The Giallo Thread

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

What Have You Done to Solange? (1972)

An interesting Giallo from Massimo Dallamano in which Fabio Testi is under suspicion when a series of sadistic murders take place at the English school he teaches at.

It becomes apparent that the murders might be connected to a missing school girl, Solange (Camille Keaton).

As with so many of these Italian thrillers the plot twists and turns and seemingly everyone may be a suspect although Testi's case is not helped by the fact that he's shagging one of his students (Cristina Galbó) and she witnessed one of the killings whilst making out with teach on the banks of the Thames.

This element of student / teacher relationships adds spice to the mix and the first half of the film is as much about them and their illicit affair and not being found out as it is murder mystery, thankfully Dallamano handles it tastefully.

What Have You Done to Solange? is a hugely enjoyable film. Dallamano's direction is assured as are the performances with Testi, Galbo and Joachim Fuchsberger as the investigating policeman. Fuchsberger is a veteran of these films starring in many Edgar Wallace 'Krimis' in his native Germany.

Although not as violent as a lot of Gialli, especially in the actual blood spilling department, there are several scenes with startling imagery that have really stuck in my head.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Death Walks on High Heels (1971)

You'll find more red herrings here than in a North Sea trawler net as director Luciano Ercoli teams up for the first time with star Nieves Navarro.

Navarro, billed here as Susan Scott, plays an exotic dancer who believes her boyfriend may be plotting to kill her for some stolen diamonds. Scared she runs off with a doctor (Frank Wolff) to England, or at least a coastal part of Italy pretending to be England. However it soon becomes apparent that she is still being stalked at her seaside English retreat.

As much a bizarre love triangle between Scott, Wolfe and boyfriend Simon Andreau as anything, Ercoli's film twists and turns in the greatest giallo traditions with the excellent Scott at the centre carrying the film beautifully whilst decked out in outrageous seventies chic trying valiantly to escape the clutches of a voice boxed, blue eyed razor slashing madman.

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Death Walks on High Heels (1971)

You'll find more red herrings here than in a North Sea trawler net as director Luciano Ercoli teams up for the first time with star Nieves Navarro.

Navarro, billed here as Susan Scott, plays an exotic dancer who believes her boyfriend may be plotting to kill her for some stolen diamonds. Scared she runs off with a doctor (Frank Wolff) to England, or at least a coastal part of Italy pretending to be England. However it soon becomes apparent that she is still being stalked at her seaside English retreat.

As much a bizarre love triangle between Scott, Wolfe and boyfriend Simon Andreau as anything, Ercoli's film twists and turns in the greatest giallo traditions with the excellent Scott at the centre carrying the film beautifully whilst decked out in outrageous seventies chic trying valiantly to escape the clutches of a voice boxed, blue eyed razor slashing madman.

This was a blind watch when I saw it and thoroughly enjoyed it, it is a laugh trying to make part of Italy resemble England.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

This was a blind watch when I saw it and thoroughly enjoyed it, it is a laugh trying to make part of Italy resemble England.

Yeah, the hills running towards the sea shore are stepped. Not very English at all.

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Yeah, the hills running towards the sea shore are stepped. Not very English at all.

Certainly isn't very English but we look at the film for its acting and direction and not the scenery

[Justin101]

Just like the ‘real’ American family watching the Super Bowl in their ‘real’ American (Italian) Villa in Absurd lol…

[MrBarlow]

The Scorpion With Two Tails. 1982.

Joan has a nightmare about her archaeologist husband death who was looking for treasure about Entruscan sacrifices. When her husband, Joan goes to investigate the tomb where he was working on.

From director Sergio Martino who made some great Giallo's in the 70s directed this film based on a story by Ernesto Gastaldi and Dardano Sacchetti that seems to fall apart in the first 30 minutes and looses itself then goes all over the place. This does have some familiar faces even with John Saxon having a small role, I was slowly loosing interest in this but wanted to see how it would play out. Has this film been trimmed down and badly edited or did I miss something? Some things do not make sense, was Sergio interested in making this film? This was not his best film.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

The Scorpion With Two Tails. 1982.

Joan has a nightmare about her archaeologist husband death who was looking for treasure about Entruscan sacrifices. When her husband, Joan goes to investigate the tomb where he was working on.

From director Sergio Martino who made some great Giallo's in the 70s directed this film based on a story by Ernesto Gastaldi and Dardano Sacchetti that seems to fall apart in the first 30 minutes and looses itself then goes all over the place. This does have some familiar faces even with John Saxon having a small role, I was slowly loosing interest in this but wanted to see how it would play out. Has this film been trimmed down and badly edited or did I miss something? Some things do not make sense, was Sergio interested in making this film? This was not his best film.

Attachment 239425

It's really poor isn't it. I used to have the old Mya Communications dvd. It's actually a tv movie condensed from what was originally an eight episode tv series

[g053584398]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

The Scorpion With Two Tails. 1982.

Joan has a nightmare about her archaeologist husband death who was looking for treasure about Entruscan sacrifices. When her husband, Joan goes to investigate the tomb where he was working on.

From director Sergio Martino who made some great Giallo's in the 70s directed this film based on a story by Ernesto Gastaldi and Dardano Sacchetti that seems to fall apart in the first 30 minutes and looses itself then goes all over the place. This does have some familiar faces even with John Saxon having a small role, I was slowly loosing interest in this but wanted to see how it would play out. Has this film been trimmed down and badly edited or did I miss something? Some things do not make sense, was Sergio interested in making this film? This was not his best film.

Attachment 239425

I believe that it was made for Italian TV and was then shortened and given a theatrical release. I suppose that the longer TV version would probably be more coherent.

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

It's really poor isn't it. I used to have the old Mya Communications dvd. It's actually a tv movie condensed from what was originally an eight episode tv series

Poor ain't the word for this, T.V. series would have been a better released, and better dubbing as it seemed very badly out of sync.