Occasionally a giallo comes along that’s so self-conscious of being part of the genre that the tropes are shoved in to the detriment of the plot. It may have been that I was watching this at 6am, but I really wasn’t following developments at all closely. The redheads all looked like each other, the blondes looked like each other (it took a while to realise they were twins) and the finger of guilt was lain heavily on the shoulder of everyone except the police inspector, so of course I thought it was him.
All in all, this one deserves to be in the Forgotten GIalli collection, the first film watched from the newly-arrived Volume 6.
Funky music - no, an uneven Roberto Pregadio score with zero funk that I noticed Twist ending - yes, you never suspect the identity of the real killer; or at least I didn’t Witness of murder - yes, through a telescope Striptease - yes, by a dancer rehearsing a show Killer’s POV - yes Man slaps woman - not even a tickle Overloud or inappropriate music - nope Outrageous title - yes, don’t anthropomorphise death, matey J&B bottle - yes Naked woman - yes Death by stabbing - yes Red herring - yes, a fair few Black-gloved killer - yes Goofy police inspector - not gonna lie, I’m sorely tempted. More “a bit crap” than goofy. Important picture - yes Woman takes bath or shower - no splashy splashy here Blackmail - one of the few available plot devices that weren’t included Gay/lesbian character - yes, a totally gratuitous lesbian bed scene Important memory - nobody seemed to have a memory Random scene in Italian - watched as usual in Italian Ooh ooh music - no, would have been welcome Death by razor - yes Childhood trauma - only if I’d seen this on release Killer’s footsteps - yes, unsubtly, given the murderer needed a cane
A respectable 14 giallo bingo points for an unprepossessing film.
Aka The Young, the Evil and the Savage, with the director credited as Anthony Dawson.
Originally a Mario Brava project, ending up as a slightly light-hearted murder mystery with a decent twist at the end.
Half a dozen girls have stayed at their posh boarding school during the holidays, along with some of the staff. Only two of the twenty-somethings presenting as seventeen could be described as spunky; Jill, the amateur sleuth and Lucille, who’s in love with the riding instructor.
A mysterious trunk and a new teacher arrive, whereupon Agatha Christie grabs the plot and refuses to let go.
It resolves in a fairly satisfying way with a post-denouement joke that slightly demeans what’s gone before.
Funky music - from the start, a distinctive main title song that’s half Bond, half sixties Batman, take a bow Carlo Savina Twist ending - very much so, but something right out of the blue Witness of murder - no, just attempts Striptease - no Killer’s POV - yes Man slaps woman - yes Overloud or inappropriate music - hmm, yes, some Barry Gray-like flourishes for sure Outrageous title - yes J&B bottle - no (in a girls’ school? Really!) Naked woman - yes Death by stabbing - yes Red herring - many and varied Black-gloved killer - yes Goofy police inspector - no, quite competent in fact, as you’d expect from Michael Rennie Important picture - no Woman takes bath or shower - yes, in curiously brackish water Blackmail - no Gay/lesbian character - vaguely hinted at but not overtly enough Important memory - no Random scene in Italian - n/a Ooh ooh music - no Death by razor - a variety of weapons but not that Childhood trauma - no Killer’s footsteps - no
Overall, enjoyable but quite tame in the sex’n’death department.
Imagine if a giallo had been made that took several of the House With Laughing Windows cast, put them into a Then There Were None scenario in an ancestral castle and then made it a comedy…. Is it still a giallo?
Fortunately we don’t have to worry about that, because despite heavy-handed attempts to split the viewers’ sides it thoroughly fails to amuse.
Director Pupi Avati describes it as a parody. I could wish Mel Brooks had included the giallo in his portfolio. There would have been a few quotable lines. Maybe I’m being unfair - to a native Italian speaker perhaps All Deceased is hilarious.
Funky music - no, more jazz band Twist ending - yes, and quite unexpected Witness of murder - no (plenty of murders, however) Striptease - god no Killer’s POV - not that I recall Man slaps woman - no Overloud or inappropriate music - no, it’s appropriately annoying Outrageous title - yes J&B bottle - yes Naked woman - no Death by stabbing - yes Red herring - a few Black-gloved killer - yes Goofy police inspector - one of the main characters is a private detective who would qualify exactly for this, but he’s not the fuzz Important picture - no Woman takes bath or shower - yes Blackmail - no Gay/lesbian character - some suspicions but not obvious Important memory - no Random scene in Italian - watched in Italian Ooh ooh music - no Death by razor - some very inventive (and ridiculous) methods but not this Childhood trauma - no Killer’s footsteps - yes
I’m glad I didn’t pay a lot for this, but equally glad that I’ve experienced a giallo played (deliberately) for laughs. It’s not entirely successful.
Hi TG, thank you for another round of Giallo Bingo. Always fun to read
Interestingly, I always loved DEATH CARRIES A CANE since I saw it on German dubbed VHS sometime in the 80s. Don't know really why but the final in the greenhouse always gets me. Even today with the Austrian Blu-Ray which features the wonderful German dub.
