(1971) Written and directed by Dario Argento; Original story
by Dario Argento, Luigi Cozzi and Mario Foglietti; Starring: Michael Brandon,
Mimsy Farmer, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Bud Spencer, Oreste Lionello and Francine
Racette; Available on Blu-ray and DVD
Rating: ****
“…I killed this guy. I didn’t even know him. It was an
accident. The police don’t know about it, but somebody else does. Someone who
was there – took pictures of me killing him. Now they’re blackmailing me. But
that’s not all. It isn’t just anyone. Someone who knows me pretty well...” –
Roberto Tobias (Michael Brandon)
Hmm…what to kick off Giallo Month with? Considering the multitude
of available genre titles, I pondered some of Dario Argento’s contributions. Deep Red, arguably his best-known giallo
film, was the first to spring to mind, but that would be too obvious. While I can’t
guarantee I’ll have anything new or original to say about Four Flies on Grey Velvet (aka: 4
Mosche di Velluto Grigio), it’s the lesser-known Argento film, and worthy
of further examination.
Roberto Tobias (Michael Brandon), a drummer in a rock band,
is being stalked by a man in a black suit and fedora, and eventually decides to
confront him. Roberto follows him into an empty opera house, and in the ensuing
struggle, the man is stabbed with his own knife. Meanwhile, a shadowy figure in
a creepy kewpie doll mask watches from a distance, photographing the fatal altercation.
He shortly receives a series of phone calls and an unwelcome late-night visit
from the individual that witnessed the incident. Roberto concludes he’s being
manipulated, but he’s afraid to discuss it with the police, fearing he’ll be jailed
for the stalker’s murder. Assisted by his friends and a bumbling private
detective, he conducts his own search for the killer. He must also contend with
a strained marriage, as his wife Nina (Mimsy Farmer) begins to eye him with
suspicion, and he has an affair with her cousin Dalia (Francine Racette). As the
people around him begin to meet horrible ends, he’s no closer to learning the
identity of the witness, or what they want from him. The answers spell certain
peril for anyone who digs a little too deep, and could lead to Roberto’s
demise.
One of the film’s most interesting conceits proposes it could
be possible to extract a vital clue from of one of the victims by examining the
cadaver’s eyes. Using an experimental type of forensic research, police
investigators attempt to view the final thing the murdered woman saw, by
examining an image that remained on one of her retinas. While this works great
as a plot device, with some basis in actual research conducted in the late
1800s, the reality is much more prosaic. The research was based on false
assumptions, stemming from the early days of photography, which equated the eye
with a camera, and the retina analogous with film (Source: Smithsonian.com).
One of the best things about Four Flies on Grey Velvet is how it’s populated with a colorful
assortment of supporting characters that provide much-needed levity to the
intense story. The characters are so much fun that they threaten to steal the
spotlight from the leads whenever they appear. Roberto seeks the advice of his
irascible hermit friend Godfrey, aka “God” (Bud Spencer), whose initial
appearance is heralded by a “Hallelujah” choir. Their meeting leads him to
God’s companion, a lovable vagrant known as The Professor (Oreste Lionello). Roberto
hires private detective Arrosio (Jean-Pierre Marielle), who’s been in business
as a private eye for three years but hasn’t solved a single case (with a string
of 84 failures). Marielle’s performance isn’t likely to win any points with
GLAAD for his groan-worthy stereotypical gay portrayal, but his character manages
to be sympathetic. There’s also a goofy mailman who has an unfortunate tendency
to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Because this is an Argento film, Four Flies on Grey Velvet has more than its share of delightfully
eccentric moments and weird, artsy shots. In one memorable scene, Roberto meets
with God and The Professor in a coffin expo, filled with an assortment of
strange caskets. In another scene, with Roberto’s band in a recording session, we’re
viewing a shot from inside a guitar looking out. I’m not sure who would be
hiding inside the guitar, but it’s an interesting vantage point. In a later
scene, there’s an intriguing shot of a shiny dagger dropping toward its victim.*
Besides the obvious phallic imagery of daggers and syringes, the movie delves
into additional Freudian territory when Roberto is startled awake by a recurring
nightmare, recalling a bandmate’s story about a public execution in Saudi
Arabia. The story creeps into Roberto’s subconscious, as he repeatedly sees a
head being chopped off (Is it a case of castration anxiety or fear that his
head will be next on the chopping block?).
* If you turn the shot around 90 degrees, it’s oddly similar
to the silver ball in Phantasm (1979).
Even if it wasn’t a conscious choice, I’m left to speculate if it could have indirectly
influenced such an iconic visual in Don Coscarelli’s film.
Four Flies on Grey Velvet
is full of red herrings designed to steer you away from the trail, along with dubious
psychological explanations for the killer’s behavior and a cool, if
scientifically suspect plot device. Accompanied by a discordant Ennio Morricone
score, designed to keep you on edge, Argento’s film takes us on a subjective, often
polarizing, visceral experience. Like a good thrill ride, it’s filled with
surprises and thrills, which pause only a moment for you to catch your breath
before the next shock. Four Flies on Grey
Velvet is another stylish offering from Dario Argento, which keeps you
guessing until the end, and ranks among his best.
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