May Quick Picks and Pans

 

Schizoid (1980) Klaus Kinski stars as Dr. Fales, a therapist with some serious boundary issues, whose clients are being killed off one by one. Meanwhile, his patient/girlfriend Julie (Marianna Hill) keeps getting threatening letters at her work, but no one, including her soon-to-be-ex-husband Doug (Craig Wasson) appears to take her seriously. Although filled with red herrings galore, the big reveal of the killer isn’t much of a surprise (Spoiler: Surprisingly, it’s not Kinski). Watch for Christopher Lloyd in a small role as a handyman/therapy group patient. 

Rating: ***. Available on Blu-ray and Tubi

 

The Sister of Ursula (1978) In this would-be giallo by writer/director Enzo Millioni, two sisters travel to Italy to clear their heads after their father’s death. While Dagmar (Stefania D’Amario) tries to make the best of things, her younger sister Ursula (Barbara Magnolfi) remains withdrawn and reclusive, overwhelmed by grief and paranoia. The film compensates for its threadbare plot with copious nudity and a handful of underwhelming murder scenes, culminating in a less-than-thrilling climax (I guessed the killer in the first reel). There are a few stunning shots of the beautiful Amalfi coastline, but if that’s your bag, you’re better off watching a travel show. 

Rating: **. Available on DVD and Tubi 

 

Revolt of the Zombies (1936) Archeologists in World War I-era Cambodia make a terrifying discovery: a stone tablet depicting an ancient ritual to turn men into zombies. Seeing the potential military benefit of a mindless, unstoppable army, a devious general (Roy D’Arcy) steals the tablet. His possession of the artifact proves to be short-lived, however, when it’s appropriated by Armand Louque (Dean Jagger) for his own nefarious purposes. Rather than focusing on the inherent horrors of a zombie hoard, the movie spends an inordinate amount of time with a bland love triangle, comprised of Louque, his former colleague Clifford Grayson (Robert Nolan), and Grayson’s capricious fiancée Claire (Dorothy Stone). Filled with unappealing cardboard characters, a confusing plot, and a generous helping of racism (“This might mean the end of the white race!”), Revolt of the Zombies is a must-miss. 

Rating: **. Available on DVD and Prime Video

Spontaneous Combustion (1989) Tobe Hooper made some of the most memorable horror films of his generation. This is not one of them. The usually reliable Brad Dourif (who seems to be phoning in his performance) plays Sam, whose parents were part of a top secret ‘50s hydrogen bomb experiment gone awry. As a consequence of the experiment, he possesses the power to make people spontaneously combust at will (at least when the plot demands it). The plot is a confusing mess, with underdeveloped characters and hazy motivations. Skip it. 

Rating: **. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Tubi

 

 

The John Saxon Blogathon Is Here – Final Recap

 

Well, dear readers and blogging friends, we’ve reached the end of the John Saxon Blogathon. I’d like to thank everyone who graciously donated their valuable blogging time to making this event a success. Whether this is your first blogathon with us or your 10^th (Can you believe this was our 10^th collaboration?), we’re so happy you were able to join us. We all lead busy, complicated lives, so I truly appreciate your hard work dedicated to one actor’s body of work. It’s been a joy reading so many sensational posts, so far. I’m still catching up with reading all the submissions, and if you haven’t heard from me yet, you’ll likely hear from me soon.

Big thanks to Gill for proposing this blogathon, and for her constant encouragement as a fellow writer. I look forward to our blogging partnership in the upcoming year, with two more blogathons planned (Trust me, you won’t want to miss them). Until next time, stay well and keep on bloggin’!

 

Be sure to visit the recaps from days One, Two and Three: 

Day 1 

Day 2 

Day 3 

 

Here are today’s final submissions:

 

Don’t touch that dial, because Kayla from Whimsically Classic examines the classic Mary Tyler Moore Show episode “Menage-a-Phyllis” (1974).  

Tigerhearts Tales shows us there’s more to learn about The Girl Who Knew Too Much (aka: The Evil Eye) (1963). 

Rebecca from Taking Up Room let us know if Lancelot: Gurardian of Time (1997) is worth our time. 

Sally Silverscreen from 18 Cinema Lane is eager to tell us about The Reluctant Debutante (1958). 

