Tag: Giallo

DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS (1972)

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Directed By: Luciano Ercoli 

Written By: Ernesto Gastaldi and May Velasco 

Story By: Dino Verde, Ernesto Gastaldi and May Velasco

Cinematography: Fernando Arribas 

Editor: Pedro Del Rey and Angelo Curi

Cast: Susan Scott (Nieves Navarro), Simon Andreu, Frank Wolff, Carlo Gentilli, George Rigaud, J. Manuel Martin, Luciano Rossi, Claude Lange

After a French stripper is harassed by a man who wants a cache of diamonds stolen by her late father, she flees to England in the company of a doctor, but danger follows.

There is a murder mystery at the heart of this film that seems to take a backseat to showing the body fashions, styles, wigs, and beauty of the film’s star Nieves Navarro. As the film practically worships her as much as most of the male main characters do in the beginning 

So much so that it feels like like a star vehicle as we see her in states of undress and high fashion, where each scene seems to be her in a new outfit or look even in her striptease in which it seems like she does blackface or it’s just very heavily tanned with an Afro wig. She manages to burn through the scree. She manages to burn through the screen. A chance for her to role-play and these costumes, even as she plays the same character.

Their scenes of her whole striptease and scene of her eating by a fireplace that plays more like sex between her and her married lover, then just simple foreplay, especially with all the close-ups of their faces. As the film tries to exude glamour, class, and a fair bit of being campy.

Now, once the second half of the film starts, it almost feels like a different film. This is where it becomes more of a murder mystery and it’s not as magical or fun. The reality seems to set in. 

As almost everyone is a suspect as they all seem to be fascinated or stalking the lead female character, even both. Even the married man’s wife becomes a suspect, and she seems to resemble an older version of the main character, the actresses look alike

The main female character is the truly interesting part. She seems to be the bait for all of the characters, including the audience.

There is even a ridiculous action scene that seems obsessed with the female character who keeps seeming to hit her silence in the balls times throughout a scene.

The film offers plenty of twists and turns, though it does feel lengthy at times. The film isn’t as thrilling or spooky as expected, and a movie of this kind that resembles a Giallo. Though it feels like a naughty version of a police procedural from the 1970s on foreign land. We see the before, the actual crime, and the after with an investigation. 

It’s also not the most artistic as the first half works more as a relationship drama with lavish locations and some intrigue. It ends up being more fun than expected.

GRADE: B-

A BLADE IN THE DARK (1983) LA CASA CON LA SCALA NEL BUTO

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Directed & Edited By: Lamberto Bava 
Written By Dardano Sacchetti & Elisa Briganti 
Editor: Gianlorenzo Battaglia 

CAST: Andrea Occhipinti, Anny Papa, Fabiola Toledo, Michele Soavi, Valeria Cavalli

A composer, working in isolation on a score for a horror movie meets two women who used to know his house’s former tenant. When the women disappear, he’s forced to look into the film he’s working on to determine what happened to them, and who’s responsible.

The film is obviously heavily influenced by the movie PSYCHO with a new wave twist.

The film has a good premise. Though could have been worked out a bit better. As it feels like it strives to be artsy yet comes off like a typical slasher in the right hands of a more skilled director. This could have been something worthwhile and noteworthy.

Also the Film seems real into showcasing slitting throats to finish off the female victims

The film does have a good fake-out inventive opening. Which continues throughout the film with plenty of fake scares and mystery suspects and wondering exactly what is going on. It has plenty of set up’s but fails to excite.

The protagonist stays very calm despite his suspicions. The film could have been played up his paranoia stronger to have it be contagious for the audience.

The film has so many pauses and dead moments in between the action. And when the action does happen it feels more schlocky than anything.

The killer’s voice is so creepy and unnerving messes with your thoughts and fears to be much worse than the actual eventual reality

For a movie about a horror movie composer. The main score of this movie is monotonous.

Grade: C

TORSO (1973)

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Directed & Story By: Sergio Martino
Written By: Sergio Martino & Ernesto Gastaldi 
Cinematography: Giancarlo Ferrando 
Editor: Eugenio Alabiti 

Cast: Suzy Kendall, Tina Aumont, Luc Merenda, John Richardson, Roberto Bisacco, Ernesto Colli, Angela Covello 

A string of appalling lust murders shocks the University of Perugia as a sadistic serial killer strangles to death beautiful college girls with a red and black scarf.

This film is bathed in sex and nudity more than expected. Even though at times the film tries to make it more artistic but still feels excessive.

This should be a teenage boy’s dream in the 1980s and 1990’s before the internet came forward. This is the type of foreign film you were hoping to catch on cable television that the TV guide said contained nudity and sexual situations but was usually more on the artistic side.

This film is more a murder mystery slasher where most of the characters who survive are suspects.

The actors playing college students in this movie all look way too old, but that is to be expected. 

In living up to the film’s title, the killer carved up their victims after death. The film makes it feel fetishistic. As the camera and the killers’ hands Roam the victim’s naked body

Usually the torso before dissecting it and poking out the eyes. (Trust me the violence sounds worse in the description than what is shown) other times the camera lingers on the actress’s beauty also bodies.

As a product of The Times when it was released the film is definitely misogynistic. As most of the victims are female and the male victims are either afterthoughts or killed more aggressively and gruesomely. The male characters’ attitudes towards women are just as gruesome.

The final reveal is so ridiculous. As usual with a bit of a far-fetched initial motive for the killer.

As the film seems to maleness the death scenes more iconic while the Women look to live up to the killer’s view of them As living dolls.

With a happy-go-lucky soundtrack and each death explained except for the one person of colors. Who the film leaves as more of a discarded accessory’s. As they all gawk and the female characters are mo resemble fashion models at the time.

The film also has the male characters have ugly attitudes towards women. So that each seems like they could be the Killer. No matter how minor the character. Though her crime might be that she is a lesbian also for the film.

It offers very fun surprises and almost seems to get tired of creating more elaborate Murders.

Also seems that some characters are added to only be victims and up the body count as well as seem fairer in the number of male viewers 

GRADE: B-

KNIFE + HEART (2019)

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knife+

Directed By: Yann Martinez
Written By: Yann Martinez & Cristiano Mangione
Cinematography: Simon Beaufils
Editor: Raphael Leferve
Music By: M83 


Cast: Vanessa Paradis, Nicolas Maury, Katie Moran, Jonathan Genet, Felix Maritaud, Romane Bohringer, Elina Lowensohn, Pierre Pirol, Jacques Nolot 


Anne produces third-rate gay porn. After her editor and lover Lois leaves her, she tries to win her back by shooting her most ambitious film yet with her trusted, flamboyant sidekick Archibald. But one of her actors is brutally murdered and Anne gets caught up in a strange investigation that turns her life upside down.

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