Most of the best gialli are mystery thrillers. What makes them borderline horrors are the often grisly murders & the heightened tension which is more intense than regular thrillers, but they are still mysteries at heart. Nearly all the ones in my list are more mystery than horror.
As far as gialli that are ‘noirish’, I don’t think there are any that truly qualify for that label. Some that might would include Puzzle, The Girl Who Knew Too Much, Cat O’Nine Tails & The Fifth Cord. I wouldn’t call any of them noir, but they have some noirish elements.
But I wouldn’t get too hung-up on trying to find noirish ones, or ones that are purely mystery, otherwise you’ll miss out on some absolutely amazing films. Most of the best gialli are truly edge-of-the-seat experiences. Also, many have great photography, sets & soundtracks.
Had some revisions to my previous list. How’s this?
My Dear Killer
Bloodstained Shadow
Enigma Rosso
Cat O’Nine Tails
Who Saw Her Die?
Iguana With a Tongue of Fire
Black Belly of the Tarantula
Sette Scialli di Seta Gialla
Pyjama Girl Case
Il Profumo della Signora in Nero
Evil Senses
Four Flies on Grey Velvet
Don’t Look Now
Seven Blood Stained Orchids
What Have You Done to Solange?
New York Ripper
Murder Rock
Don’t Look Now is not excactly a Giallo, it’s a Giallo in some ways but not your usual Giallo. If it is, it’ the first Giallo I saw. I could send you a copy of it as well as some of the others, will send you a PM.
Good or great.
What Have You Done to Solange?
Il Profumo della Signora in Nero
New York Ripper
Who Saw Her Die?
Black Belly of the Tarantula
Cat O’Nine Tails
ok:
Bloodstained Shadow
Sette Scialli di Seta Gialla
Pyjama Girl Case
Four Flies on Grey Velvet
Seven Blood Stained Orchids
Bad:
Iguana With a Tongue of Fire
Haven’t sen:
My Dear Killer
Enigma Rosso
Murder Rock
Don’t Look Now
Evil Senses
i need to watch more giallos…Ive only seen Suspuria and the Psychic…both pretty good…but i dont know…im more of a fan of the western side of italian cinema, what can i say
Just finished Mario Siciliano´s Eroticofollia. Guaranteed to fuck your head up if you smoke some green. David Lynch type stuff avant la lettre, but cooler as it has Anthony Steffen and Jorge Rivero (Guns & Guts). The paranormal, occult stuff is very effective. Plenty of nudity, but I wouldn’t call it sleaze. Weird stuff going on and the chronological order is messed with. Some attention is needed in order to get it, but multiple viewings will do the trick as well. Watched it three times over the last eight days and it finally makes some sense. 7/10
Rewatched Short night of glass dolls last night. Good stuff, nicely constructed giallo. I always like it when a film immediately grabs your attention and this film certainly does. Middle part is slow, but interesting because of the flashbacks. Great surprise ending. 7/10
Watched Mozart is a Murderer, a 1999 Sergio Martino giallo on Dutch dvd. A solid film, especially for a tv production. Not too lavish in the production department, but ok all around. The whodunit plot was fairly well laid out and kept me entertained. 6/10
Yeah, haha. I had watched it before some time ago, but didn´t remember it anyway.
Death Walks at Midnight was viewed today.
This has b movie written all over it. But it’s a fun flick nevertheless. Nieves Navarro carries the film and does it very well. It’s a pleasure to watch her slapping guys in the face, kicking them in the nuts, throwing in windows with rocks etc. Kitty got claws. As for the film, it makes very little sense. But it delivers the goods. 6,5/10
