Hello, folks... Apologies for the tardiness of this post, but last weekend was a fun, busy 3-day one, and so we held off until this weekend. Which was good, because the delay allowed us to tweak the list - and even add some more movies to our roster of Giallo thrillers that are best representative of this little-known area of Italian Cinema that has had a major impact on how American chillers, thrillers, and horror flicks are told today.
We started with about a dozen Gialli - and when we were done, we had twenty-five entries. Because of that, we've decided to split this post into five parts. Not all of the films featured are good or even fair, but we feel that a genuinely representative sample should span the entire spectrum of quality. All of these Gialli, whether great, good, fair, or just plain bad, offer - at the very least - some interesting visual flair and style that is a common trait (and saving grace for some) with these Italian thrillers. We have divided our Gialli Sampler into 5 distinct parts: CLASSIC GIALLI, HONORABLE MENTION GIALLI, SUPERNATURAL GIALLI, AMERICAN GIALLI, and "WTF?" GIALLI. Today's post will examine the first three categories.
And, so, without further ado, here we go... : )
PART ONE: "Classic Gialli"
These films are the cornerstones and shining examples of the sub-genre. They are mostly the early entries from the 1960s/early 1970s that first broke new ground and set the Gialli template - a formula that would be followed by many other entries later on. They were the ones that initially attracted audiences in Italy - then, later, from all around the World. Without them, the Gialli sub-genre would not have been born. They are listed below in chronological order:
# 1. LA RAGAZZA CHE SAPEVA TROPPO (1963)
ENGLISH TITLE: THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
CAST: Leticia Roman, John Saxon, Valentina Cortese, Titti Tomaino, Luigi Bonos, Milo Quesada, Robert Buchanan, Gustavo De Nardo.
DIRECTOR: Mario Bava
IT'S LIKE THIS: American tourist Nora Davis (Leticia Roman) arrives in Rome to watch over a sickly old aunt. Unfortunately, her trip goes south (and not in a fun Naples-bound way) when she witnesses a murder in the middle of Piazza Spagna at midnight - and promptly passes out because, well, I guess she's a total wuss.
She wakes up the next morning in the middle of the square, and discovers from the police that there were no reports of a murder or dead body. Dismissed as yet another batshit-crazy Yankee who had too much vino and grappa the night before, Nora sets out to find out what the fuck is really going on, with the help of local hunk Dr. Marcello Bassi (John Saxon).
Soon, they discover links between the murder that Nora witnessed, and a string of local killings six years ago dubbed "The Alphabet Murders." What is the connection? And will Nora find out in time before the killer strikes again? Hmmmm....
WHY IT MAKES THE CUT: Mario Bava, the great Italian cinema maestro, directed THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, and while it is closer (in spirit and style) to Alfred Hitchcock (The Master of Suspense) than it is to a true Italian Giallo, it is still commonly hailed as the first true example of the sub-genre. Bava directs his setpieces with a quirky restraint that is less colorful and feels more British than Italian. Even so, however, the mystery on display here is sufficiently intriguing as to keep us engaged. It may not be as winding and complex as other Giallo mysteries that would come later, but it is more than good enough. Plus, Leticia Roman gives us a solidly sympathetic heroine in Nora Davis, and John Saxon makes for a good investigative side-kick. This "human factor" makes the plot more interesting than it might've been.
BEST SCENE: Nora, turning the tables on the killer, and rigging her apartment with complex booby-traps to catch him (her?). This suspenseful sequence influenced a similar setpiece in A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984), 21 years later.
TRIVIA: Co-star John Saxon would go on to star in both the aforementioned A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984) and TENEBRE (1982), another celebrated Giallo.
#2. SEI DONNE PER L'ASSASSINO (1964)
ENGLISH TITLE: BLOOD AND BLACK LACE
CAST: Cameron Mitchell, Eva Bartok, Thomas Reiner, Ariana Gorini, Claude Dantes, Mary Arden, Dante DiPaolo, Luciano Pigozzi, Giuliano Raffaeli, Francesca Ungaro.
DIRECTOR: Mario Bava
IT'S LIKE THIS: The Como Fashion Atelier in Rome has been plagued by a series of murders lately. The deaths all have to do with a mysterious diary that belonged to Isabella (Francesca Ungaro), the first victim. As the various models, designers, sleazoids, and busybodies in the atelier struggle to get their hands on the diary, the murders continue and increase in intensity.
What is the masked killer after? Is there something in the diary that might be damaging to one of the busybodies in the atelier? And who is the murderer? The owner of the atelier, Christina Como (Eva Bartok)? Her lover Max (Cameron Mitchell)? One of the numerous models flitting about the place? Or one of their boyfriends always hanging around them like, well, supermodels' boyfriends? Hmmmmm....
WHY IT MAKES THE CUT: This was Mario Bava's second Giallo after THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, and with it came the first flourishes of what would soon become the True Giallo Style: a template that includes flamboyant characters, colorful settings, elaborate suspense setpieces, twisting mysteries, and surprise twists at the end. The only real flaw this movie has is that none of the characters functions as a true sympathetic central protagonist. Most of them are either killed off before we get to know them - or are just simply unlikable.
