The writing team of Matteo Garrone, Massimo Gaudioso, and Ugo Chiti won a David (Italian Oscar) for their screenplay, just as they would this year for the multi-award winning film Gomorra.

Peppino (Ernesto Mahieux) is an aging, somewhat creep, short person, who finds Valerio (Valerio Foglia Manzillo) and is instantly attracted to him. He offers him a job in his taxidermy shop.

When Valerio meets Deborah (Elisabetta Rocchetti),complications develop. Peppino has been bringing home a string of prostitutes to keep Viterio happy until he manages to land him.

There becomes a duel between Peppino and Deborah for the body of Valerio. Rocchetti (Do You Like Hitchcock?) is sensuous, and determined - perfect for the role. Peppino is the star, however, and dominates every scene he is in.

You are always wondering who will win, and the odds have to go to Peppino because of his mob connections.

The film takes place at a lot of resort areas and is captivating.

A fantastic dramatic feature that uses the conventional exploitation features. Peppino is a man who suffers from dwarfism and he can't handle it because he's a lonely man who needs attention, love, and most of all, company. His work is creepy enough to keep people away from him; he's an embalmer who has nexus with the mafia of Napoli.

Suddenly he meets the young and handsome Valerio who quickly becomes his best friend because he treats Peppino like a normal person although he's discriminated by a part of society. Peppino suddenly becomes obsessed with him to the point that both their lives are at risk.

Everything turns into a nightmare when Valerio meets and then falls in love with the spectacular and sexy Deborah. Peppino becomes very jealous and does everything possible to keep the couple separated. Sadly enough, his dark intentions lead to a sad and moving ending...

This movie is not 100% exploitation because it's made on a solid plot structure and character development. I would consider this as an Art film with slight exploitation references and black comedy issues.

For example, when I mention exploitation I put as an example Valerio's dream (or nightmare?) where Peppino comes into his bedroom at night and tries to do him oral sex. That scene hints the audience that Peppino is sexually attracted to Valerio even though they party with prostitutes, drinks, and women in general.

Anyways, this movie also displays the complex relationships between a woman-man couple, and a friendship between a physically normal young man and a man with dwarfism. Not a common movie for Hollywood's standards.

I totally recommend this movie for those who are tired of Hollywood's crap.

Oh and I have to mention that it features some DELIGHTFULLY BEAUTIFUL places from the always spectacular Italy. I'm glad I had the chance to visit some places.

A beautiful movie with a STRONG message.

Ernesto Mahieux ... Peppino Valerio Foglia Manzillo ... Valerio Elisabetta Rocchetti ... Deborah

"The Embalmer" (which is what the title translates as) is, in a sentence, about Peppino, a middle-aged Neapolitan taxidermist of stunted growth (verging on dwarfhood) who employs a good-looking young assistant he soon becomes obsessed with. Furthermore, Peppino has Camorra connections (the Camorra is Naples's equivalent of the Sicilian Mafia) and is employed by the Neapolitan mobsters to sew drugs in and out of their excellent cadavers. With its superb cinematography, photography, soundtrack and imagery (some of the scenes featuring dead, stuffed animals in the lab are unforgettably eerie),the film will be appreciated by anyone who loves a well-scripted, steady but confidently-paced, subtle little thriller that's never a crowd-pleaser.

The sense of impending danger is always very strong and real in the viewer's mind, though it never really lashes into sensationalist, gratuitous violence. In fact there's next to no violence or blood in this film and not one single Tarantinesque, gun-waving shouting match between mobsters scene: in fact you hardly ever see a gun in the film. In L'Imbalsamatore, anger IMPLODES and is the stronger and more threatening for it, and the human element is far more prominent than the formal crime element. Though obviously, its organised crime subplot (which you only ever glance at sideways) is pivotal in heightening the sense of threat in the film. But it never crowds the film, which simply isn't ABOUT organised crime. L'Imbalsamatore boasts a psychologically credible theme of obsessive love and attraction which would make Fatal Attraction look hollow and fake. It's also never distasteful and never, ever makes cheap use of the main character's semi-disability as a shock element. Also, unlike the crass Michael Douglas movie, L'Imbalsamatore's obsessive lover is vulnerable and human, as only someone who constantly holds his bleeding heart in his hand can be. But when said obsessive lover starts resenting that the object of his adoration has had the emotional upper hand for too long, things can get REALLY scary. This is especially true when the spurned lover, any spurned lover has major Camorra connections, and the chestful of treasures he's been so selflessly offering his beloved is being dismissively waved away for the umpteenth time! You really get a sense of all the characters playing with fire in L'Imbalsamatore, which is why it succeeds in creating a sense of suspense which just never lets up (and yet never climaxing when you expect it to).

The film is also invested with genuine humanity and is never judgemental or moralistic. It moves us to sympathy towards the obsessive and love-lorn character, who despite his physical appearance and potentially lethal reactions, is invested with true pathos and dignity. His tears are bitter and no different from those of any other lover, no matter how good, handsome or psychologically healthy. And that's precisely why he's so scary.

Please watch l'Imbalsamatore: it really deserves more international acclaim.