…And Glen from The Psychotronic Kinematograph reviews Night Caller from OuterSpace (1965). 

The John Saxon Blogathon Is Here – Day 3 Recap

 

Whew! It’s already Day 3 of the John Saxon Blogathon, hosted by Yours Truly and Gill Jacob of Realweegiemidget Reviews. I don’t know about you, but these past three days have flown by too quickly. Today’s batch is the biggest yet, with seven new posts!

Note: Since Gill and I are posting our Wrap-Up post on Tuesday, please send any late posts to both of us. If your post isn’t quite ready, we’ll post your link on Tuesday’s Wrap Up post. Post a comment below, email me at barry_cinematic@yahoo.com, or reach me on Bluesky (@barrycinematic.bsky.social), Instagram (@barry_cinematic), or Twitter (@barry_cinematic). You may also contact Gill by commenting on her post, through her blog’s Contact Me page, or on Bluesky (@realweegiemidge.bsky.social).

 

Be sure to visit the recaps from days One and Two: 

Day 1 

Day 2  

… And now, on with Day 3’s submissions (and stay tuned for Tuesday’s wrap up):

Terence from A Shroud of Thoughts reviews A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). Sweet dreams!

 

 

Catch Dubsism’s look at The Rockford Files episode, “Portrait of Elizabeth” (1976). 

Kristina brings us our third double-feature of the blogathon, The Swiss Conspiracy (1976) and Cross Shot (1976). 

 

 

Hey, what’s eating you? Don’t forget to check out John’s (at Tales from the Freakboy Zone) review of Cannibals in the Streets (1980). 

 

Frank from Smoke in the Library tries The Glove (1979) on for size.

Eric Binford from Diary of a Movie Maniac is back for a review of The Cardinal (1963). 

… And Yours Truly presents a look at Dario Argento’s stylish giallo, Tenebrae (1982).

See you Tuesday!

Tenebrae

(1982) Written and directed by Dario Argento; Starring: Anthony Franciosa, Giuliano Gemma, John Saxon, Christian Borromeo, Mirella D’Angelo and Daria Nicolodi; Available on Blu-ray and DVD

Rating: ***½

This post is part of the John Saxon Blogathon, hosted by Gill Jacob from Realweegiemidget Reviews and Yours Truly, shining the spotlight on one of cinema’s most versatile and recognizable character actors. Be sure to check out all the great posts about this singular talent.

Peter Neal: “Well, I’ve made charts. I tried building a plot the same way you have, tried to figure it out, but I just have this hunch that something is missing, a tiny piece of the jigsaw. Somebody who should be dead is alive, or somebody who should be alive is already dead.” 

Captain Germani: “Explain that.” 

Peter Neal: “You know, there’s a sentence in a Conan Doyle book: ‘When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.’”

Giallo (or the plural, Gialli) films, named after a popular type of Italian pulp novel, are curious murder mysteries, famous for their labyrinthine plots, spectacular death scenes and wild titles. There are several giants of the genre, but few have earned the praise that Dario Argento has garnered. Argento didn’t invent the giallo movie, but considering some of the classics he’s created, including The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Four Flies on Gray Velvet, and Deep Red (no, Suspiria isn’t a giallo), it would be easy to make that oversight. Argento returned in top form with Tenebrae (Italian for “darkness”),*  displaying his usual panache for creating suitably over-the-top imagery to match the grand themes of his stories. 

* Fun Fact #1: The film’s title was changed to Unsane in the U.S.

Successful American mystery writer Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa)* arrives in Rome to a controversy. Someone** seems to be emulating his latest novel, Tenebrae, perpetrating a series of violent murders based on his work (one victim is found slashed to death, with pages of the book stuffed in her mouth). He’s immediately questioned by police detective Germani (Giuliano Gemma), who’s a big fan of his books, and familiar with the various modus operandi he employs. His dedicated secretary Anne (played by Argento’s frequent collaborator and former partner, Daria Nicolodi)*** tries her best to make him comfortable throughout the ordeal, while his agent Bullmer (John Saxon) endeavors to keep the police and press at bay. He’s grilled by Tilde (Mirella D'Angelo), a critic, about the alleged misogyny in his books (a little self-reflexive moment for Argento, regarding criticisms of his own movies). Little does she suspect, however, that she and her lesbian lover Marion (Mirella Banti) will be the next victims. As bodies continue stacking up, Neal initiates his own amateur investigation, while confronting repressed memories of an incident in his younger years. The film flashes back to Rhode Island, where he witnessed the murder of a mysterious woman in white with red shoes (Eva Robins). By becoming entwined in the case, he discovers the truth could be fatal. 