This is the opposite of Bava's previous Giallo, which featured a likable heroine who enlivened a mystery that was a bit too straightforward and linear. As a result of its lack of any solid leads, BLOOD AND BLACK LACE feels slightly hollow despite its bravura flair. Still, its colorful influence on later Gialli and American thrillers cannot be denied.
BEST SCENE: The killer chasing one of the models, Nicole (Ariana Gorini), through a maze-like furniture store. This setpiece was nicely emulated by the underrated Canadian slasher film, CURTAINS, 20 years later in 1983.
TRIVIA: The literal translation into English of SEI DONNE PER L'ASSASSINO is: SIX WOMEN FOR THE KILLER. Which is also an apt title, since (SPOILER ALERT) all six major female characters of the movie fall prey to the killer - no survivors here, folks.
# 3. L'UCCELLO DALLE PIUME DI CRISTALLO (1970)
ENGLISH TITLE: THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE
CAST: Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Eva Renzi, Umberto Raho, Enrico Mario Salerno, Mario Adorf.
DIRECTOR: Dario Argento
IT'S LIKE THIS: American writer Sam Dalmas (Tony Musante) is on a working sabbatical in Rome, slumming it by writing a book on rare birds when what he really wants to do is be the next Ernest Hemingway. Or something. After the book is published, Sam is ready to hightail it back to the States and bring his British model girlfriend Julia (Suzy Kendall) with him. Unfortunately, his plans are scuttled when he walks by an art gallery late one night - and sees a beautiful Italian chick, Monica Ranieri (Eva Renzi), getting attacked by some dude with a black fedora, raincoat, and a very sharp knife. Sam intervenes, the killer runs off, and Monica survives (barely). And, just like that, Sam finds himself smack-dab in the middle of a really fucked-up mystery.
You see, the local Rome cops tell Sam that, had he not interrupted the attack on Monica, she would have been the fourth woman to be killed in the city within the last two months. Apparently, an Italian version of Jack the Ripper has been terrorizing the Eternal City - and Sam and Monica are the only living witnesses. Soon, our intrepid American hero is forced to play detective (along with Julia) because the cops are about as motivated and driven as mushy spaghetti.
But is the killer closer than he and Julia realize? And will Julia be the killer's next victim? Or will the killer take another swing at Monica - and finish her off this time? And what important clue did Sam spot the night of the attack (but now can't remember) that might solve the mystery? Hmmmmm.......
WHY IT MAKES THE CUT: After Mario Bava planted the seeds of the Giallo Sub-Genre with THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH and BLOOD AND BLACK LACE in 1963 and 1964, Dario Argento took those seeds and blossomed them wonderfully into THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE in 1970. This film is the movie that really put Gialli on the cinematic map, both in Italy and overseas. Argento combined likable, attractive leads with a serpentine mystery filled with edge-of-your-seat setpieces. The final twist is also a humdinger - and one that you will never see coming. Argento's career skyrocketed with this film, and he quickly overshadowed Mario Bava as the Grand Maestro of Gialli. As Argento released his next three Gialli over the following years, culminating with PROFONDO ROSSO in 1975, he gradually became known as "The Italian Hitchcock."
BEST SCENES: Sam saving Monica from the killer at the very beginning. And the killer later coming after Julia while she is home alone. And also, the final revelation of "whodunit" at the very end: your jaw will drop - you'll see.
TRIVIA: The bird referenced in the title is a rare Siberian fowl with glass-like tail feathers and a distinctive screech - and is a vital clue to the killer's identity.
#4. REAZIONE A CATENA (1971)
ENGLISH TITLE: TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE
CAST: Claudine Auger, Luigi Pistilli, Chris Avram, Isa Miranda, Giovanni Novoletti, Claudio Volonte, Anna Maria Rosati, Guido Boccacini.
DIRECTOR: Mario Bava
IT'S LIKE THIS: Those of who you like your thrillers with high body counts will cotton to this one. A tract of valuable land next to an isolated lake in Southern Italy becomes the object of desire for various people. So much so, that they begin killing each other for it. It all starts when the Countess Federica Donati (Isa Miranda) and her husband Count Filippo (Giovanni Novoletti) are viciously killed off one night.
With their bodies still warm, their heirs are already squabbling over who will inherit the Donatis' property - which has real potential for resort development. Then someone else gets killed. Then someone else. Then someone else.... Yup, at the rate everyone is getting knocked off for that coveted lakeside property, you'd think it was beachfront property on Maui. It most certainly is not...
WHY IT MAKES THE CUT: Of all the films in the CLASSIC GIALLI section of our sampler, REAZIONE A CATENA is the only one that I think is overrated. Many Gialli fans love this movie because of its very high body count and gory murders. I, on the other hand, don't particularly care for that kind of stuff. What I look for in my Gialli are: (1) sympathetic characters, (2) intriguing mysteries, (3) suspenseful setpieces, and (4) a killer (no pun intended) twist at the end.
