The film was refused a UK cinema certificate in 1971 and passed uncut for DVD in 2011.
The letter "h" was added to the name "Ward" when an Italian woman named Mrs. Ward threatened legal action over the original title's potentially damaging her good name, just before the film was released.
The film was originally released under the title Blade of the Ripper in the United States. It was also released under the alternate titles Next! and The Next Victim.
Italian censorship visa # 57415 delivered on 23-12-1970.