true touch of a master with stunning use of scene blending, flashbacks, and virtuoso cinematography. Being quite jaded on Giallos (Italian Thrillers) for quite some time WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO SOLANGE totally blew me off the sofa.

Dellamano also churned out another knock out a two years later called

WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO OUR DAUGHTERS.

Both are out on DVD nab em' while you can.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? is another well-written and enjoyable giallo film that will have you guessing right up until the end. A good bit of sleazy violence and tits-and-ass should also make this enjoyable to exploit fans out there.

Girls are being murdered at an all-girls school by a crotch stabbing weirdo. One of the teachers who was involved with a student is initially suspected - but turns out it wasn't him after all. After the student that he was "seeing" gets the ol' knife-in-the-vag treatment, he takes it upon himself to aid the police in the investigation to find out who might be the killer...

The subject matter of SOLANGE is suitably sleazy without going overboard, so giallo fans who aren't so into the "harder" material should still be able to dig this one, while still appealing to the "rougher" exploit fans out there. A good storyline, good performances and some suitable twists make this one a solid entry. Definitely recommended to giallo and exploit fans. 8.5/10

An authentic and purely story-driven Giallo. That's how to describe this film best. `Solange' easily is one of the most compelling films I ever saw and the plot is pure gold! Several girls from a strict Catholic school are brutally murdered by a priest (or someone who's disguised as a priest). Police and teachers are unable to locate the killer, and prevent further deaths. Enrico, the handsome young teacher who has a romantic interest in one of the student, becomes the main suspect pretty quick. After he's proven innocent, he teams up with his estranged wife and decides to unmask the murderer himself.

You really have to be careful when promoting this film to potential viewers. The film actually is one giant mystery that never stops developing itself. The synopsis I described above may sound dreadfully typical and déjà-vu, but you don't know half of it, I swear. That's what I appreciated so much about this film. The plot never stops thickening and the entire background of the killings isn't revealed until the very last minute! For example...I was closely paying attention to all the girls who get killed, but not once the name `Solange' is mentioned until the police and other amateur detectives are already on a dead end with their guesses and investigations. I think the whole premise is terrifically kept secret to the viewer and the clues are only given one by one. Let me tell you, this film digs real deep! You can't but respect the writing talent that features in this film. Unfortunately, "Solange" isn't a visual masterpiece like other specialists like Dario Argento make them. The budget clearly is limited and the film doesn't contain as much stylish gruesomeness as `Profondo Rosso', for example. But the substance is there, and in cases like this, it's more than enough to keep you entertained. Another praise goes out to the musical guidance. Ennio Morricone supplied this film with a wondrous and memorable score that lifts up the film to an even higher dimension. The opening sequence is burnt on my retina forever thanks to the music, which surely is Morricone's most effective non-western scores I heard till now. The acting performances are in conformity with the Italian standards…not highly impressive but bearable. Camille Keaton plays the mysterious `Solange' character. This name might ring a bell if you're a trained horror lover, as she played the leading role in the notorious film `I spit on your Grave'. In the rather exclusive cult-horror universe, this film stands as a masterpiece in my opinion. Admirers of rare, undiscovered gems will truly appreciate this film and regard it as highly as I do. `Solange' comes with my highest possible recommendation.

A great Italian movie from the early seventies, during the golden era of the Italian thrillers widely known as "gialli". This one from Massimo Dallamano is atypical, not influenced directly by Bava or Argento, but with a fantastic musical score by Ennio Morricone, whose eerie notes are a trademark for the genre (and of course also for the Italian western, especially the Leone's ones). Fabio Testi is a young italian professor in a all-girls London High School, falling for a student who is able to see a murderer slashing several of her friends. I cannot tell you exactly what happens during the course of the movie, but rest assure that you are in for a few surprises (especially if you are used to American slashers with a similar scenario: here you have lots of nude girls - even full frontal nudities - and sadistic scenes, while the development of the story is not too expected). You may fall in the love with the music and the atmosphere. One of the best of a great era

I just read some of the previous "user comments" that stated that this film was boring, or not worth watching. These folks must belong to the generation accustomed to "Scream" or "I Know What You Did Last Summer" as being the epitome of a horror thriller. I don't care how jaded you are... If this film does not shock you, there's something inately wrong with you. (also... I was born in 1979, so a good deal of these "mainstream-ites" are close to my age)

This film has a motive much more serious and understandable than many gialli. It is also the first film to make me shudder from the mere display of an X-ray. The plotline could have made an XXX masterpiece, but fortunately it is filmed in a rather un-exploitative style (even though photographed by the late "Joe D'Amato").

Anyone who finds this film "boring" is just looking for a cheap-scare each minute who doesn't care about the intelligence or thought put behind the story.