* Fun Fact #2: Argento’s first choice for Peter Neal was Christopher Walken. 

** Fun Fact #3: The killer’s black-gloved hands belong to none other than Dario Argento, who often stood in for the murderer in his movies. 

*** Fun Fact #4: For the English version, Nicolodi’s voice was dubbed by American actress Theresa Russell.

Of course, Tenebrae wouldn’t be a self-respecting giallo without ample splashes of blood and flashes of skin. One of the most memorable murder scenes involves Marion as she relentlessly pursued by the crazed killer while clad in only a towel that seems in danger of flying off at any moment.* One of Argento’s hallmarks is the almost fetishistic presentation of broken glass, with shards flying everywhere in slow motion – all the better to cut the unfortunate victims to ribbons. Another component that makes an Argento movie special is the unmistakable, synth-heavy music of Goblin. While not officially credited to the band, for all intents and purposes it’s a Goblin score, featuring band members Massimo Morante, Fabio Pignatelli and Claudio Simonetti (who are credited separately). 

* In the preceding scene, when Marion seduces a young man in front of Tilde, she wears an ensemble that leaves little to the imagination, bringing to mind something my mother would often say: “That’s a nice outfit she’s almost wearing.”

The role of Bullmer is a nice change of pace for John Saxon, who’s often relegated to detective roles (or similar), in movies such as this. As Neal’s upbeat literary agent, it’s a relatively minor role, but Saxon milks it for all its worth. If nothing else, it illustrates how Saxon had a comic side, something rarely displayed on screen. When Neal questions Bullmer whether his favorite hat would stay on, he bobs his head in exaggerated movements, resembling a pigeon on acid. I don’t normally associate Saxon with “silly,” but this is a fun exception. Bullmer deflects the police and snooping reporters, but still has time for a little sugar on the side, having an affair with Neal’s mentally unstable fiancée Jane (Veronica Lario). Sadly, this plot thread is never quite fleshed out, but it adds another wrinkle to the list of suspects.

Although a slight step beneath his very best, only because the novelty of the genre’s conventions had worn a bit thin by the ‘80s, Tenebrae has a lot going for it. It’s artfully shot (thanks to cinematographer Luciano Tovoli), and the story keeps you guessing until the end. In her insightful commentary, critic/film scholar Maitland McDonagh observed that Tenebrae isn’t like an Agatha Christie story, where the plot is meticulously constructed in a way that you can logically deduce who the killer is. Instead, Tenebrae, like many of Argento’s films, relies on imagery and actions that frequently defy logic, colorful characters, and a cockamamie explanation for the killer’s motive. Considering the identity of the killer is a bit of a cheat, don’t strain your brain trying to figure it out. Like many giallo films (especially one by Argento), it’s best to sit back and enjoy the wild ride. 

 

Sources for this article: Blu-ray commentary by Maitland McDonagh

 

 

  

June Quick Picks and Pans

Filibus (1915) Demure Baroness Troixmonde moonlights as calculating master criminal Filibus. And if that’s not enough, she also appears as the dapper, mustachioed Count de la Brive. Valeria Creti’s triple-threat characters crosses genders and societal expectations as she stays one step ahead of Detective Kutt-Hendy (Giovanni Spano). While she hatches a scheme to pin Filibus’ recent thefts on the detective, she (under the guise of Count) woos his sister, Lady Leonora (Cristina Ruspoli). Troixmonde is assisted in her stealthy pursuits by a loyal team of henchmen, who keep her dirigible constantly at the ready. 

This immensely enjoyable tongue-in-cheek romp recalls the exploits of Arsène Lupin, and its DNA is seemingly embedded in the films of Karel Zeman and Hayao Miyazaki. The only bad thing is that it will definitely leave you wanting more, as it was the one and only filmed adventure for Filibus. 