Horst Naumann, who dubbed the Inspector, passed away a few months ago at the age of 98 !! He was quite active until his death on stage and audio dramas, etc. Amazing !!
Thanks, Grimsdyke - always a pleasure to add more to the thread.
As a tip of the hat to you, I’ll make it my next viewing, to see if it has more charm than I gave it credit for the second time around. It has a commentary track involving Troy Howarth - I may experience it that way.
Second viewing with commentary track: it made a bit more sense, albeit the commentary was a bit dry. At one point poor editing meant that two commentaries were overlapping for a short while, which I don’t recall happening before.
Overall I’d say I’m fonder of the film for the additional viewing.
Cold-Blooded Beast aka Slaughter Hotel (Fernando Di Leo, 1971)
Di Leo has a pretty good pedigree, directing Milano Calibro 9 and Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man, amongst other polizios, and also had a hand in the screenplays of the first two Dollars films and other seminal westerns.
Set in a retreat for mentally disturbed wealthy women, utilising an old Manor House, the staff didn’t think to rid it of its display of weaponry: an axe, swords, a mace, a crossbow and a noose! All get implemented at one time or another, not to mention the gardener’s scythe. And not forgetting that feature vital for every mental institution: an iron maiden.
It’s also sexually explicit in the longer versions, with body doubles providing the edgier moments. The gore is blessedly unconvincing while trying to be nasty.
Unfortunately there are several thoroughly boring stretches which destroy the pace of the film, unforgivable in their tedium.
I almost forgot to mention Klaus Kinsky’s part in this, which must have been just for box office, as he had so little to do other then provide suspicion and chainsmoke.
Funky music - no, actually a very good score by Silvano Spadaccino, suspenseful and groovy (but not funky), ruined by the insertion at the end of … but read on! Twist ending - yes Witness of murder - technically, absolutely Striptease - a tricky one but no Killer’s POV - no Man slaps woman - yes, stupid gardener Overloud or inappropriate music - the killing spree at the end is orchestrated to Shostakovich’s 11th symphony finale. Wonderful music but inappropriate and the score (good as it is) isn’t keyed into it at all Outrageous title - going to say yes, as the US title is sensationalist AND incorrect as it’s a hospital and not a hotel. J&B bottle - yes Naked woman - yes Death by stabbing - yes Red herring - yes, various false leads are introduced Black-gloved killer - yes Goofy police inspector - yes yes yes! “Lieutenant Long” attends the murder scene, then picks up the phone to police HQ, tells them to send the “emergency squad” immediately… and then puts the phone down with no clue as to where to send them! Important picture - no Woman takes bath or shower - yes, both, repeatedly Blackmail - no Gay/lesbian character - yes Important memory - no, although the sometimes flashy editing introduces memories insignificant to the plot Random scene in Italian - yes! In the attempt to present the longest possible version of the film Ooh ooh music - nooh nooh Death by razor - no Childhood trauma - one of the characters was clearly affected by childhood events; but didn’t seem to find them traumatic Killer’s footsteps - no
Overall a film that could have been a lot better with some more disciplined editing and if they’d trusted the composer to elevate himself to a finale instead of nicking one of the best symphonic climaxes ever.
Death Smiles on a Murderer (Aristide Massaccesi aka Joe D’Amato, 1973)
In favour of this film being classed as a giallo: The music Weird gory deaths Disturbed bedding Ewa Aulin and Klaus Kinsky
Against: The supernatural
I’m including it because I can, but it’s really a gothic horror film with the fledgling director’s inexperience showing by missing the chance to ramp up the tension in favour of cheap shocks and an unnecessarily convoluted plot.
The lovely Greta (Aulin) suffers an incestuous relationship with her gibbous brother and is misused by a number of characters. Dying while giving birth to a stillborn child, her brother steals a resurrective potion developed by Kinsky (in a cameo, really, despite prominent billing) and brings her back to life. What could go wrong?
Tip for her brother: if someone throws you a murderous cat intent with clawing off your face, don’t catch it. Or if you do, just drop it… simples.
Funky music - no Twist ending - I don’t know… something happens at the end but I think I’ll have to attend the audio commentary track for theories and pick one. For now, no. Witness of murder - no Striptease - no Killer’s POV - yes Man slaps woman - no Overloud or inappropriate music - has to be a yes. The Berto Pisano score is very enjoyable, but anachronistic, and not appropriate for the fin de siècle setting Outrageous title - no, just boring and generic J&B bottle - apparently not a thing in 1909 Naked woman - yes Death by stabbing - no Red herring - there’s a butler; and where there’s a butler, a rosy-hued oily fish is sure to follow Black-gloved killer - no Goofy police inspector - thoroughly hopeless, solves nothing but is involved in the mystery ending. Not goofy. Important picture - no Woman takes bath or shower - yes Blackmail - no Gay/lesbian character - yes, see three lines below Important memory - no Random scene in Italian - no Ooh ooh music - yes, backing the unlikely love triangle where husband and wife are both serially canoodling with the crazily cute Ewa Aulin. Unfortunately, the deader she gets, the cuter she ain’t. Death by razor - yes Childhood trauma - no, although the thought of Greta being on the receiving end of Luciano Rossi’s brotherly love is indeed traumatic for the viewer Killer’s footsteps - no
So almost not a giallo, and I may revisit the above once I take in the commentary. For now: eight giallo bingo points.