I like this movie because it's full of mysteries. Everything was solved only in a very last minute of the film. If you like this kind of films you better don't try to find out what's the plot of this movie, before watching because the less you know what's it about, the more it would be interesting for you to watch it. By reading some other comments, I get a wrong image that this movie is very violent. Well, there was some violence and maybe at that time this movie was considered a very violent film but actually compared to a nowadays movies it wasn't that bad. Actually this movie isn't about a violence or at least the violence isn't a main subject in this film, it's about suspense. I liked the performance of Karin Baal who was playing Herta Rosseni, at one time I even felt sorry for her character.

After the massive international success of Dario Argento's first film, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), a host of Italian filmmakers began exploiting the trend for similarly Hitchcockian style murder mysteries in an obvious attempt to recapture some of that particular film's financial and critical success. However, unlike Argento's work, many of these subsequent Giallo films lacked the style and confidence of the master's grand vision; making up for the often limited grasp of cinematic expertise with a more lurid subject matter and an exploitative reliance on shock scenes and depravity. Though 'What Have They Done to Solange?' (1972) certainly has elements of this, it remains a success, regardless; mixing an interesting story that reveals itself gradually as the film progresses, whilst simultaneously establishing a largely satisfying approach to the depiction of the characters in which almost anyone could be a seen as potential victim, or indeed, a potential suspect.

The atmosphere created in the film grabs our attention from the first scene on; juxtaposing the pastoral serenity of the uncharacteristically British locations - and the traditional, bourgeois even, middle-class environment of boarding schools and trendy London flats against which the story plays out - alongside a typically perverse sense of immorality, murder and worse. The girls school setting is obviously used for the purposes of pure exploitation, as famed cinematographer turned film director Massimo Dallamano treats us to an early scene in the girls' changing room, as the young ladies wander around full frontal in an early precursor to Brian De Palma's much more iconic realisation of Stephen King's Carrie (1976), whilst the emphasis on young girls as the principal focus of the narrative allows the writers to engineer an illicit relationship between student and teacher in a way that is actually beneficial to the plot.

If you can overlook the more exploitative, sensationalist moments of the film, which including the depictions of lesbianism, rape and implied vaginal impalement, then the stark theatrics of stalk-and-slash brutality and the Argento-like preoccupations with sight and perception make this a more than worthwhile experience, especially for those of us with a real taste for this particular style of film-making. 'What Have They Done to Solange?' might not be on a par with the work of Argento or Mario Bava, or indeed, a film like Torso - aka Bodies Bear Traces of Carnal Violence (1972) - however, it is definitely an entertaining and engaging work, and one that should be of interest to anyone with a predetermined fondness for the Giallo sub-genre of storytelling and the work of the filmmakers aforementioned.

"What Have You Done to Solange?" is a rather pleasant surprise after wading through countless giallos that are long on style but short on sense (ahem, Mr. Argento). This film is stylistically similar to Fulci's "Don't Torture A Duckling" and the lesser-screened "Autopsy". We have a killer going to work on several girls in an Italian Catholic school, a teacher carrying on an affair with a student, a disgruntled wife, a long line of red herrings, all of which are tied together through a traumatized girl named Solange. The surprise of this film is that, for the most part, it maintains narrative coherence and seldom succumbs to covering up its story with flamboyant stylistic tactics. Credit director Massimo Dallamano and his cinematographer, Aristide Massaccesi (aka Joe D'Amato) for the controlled, flowing narrative. I must mention my true reason in seeking out WHYDtS was to view the first screen appearance of Camille Keaton (of "I Spit on Your Grave"), who has a small role that makes a big impression. A diamond in the rough, this film is definitely worth seeking out if you're a fan of the genre.

7/10

Solange is not a great Italian thriller. Get ready for the spoiler - the main suspect, the professor, didn't do it. But is it really a spoiler? No, because you know that he couldn't have been the murderer from the very beginning; he and a student witnessed the first murder. So, there is absolutely no suspense as to whether or not the professor is the killer. There is a long, tedious build up to the final explanation of the mystery. The solution is interesting, but it comes out of nowhere. The rest of the movie (and it's not a short movie) is just not exciting enough to hold your interest. Even in the tradition of "wrong man accused" it fails, because the police never seriously accuse the professor, and the killer is never after him. Dull, dull, dull.

I love watching a good gory giallo. Unfortunately, SOLANGE is definitely not one of them. It's long. Very long. The story is tacky and makes very little sense even if it's very obvious. The script spends so much time on the killings and the girls but it spends almost no time at all on the killer. This leaves a big hole in the story: we might get to see a bunch of young women showering together but we get zero characterization of why the killer decided to murder those girls. Yes, what happened to Solange is terrible but we still pretty much left in the dark over when, why did the [boring] killer decided that it was worth going through the effort of offing those oh so naughty girls. It's all so contrived that I couldn't get into it one bit.

As for the look of the film, again, boring. Nothing memorable about it. The actors? Boring. The script? Laughably boring. The whole "torrid" love affair between the teacher, the blond and the student was really embarrassing. What planet are they living on? The music? Boring. Skip it.