Rating: ****. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Kanopy

 

The French Sex Murders (1972) In director Ferdinando Merighi’s lively mystery/thriller, set in Paris, Inspector Fontaine (played by Bogart lookalike Robert Sacchi) investigates a series of murders in a brothel. After the prime suspect dies in a gruesome motorcycle accident, it’s anyone’s guess who the real killer is. The impressive cast includes Anita Ekberg as a madam, along with giallo mainstays Howard Vernon, Rosalbo Neri and Barbara Bouchet. Sure, the elements are nothing new, but it’s an enjoyable way to spend 90 minutes. 

Rating: ***½. Available on DVD (Out of print) and Tubi

Midnight Special (2016) Alton (Jaeden Martell), an eight-year-old with uncanny powers, becomes the unwitting object of a tug-of-war between his parents and unscrupulous parties who want to exploit him for their own ends. Roy (Michael Shannon) tries to protect his young son from harm while evading the FBI and members of a doomsday religious cult (Sam Shepard plays their charismatic leader). Midnight Special starts with an intriguing premise (which owes more than a little to Starman), but it suffers from uneven pacing and two-dimensional characters. At times, the story appears unpolished, raising many questions that remain frustratingly unanswered. The film boasts solid performances by Shannon, Kirsten Dunst (as his estranged wife Sarah), Joel Edgerton (as his best buddy Lucas), and Adam Driver as a government analyst with a soft spot, but it could have been something so much more. 

Rating: ***. Available on Blu-ray and DVD

 

Murder Mansion (aka: La Mansion de la Niebla) (1972) This tepid Spanish mystery from director Francisco Lara Polop owes much to the haunted house movies of yesteryear. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a mismatched bunch of fog-bound travelers are forced to spend the night in an old mansion, but someone (or something) wants to kill them. It’s too talky for its own good, with a creaky plot that would have seemed old hat a half-century before. The big “surprise” is right out of any given Scooby Doo episode (if you added homicide), and there’s little to no chemistry between the dull and/or unlikeable leads. Do yourself a favor and see The Cat and the Canary (1927) instead.

Rating: **½. Available on Tubi 

 

August Quick Picks and Pans

 

101 Reykjavik (2000) 30-year-old, unemployed slacker Hlynur (Hilmir Snær Guðnason) lives an aimless existence, living with his middle-aged mother in a small flat. Instead of looking for work, he spends his nights drinking, going to parties and getting laid. Things take an unexpected change when his mother’s new lesbian companion Lola (Victoria Abril) comes to live with them. He becomes infatuated with the free-wheeling Lola, in spite of the fact that he isn’t exactly her type. Our nominal protagonist isn’t the most likable, but that’s the point, as we’re left to ponder whether Hlynur is capable of change. Writer/director Baltasar Kormákur’s amusing little film features some funny dialogue and an abundance of awkward situations. Don’t expect a travelogue-style depiction of Iceland, full of cheerful residents and breathtaking scenery. Instead, It’s an emphatically unglamorous, often bleak, snapshot of life in Iceland prior to the tourist boom.  

Rating: ***½. Available on DVD

The Vampire Bat (1933) Anyone looking for a horror movie will be disappointed in Frank R. Strayer’s low-key mystery/thriller with comic elements. The denizens of a German village are up in arms after a series of deaths, in which the bodies were drained of blood. Some begin pointing the finger at vampires, while others suspect vampire bats. Herman Gleib (Dwight Frye) a mentally challenged man with an unfortunate (in the eyes of the superstitious villagers) fondness for bats, becomes the prime suspect. Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray Melvyn Douglas headline a superb cast, which also includes Maude Eburne in an amusing turn as a hypochondriac. It’s a mostly enjoyable romp that only falters during the tepid climax.  

Rating: ***½. Available on DVD and Kanopy

Blood (1973) Set in the late 1800s, this $25,000 wonder from writer/director Andy Milligan is nothing, if not ambitious. Dr. Orlovsky (Allan Berendt), the son of a werewolf, lives in an arranged marriage to Regina (Hope Stansbury) the daughter of Dracula. Orlovsky raises deadly carnivorous plants with the hope of creating a serum that will sustain his wife. The film consists of mostly tight shots (with a few medium shots thrown in), likely to conceal the fact that there was no money to build elaborate sets. The dialogue, makeup and acting are uniformly terrible, but it’s presented with such naïve exuberance that you can’t help but admire it on some level. It’s an exercise in sheer chutzpah that has to be seen to be disbelieved. 

