The Giallo Thread

[The Reaper Man@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by cloud

I finally got round to watching Strange Vice Of Mrs. Wardh this evening. It's not a bad film but it didn't really do anything that made me say "OH WOW!". It was an entertaining and absorbing entry though and the last 15 minutes were very good. If I had to rank it alongside others in that sub-genre I'd put it somewhere in the middle, maybe slightly higher. I still rate Torso as Sergio Martino's best giallo.

Told you it wasn't up there with Torso mate....

[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).

[Philleh]

Has anyone seen the latest Giallo out of Italy - The Girl by the Lake?

I LOVED Eyes of Crystal, so I hope this one is as good!

[Beyond72]

Originally Posted by cloud

I finally got round to watching Strange Vice Of Mrs. Wardh this evening. It's not a bad film but it didn't really do anything that made me say "OH WOW!". It was an entertaining and absorbing entry though and the last 15 minutes were very good. If I had to rank it alongside others in that sub-genre I'd put it somewhere in the middle, maybe slightly higher. I still rate Torso as Sergio Martino's best giallo.

Originally Posted by Jonny

Not even Edwige's masochistic fetish? You're a tough man to please Mr Cloud. 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...

I loved the scene when the lovely Edwige Fenech has a "flashback" about her time in the rain soaked woods with Jean and the music that accompanies it - mesmerizing.

[Mojo]

Originally Posted by Philleh

Has anyone seen the latest Giallo out of Italy - The Girl by the Lake?

I LOVED Eyes of Crystal, so I hope this one is as good!

Haven't seen it, but it sounds interestin' - although it gets a bit of a mixed review on IMDB.

Agree with you about Eyes Of Crystal , Philleh - stylish stuff

[gax]

are they all style over substance,can any 1 recommend a good 1 that's not Fulci/Argento/Bava?

Bay of blood 8/10 (Bava)
Tenebrae/Deep red 10/10 (Argento)
Lizard in a woman's skin/7 notes in black 9/10 (FUlci)

Torso 3/10 (So pleased i won it and didn't pay for it unlike the others)
Venus in Furs 2/10
Strip nude for your killer 3/10
Blade in the dark 0/10

[Philleh]

Short Night of Glass Dolls and Who Saw Her Die. Followed by What Have you done to Salonge? and What have they done to your daughters?

But we're talking about a genre known for its style over substance... hence why the likes of Fulci, Bava and Argento flourished As it's their strongest asset!

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Thought I'd revive this thread as it was before my time!

I have to say I love gialli, my favourites being (in no particular order):

- All the Colors of the Dark
- The Bird with The Crystal Plumage
- The Black Belly of the Tarantula
- A Blade in the Dark
- The Bloodstained Butterfly
- The Case of the Scorpion's Tail
- The Cat O' Nine Tails
- Deep Red
- Don't Torture a Duckling
- Four Flies on Grey Velvet
- In the Folds of the Flesh
- The Killer Must Kill Again
- A Lizard in a Woman's Skin
- Murder Rock
- My Dear Killer
- Opera
- The Perfume of the Lady in Black
- Plot of Fear
- Puzzle
- Tenebrae
- Torso
- Watch Me When I Kill
- What Have You Done to Solange?
- Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key

There are also a couple of 'grey area' titles that I really love that are considered gialli by some, but not others, such as Bay of Blood, Phenomena, and Stagefright - all faves of mine.

[Make Them Die Slowly]

"Don't Torture a Duckling" and "Profondo Rosso" are the two that stand out for me.I recently saw "Death Laid an Egg" which I enjoyed greatly,it looks stunning and I'll watch anything about experimental chicken farms

[bdc]

I'm a big golden age Italian gothic fan but also a giallo fan.
This reflects possibly on some of my choices...

Some favorites from what I've seen so far:
Crimine a due (1964)
Sei donne per l'assassino (1964)
Libido (1965)
A... come assassino (1966)
La lama nel corpo (1966)
Nude... si muore (1968)
La morte ha fatto l'uovo (1968)
Una sull'altra (1969)
5 bambole per la luna d'agosto (1970)
Il rosso segno della follia (1970)
La bestia uccide a sangue freddo (1971)
La notte che Evelyn uscì dalla tomba (1971)
Reazione a catena (1971)
La tarantola dal ventre nero (1971)
La coda dello scorpione (1971)
Alla ricerca del piacere (1972)
La morte accarezza a mezzanotte (1972)
Cosa avete fatto a Solange? (1972)
Mio caro assassino (1972)
Perché quelle strane gocce di sangue sul corpo di Jennifer? (1972)
La morte negli occhi del gatto (1973)
Il profumo della signora in nero (1974)
Spasmo (1974)
Profondo rosso (1975)
Gatti rossi in un labirinto di vetro (1975)
Nude per l'assassino (1975)
Una ondata di piacere (1975)
...e tanta paura (1976)
Vortice mortale (1993)
Mozart è un assassino (1999)