This film on the other hand, doesn't really have any of those elements. It's just one long endless parade of deaths of people who honestly aren't very likable. Not a single person here is worth rooting for: they're all greedy, avaricious, two-faced, manipulative, gossiping, backstabbing snakes. There is also no real mystery, because we all know why the killer (or killers?) is knocking everyone off: for the valuable inheritance of the Donati property. That distills much of the suspense - especially when we start to realize that pretty much everyone in this movie is deserving of their fate for being such awful people. The identity (identities?) of the killer (killers?) is also very easy to deduce for anyone who pays close attention. So what is the point of the whole affair, then?
Nevertheless, TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE (the English title of this movie) is on this list more out of respect for Mario Bava, who was a Giallo pioneer. The film is certainly well-made and has his usual stylistic flourishes, and its setpieces certainly inspired future American slashers like FRIDAY THE 13th PART 2 and MY BLOODY VALENTINE. It was also a major influence on the solid thriller YOU’RE NEXT that just came out recently.
In the end, however, it suffers from the same flaw that plagued Bava's earlier (and better) Classic Giallo, BLOOD AND BLACK LACE: there is absolutely no one here to care about. Sorry, but I want more from my thrillers than just gore and death. I want someone to root for.
BEST SCENE: The final scene at the end, when the killers get some poetic justice. Hilarious and scary in equal measure.
TRIVIA: This movie has the highest body count, to our knowledge, of any Giallo released: 13 murders. Because of this number, many fans posit that TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE was a direct influence on the FRIDAY THE 13th series.
# 5. PROFONDO ROSSO (1975)
ENGLISH TITLE: DEEP RED
CAST: David Hemmings, Daria Nicolodi, Gabriele Lavia, Macha Meril, Amanda Righetti, Clara Calamai, Nicoletta Elmi.
DIRECTOR: Dario Argento
IT'S LIKE THIS: British pianist Marc Daly (David Hemmings) lives in Turin and teaches jazz music to Italians. One night, after a jam session, he witnesses the murder of his neighbor, psychic medium Helga Ullmann (Macha Meril) through her apartment window. Turns out she was murdered because she held a public seance in a lecture hall earlier that night - and detected the thoughts of a killer in the audience. Not long after, she discovered the identity of that person - but was killed before she could share it with anyone.
Now, it is up to Marc to find out who the culprit is. Aiding him is feisty, tough-minded, outspoken journalist Gianna Brezzi (Daria Nicolodi). Together, they follow a path of clues that leads them deep into the Italian countryside - and then back into the heart of Turin, where the killer was under Marc's nose all along. Who could it be? Hmmmmmmmmmm....
WHY IT MAKES THE CUT: After his highly-successful "Animal Trilogy" that started with THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE in 1970, continued with THE CAT O'NINE TAILS in 1971, and concluded with FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET in 1972, Dario Argento decided to take a break from the Giallo sub-genre. He went in the polar opposite direction, and made a historical comedy (!) titled LA CINQUE GIORNATE EN MILANO (FIVE DAYS IN MILAN). It tanked at the box-office, and The Italian Hitchcock decided to return to the kind of movie that he made famous - and that made him famous. In 1975, Argento released PROFONDO ROSSO (DEEP RED overseas) - and it is widely-regarded as the best Giallo ever made. Even better than THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE.
With DEEP RED, Argento's signature style was really cemented. The film is awash in brooding reds and deep blacks, creating a baroque sense of ongoing menace and dread, and the camera prowls around in sweeping, gliding takes - as if it has a life of its own. The musical score by progressive rock group Goblin is also instrumental in creating the story's gripping atmosphere - and effectively supplements DEEP RED's suspenseful setpieces.
In the end, however, DEEP RED succeeds because Dario Argento knew something that Mario Bava often forgot in his Gialli: you have to give the audience characters who are relatable and sympathetic. The methodical Marc Daly and the fiery Gianna Brezzi are two of Argento's best leads. We are pulled into the mystery just as much by their chemistry and interactions, as we are by the intriguing details of the mystery they are trying to solve. This film was a real triumph for Argento (and the Giallo Sub-Genre), and proof of that is the American remake of DEEP RED that is reportedly in the planning stages.
BEST SCENES: Helga "connecting" with the killer at the conference. And Marc's final confrontation with the killer at the end.
TRIVIA: Dario Argento and his leading lady, Daria Nicolodi, fell in love during the filming of DEEP RED. Their union produced Asia Argento - who would go on to star in some of her father's films when she grew up, and opposite Vin Diesel in XXX.
Please expect Parts 2-5 of our Gialli Sampler to post throughout the next week. The next categories are:
Part 2: Honorable Mention Gialli
Part 3: Supernatural Gialli
Part 4: WTF? Gialli
Part 5: American Gialli
Then please expect the last Summer 2014 movies reviews to post by the end of September, to include: THE CONJURING, YOU’RE NEXT, ELYSIUM, WE’RE THE MILLERS, CLOSED CIRCUIT, & RIDDICK.
Ciao, folks… Keep smiling… : )