Rating: **½. Available on Blu-ray (part of The Dungeon of Andy Milligan Collection) and Tubi

 

Scorpion with Two Tails (1982) After experiencing a nightmare where her archaeologist husband Arthur (John Saxon) is brutally murdered, Joan Barnard’s (Elvire Audray) bad dream becomes reality. She travels to Italy, with Arthur’s lab assistant, Mike (Paolo Malco) to investigate Arthur’s death. Her search leads her to some Etruscan ruins that he was investigating. This slow-moving neo-giallo (with some supernatural elements thrown in) from director Sergio Martino is an exercise in tedium, despite the lurid subject matter. The leads are bland, and John Saxon is barely in the movie. Van Johnson is similarly wasted as Joan’s heroin-smuggling father, who owes the mob millions of dollars. Don’t bother. 

Rating: **. Available on DVD

November Quick Picks and Pans

 

Scarlet Street (1945) Fritz Lang’s cynical noir drama is as bleak as they come, taking us to the darkest corners of human nature. Edward G. Robinson stars as Christopher Cross, a meek, middle-aged bank teller stuck in a loveless marriage to a domineering widow (Rosalind Ivan). His life takes a turn for the worse when he falls for a scheming young woman, Kitty March (Joan Bennett). With the urging of her abusive grifter boyfriend Johnny (Dan Duryea), Kitty takes credit for Christopher’s artwork, garnering the success he could never attain. The film is anchored by Robinson’s heartbreaking performance as a man who only wants to be loved and desired by a beautiful woman. It’s a Faustian bargain with no upside, as he sinks into a ruinous abyss, trading away his reputation at work and talent as an artist.

Rating: ****. Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Amazon Prime and Kanopy

Death of a Cyclist (aka: Muerte de un Ciclista) (1955) This Spanish noir from writer/director Juan Antonio Bardem ponders the futility of running away from one’s guilt. Juan (Alberto Closas) is a college professor, having an affair with the dean’s wife, Maria (played with icy conviction by Lucia Bosè). When they hit and run a bicyclist (who subsequently dies from his injuries), they conspire to keep things quiet. Juan’s personal and professional life goes downhill, as the incident gnaws away at his conscience. But while Juan wrestles with the ramifications, Maria remains determined to suppress the truth. Bardem’s morality tale painfully illustrates how one terrible event can change someone’s life forever, and how culpability isn’t necessarily an inherent human trait.

Rating: ****. Available on DVD

Crystal Eyes (aka: Mirada de Cristal) (2017) This Argentinian pseudo-giallo from writer/directors Ezequiel Endelman and Leandro Montejano is a fun ’80s retro-tinged throwback, replete with big hair and neon colors. After the accidental death of a top model, several of her cohorts vie for her coveted spot. Unfortunately for them, they don’t realize that a psychopath (wearing a disturbing mannequin mask) lurks in the wings to pick them off, one by one. The filmmakers accomplish a lot on what appears to be a microscopic budget (as long as you don’t scrutinize the sketchy makeup and old creepy mansion that looks suspiciously like a dollhouse), with some nice visuals and splashes of color (recalling Argento’s Suspiria). Sure, it’s nothing you haven’t already seen before, but it’s easy to appreciate the affection for the genre in every scene.

Rating: ***. Available on Tubi

 The Killer Reserved Nine Seats (1974) Nine self-absorbed people are invited to an old theater and subsequently locked inside for the night with a homicidal madman. I think you can guess where it goes from there. Director/co-writer Giuseppe Bennati’s giallo is moderately entertaining with the requisite kills and sexual hijinks, as long as you don’t spend much time questioning the logic of the characters. Instead of banding together against a common antagonist, they continue to bicker and split up. Although the performances are nothing special, the true star of this thriller is the Teatro Gentile da Fabriano, built in 1884, which provides some visual flair to the proceedings.

