[Zarith]

Originally Posted by Jonny

I love 'Mrs Wardh'. Not my favourite Sergio Martino/Edwige Fenech collaboration though, ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK beats this one by a country mile though...

finally I found a friend!

I'm also a huge fan of The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh and All the Colors of The Dark. Even though Torso works better as a thriller, these two movies are more elegant and layered. Martino explores many different directions, blends styles together, switches from one mood to another, saturates one sequence with an epic soundtrack, then leaves the next in total silence,... It's dynamic and totally unpredictable! He seems to have an endless imagination both technically and thematically. The dream and flash back sequences are extremely well done (Edwige running in the rain in The Strange Vice, the psychedelic intro sequence of All the Colors). I enjoy these movies a lot. All the Colors of the Dark is one of my favorite giallo.



I selected Tenebre in the poll. It's the first giallo I ever saw, in the late 80ies. It took me a while to dare to rent it (I was a teenager and the VHS was in the +18 zone, with all the adult movies!). I liked it directly. It was violent, perverse and totally "unsafe". With Dario Argento, everything could happen!


OK, here's my best-of list:

Profondo Rosso, Dario Argento
(Perfect blend of popular entertainment and art. Visually stunning. A masterpiece)

Tenebre, Dario Argento
(The ultimate giallo)

All the Colors of the Dark, Sergio Martino
(Sexy, psychedelic, gothic, epic... Sergio Martino, Edwige Fenech and Bruno Nicola? at the highest peak of their career)

The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh, Sergio Martino
(With Argento's The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, this is the archetypal modern giallo. A model for dozens of copies)

The House with the Laughing Windows, Pupi Avati
(A superb atmospheric horror movie. It took me a while to appreciate it)

What Have You Done to Solange?, Massimo Dallamano
(Strong story, excellent cast, amazing cinematography)

Torso, Sergio Martino
(Martino exploring the slasher territory. It's ultra effective. The end sequence is beautifully crafted)

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Dario Argento
(Sharp and elegant. The first modern giallo)

Four Flies on Gray Velvet, Dario Argento
(A minor Argento, but with a very strong schizophrenic performance by Mimsy Farmer)

Malastrana/The Short Night of the Glass Dolls, Aldo Lado
(The visions of a dead man. A superior atmospheric giallo made by an underrated director)

A Lizard In a Woman's Skin, Lucio Fulci
(Imperfect but captivating. The intro dream sequence is fascinating)

The Perfume of the Lady in Black, Francesco Barilli
(Obviously influenced by Roman Polanski, this psychological giallo is a joy for the eyes)

The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave, Emilio Miraglia
(The story is a mess and the twists are absurd, but it's made with talent and enthusiasm. A typical good "b" movie!)

A Bay of Blood, Mario Bava
(Friday the 13th, 10 years before. A classic)

Puzzle, Ducio Tessari
(A good "hitchcockian" thriller. A bit too old-fashioned for my taste, though)

Who Saw her Die?, Aldo Lado
(Atmospheric and melancholic, a drama-giallo)

The Fifth Cord, Luigi Bazzoni
(A major artistic achievement. One of the most beautiful giallo ever made. But cold and emotionless...)

Una Sull'Atra, Lucio Fulci
(A solid "erotic thriller". It shows how talented Fulci was, with a decent budget and a good cast)

The Red Queen Kills Seven Time, Emilio Miraglia
(Same comments as for The Night Evelyn...)

The Case of the Scorpion Tale, Sergio Martino
(More an action movie than a thriller. It's entertaining, nothing more)

The Case of the Bloody Iris, Guiliano Carnimeo
(If my favorite scream-queen Edwide Fenech is in it, it can be that bad!)

The Black Belly of the Tarantula, Paulo Cavara
(Belongs in the "serious giallo" category. Too clean and pretentious for me. A Giallo has to be twisted, perverse and nasty!)

Don't Torture a Duckling, Lucio Fulci
(I see its quality, but Fulci's misanthropy and depressive visions turn me off)

The Bloodstained Butterfly, Ducio Tessari
(Well done but too academic to be remembered)

A Blade in the Dark, Lamberto Bava
(A Tenebre clone. Derivative and void of originality but entertaining. The murder sequences are really effective)

Five Dolls for an August Moon, Mario Bava
(a half-backed plot-less affair, but groovy and fun)


In my "worst-of" list, I would place the gialli of Umberto Lenzi (dispensable, boring and emotionless) and Luciano Ercoli (his wife Susan Scott screaming and giggling for 90 minutes is torture for me!) and all the straightforward slashers made by talentless "filone" directors (80% of the gialli, unfortunately).