I wonder what the bottles looked like in those days. Justerini & Brooks does indeed have a mildly interesting history.
I have just been reminded of the following, not giallo but booze related- I was watching one of my Gianni Garko westerns( one scored by Nora Orlandi). Garko walks into a saloon ,over to bar. Barman says 'what'll it be'. ' I'll have a drambuie'. The barman tries to persuade him to pick another drink but he wants that one. There is a villain and his gun hiding behind the liqueur. Gun play ensues. Point of trivia: I started grinning and said to pops that they'd made a mistake as it wasn't that old. Imagine my surprise, when, a few days later there was a tv ad and quite prominently was displayed - 'since 1746'. You could've knocked me over with a feather.
I wonder what the bottles looked like in those days. Justerini & Brooks does indeed have a mildly interesting history.
I have just been reminded of the following, not giallo but booze related- I was watching one of my Gianni Garko westerns( one scored by Nora Orlandi). Garko walks into a saloon ,over to bar. Barman says 'what'll it be'. ' I'll have a drambuie'. The barman tries to persuade him to pick another drink but he wants that one. There is a villain and his gun hiding behind the liqueur. Gun play ensues. Point of trivia: I started grinning and said to pops that they'd made a mistake as it wasn't that old. Imagine my surprise, when, a few days later there was a tv ad and quite prominently was displayed - 'since 1746'. You could've knocked me over with a feather.
A Blade in the Dark (1983) A film composer rents a villa while he composes a film score. People get killed
Funky music= no, one piece of slight. Jazz the rest was shit Twist ending= I say yes , came complete with signposts Witness of murder= only their own Striptease= no such luck Killer’s POV= yes, but not prominent Man slaps woman= no such luck Overloud or inappropriate music= yes, one of the poorest I've hears. All the more annoying as it's about a film composer( and he wasn't German) Outrageous title= no, in fact it was to the point J&B bottle = not a sniff Naked woman= yes, as magazine pictures and one when changing into a swimsuit Death by stabbing= several and one by spanner and one by cine film Red herring=,if you're feeling generous Black gloved killer= briefly Goofy police inspector= not a coppa in sight, even in the epilogue Important picture= no Woman takes bath or shower= no Blackmail= nope Gay/lesbian character= maybe Important memory= I can't recall Random scene in Italian= no Ooh ooh music= once , while killer was stroking a set of kitchen knives Death by razor= no and no one shaved , either Childhood trauma= yes , the basis of the film within the film Killer’s footsteps= briefly
So a poor nine. And the film was a bit on the poor side, limp.
I had more fun with this than our beloved prince did. It's true giallo, but, yes, a lot of it is predictable - and the English dub is hilarious. (Our film music composer hero throws around words like "perspicacity" casually and his film director friend brightly states "All's well that finishes well.") But it's classic thrills and gore. (The murder of one of the victims, in a bathroom, a la Psycho, is extremely disturbing.) I enjoyed the score more than Damien did as well (both the actual score and the composer hero's main riff heard throughout.) (There actually is a brief bit of synth funk during a scene where the composer and director explore a basement. Also when the composer's girlfriend is being stalked later on.)
I would also give a point to a striptease for the manner in which the killer secretly watches the swimsuit changer. It's a striptease to the killer's POV. Later, the swimmer shampoos herself using a sink, so it's pretty much a taking a bath situation.
I feel generous enough to give this a red herring point. There is more than one suspicious character here. I would say there's an important memory as well.
I would give this at least 13 giallo points. Watch it and decide for yourself. If you don't then you're a "female" and a "vacant nerd." (The stilted English dub alone makes this a fun watch.)
I watched this only a few days ago, by sheer coincidence. I was a little surprised that the YouTuber included it in his top ten, but by his own admission he hasn’t seen a lot of Gialli. I’d suggest perhaps eleven?
If I ever watch it again it’ll have to be in the English dub to get the fun out of that. Overall I still maintain that the film within the film is better than the film it’s within…
Don’t get me wrong, there are many worse ones, but to have it higher in the ranking than Blood and Black Lace is just crazy in any language
Heh, I think the Cobwebs Channel guy likes to be provocative in his lists. He placed Plague of the Zombies over Night of the Living Dead in his Best 1960s Horror Movies upload. I agree with that myself, but most people are more familiar with Living Dead as the '60s zombie film.