Rating: ***. Available on DVD (PAL region 0) and Amazon Prime

The Pyjama Girl Case (1978) This not-quite-a-giallo Italian murder mystery (shot in Australia) starts on a promising note, with a body discovered on the beach. Sadly, it’s all downhill from there. Ray Milland, whose agent obviously wasn’t turning down any offers at this point, is good as a retired police detective volunteering on the case, but he's not in the film nearly enough. The story chronicles the events leading up to the murder, and director/writer Flavio Mogherini doesn’t spare any of the sleazy details in the process. His movie favors wallowing in exploitive and voyeuristic sequences (a scene where a group of people ogle a nude corpse is especially off-putting), when it would have benefitted from tension and pathos.

Rating: *½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD

April Quick Picks and Pans

The Strangler (1964) This overlooked little thriller is worthy of rediscovery, thanks to Victor Buono’s gloriously unhinged performance as Leo Kroll, a man frozen in a stage of arrested development. The standard police procedural plot is nothing special, hampered by wooden acting from David McLean and Baynes Barron as obtuse cops. Buono takes the film to a different level as Kroll with his intimidating presence, sociopathic tendencies and idiosyncrasies (he targets nurses and collects dolls, which he keeps locked in a desk drawer). He’s tormented by his hospitalized, domineering mother (Ellen Corby), who teaches him to distrust women. In one of the most memorable scenes, he expresses his love to a horrified arcade prize booth worker. If you can excuse the dated psychology, it’s a compelling portrait of a profoundly disturbed individual.  

Rating: ***½. Available on DVD and Tubi

The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974) Mimsy Farmer stars as Silvia Hacherman, a successful chemist, in director/co-writer Francesco Barilli’s (writer of Who Saw Her Die?) unconventional, slow-moving mystery. She’s confronted by many questions and few answers, as she comes face to face with a young girl who seems to know a little too much about her shady past. The film invites viewers to separate reality from delusions, with shades of Repulsion and multiple references to Alice in Wonderland, as Silvia’s sanity gradually erodes. The story moves with a deliberate pace, in a giallo seemingly devoid of murders, but stick with it as the bodies pile up in the third act. The conclusion is as baffling as it’s disturbing

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Kanopy

The Believers (1987) Martin Sheen stars as police psychologist Cal Jamison, a recent widower, who relocates to New York. He barely gets settled before becoming embroiled in a case involving a series of ritualized child murders (linked to an extremist sect of Santeria). As he digs deeper for answers, his young son (Harley Cross) is targeted by the murderous cult, whose tendrils spread far and wide. Sheen is over the top, but there are some good supporting performances by Robert Loggia as a police lieutenant, Harris Yulin as a wealthy philanthropist, and Helen Shaver as his landlord/girlfriend (she has the honor of being in the film’s ickiest scene). Director John Schlesinger builds a modicum of suspense and paranoia, although it probably would have been wise to omit the dodgy opening scene, depicting the improbable accident (milk and coffee makers don’t mix) that killed Jamison’s wife. The film might not make you a believer (pardon the pun), but there are worse ways to spend 90 or so minutes.

Rating: ***. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Prime Video

Burke and Hare (1972) Despite the tremendous potential of the subject matter, this movie somehow squanders its retelling of the infamous Burke and Hare murders, which occurred in Edinburgh, Scotland in the early 19^th century. Vernon Sewell’s 1972 film attempts to be erotic and comic, yet fails on both counts. Ne’er do wells Burke and Hare (Derren Nesbitt and Glynn Edwards) hatch a scheme to get rich, selling bodies to an anatomical school. In order to meet the increasing demands of the school, and their greed, they resort to murder to keep the product flowing. The film suffers from lethargic pacing (spending too much time with a subplot about a local brothel, frequented by doctors and medical students), feeble attempts at comedy, and does little to evoke a sense of horror or atmosphere. The theme song by The Scaffold is kind of catchy, though.

Rating: **½. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Kanopy

July Quick Picks and Pans – Giallo Month

Death Walks at Midnight (1972) This nifty thriller from director Luciano Ercoli has enough turns to keep you guessing until the end. Top fashion model Valentina (Nieves Navarro, aka: Susan Scott) takes an experimental hallucinogen for money and has visions of a brutal murder with a spiked gauntlet. As Valentina delves deeper into the mystery, she spots the murderer from her nightmares, which might just lead to her doom. Fearing she will be the next victim, she tries to convince her artist boyfriend and police, but they dismiss it as effects of the drug. Only a lone reporter appears to be her ally. The film features a pair of thugs, including a manic laughing assassin, in a climactic rooftop fight. Spoiler alert: Don’t expect Death to appear at midnight. In the context of the movie, he shows up whenever he pleases.

Rating: ****. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Amazon Prime

The Fifth Cord (1971) Director Luigi Bazzoni’s taut giallo film keeps us engaged throughout, featuring Franco Nero as alcoholic journalist Andrea Bild. As the intrepid reporter gets closer to the truth behind a series of murders, he gets deeper into hot water with the cops and his superiors. As he appears in the film, Andrea isn’t the most sympathetic of characters. He has an abusive streak, and still holds a torch for his ex-wife Helene (Silvia Monti), while spending time with his girlfriend. The Fifth Cord also features another (surprise, surprise) exceptional score from Ennio Morricone (Where would gialli have been without him?).

Rating: ****. Available on DVD

Perversion Story (aka: One on Top of the Other) (1969) This solid suspense movie, set in San Francisco, plays like a classic film noir, albeit with more explicit thrills and a swinging ‘60s vibe. Jean Sorel stars as George, a doctor in a loveless marriage. Marissa Mell stuns in a dual role as George’s asthmatic wife Susan (Marissa Mell) and femme fatale Monica Weston. When Susan suddenly dies from an accidental overdose, all signs point to him as the likely culprit. Monica, a stripper at a nightclub, might be the link he needs to clear his name. Director/co-writer Lucio Fulci’s film is stylish, sexy, and packed with enough crazy plot twists to keep you entranced.  

Rating: ***½. Available on DVD

All the Colors of the Dark (aka: They’re Coming to Get You) (1972) Sergio Martino’s horror/giallo hybrid combines mystery with shocks, in the tale of a woman who becomes mixed up in the affairs of a coven of witches. Edwige Fenech stars as Jane, a woman traumatized by the loss of her unborn baby in a car crash. She repeatedly suffers nightmares of being stabbed by an unknown man, and her constant state of fear begins to forge a rift with her fiancé Richard (George Hilton). The bad dreams become too real when the visions invade her waking hours, and she finds herself pursued by the unknown assailant. Her neighbor proposes a novel approach to her problem, inviting her to a satanic mass. Although it appears to solve her problems with intimacy, it creates new issues. Soon, she’s running for her life from the demonic cult. Martino’s film is unsettling and discombobulating, creating the illusion of a waking dream.

Warning: Pet lovers might consider steering clear, or at least looking away during the animal sacrifice sequence about midway through the film.

Rating: ***½. Available on DVD

Evil Eye (aka: The Girl Who Knew Too Much) (1963) In this fascinating early giallo film from director Mario Bava, Letícia Román plays an American tourist in Rome, Nora Davis, who seems to attract trouble from the moment she steps off the plane. She has a run-in with a drug smuggler, and her aunt dies during the first night in town. Things get worse when she witnesses a murder in the middle of a town square. The local police don’t believe her because she appears to be drunk. Only Dr. Marcello Bassi (played by a youthful John Saxon in a rare romantic role) stands in her corner. Román and Saxon are an appealing couple, who team up to solve the mystery behind a series of murders. Tense and visually gripping (featuring glorious black and white cinematography by Bava), Evil Eye (along with Bava’s Blood and Black Lace from the following year) is an excellent introduction to the genre.

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD

Death Laid an Egg (1968) Even in a genre known for oddball titles, this is an oddball title. Sadly director/co-writer Giulio Questi’s thriller doesn’t quite live up to its goofy promise. Anna (Gina Lollobrigida) owns a family estate with an experimental chicken farm, while her husband Marco (Jean-Louis Trintignant) manages operations with the controlling company. His extracurricular activities involve killing prostitutes and lusting after his young secretary, Gabrielle (Ewa Aulin). Death Laid an Egg might not be much of a murder mystery, and moves at a glacial pace, but it might be worth a look for its idiosyncratic touches, including inventive camera angles, funky editing choices, and a batch of headless/boneless chickens created on the farm.

Rating: **½. Available on DVD