I merged this recommendation topic to older giallo topic.
Am on a bit of a Gialli kick at the moment (along with their Brit equivalents) so thought I’d get this thread going again.
Watched 2 recently.
The Psychic (1977 / Fulci)
Fulci at his best and most restrained here. Good story, well told and although I guessed the killer pretty early on there was plenty to keep you guessing. Really liked this one.
Death Carries a Cane (1973 / Pradeaux)
Was keen to see this one because of its cast (Nieves Navarro, Robert Hoffman, George Martin, Simon Andreu) but it was largely a disappointment. Some good elements and of course Nieves looks wonderful but, on the whole, it lacks that sense of style that sets the great Gialli apart from the average.
[quote=“Phil H, post:422, topic:520”]Am on a bit of a Gialli kick at the moment (along with their Brit equivalents) so thought I’d get this thread going again.
Watched 2 recently.
The Psychic (1977 / Fulci)
Fulci at his best and most restrained here. Good story, well told and although I guessed the killer pretty early on there was plenty to keep you guessing. Really liked this one.
Death Carries a Cane (1973 / Pradeaux)
Was keen to see this one because of its cast (Nieves Navarro, Robert Hoffman, George Martin, Simon Andreu) but it was largely a disappointment. Some good elements and of course Nieves looks wonderful but, on the whole, it lacks that sense of style that sets the great Gialli apart from the average.[/quote]
I had a really difficult time staying awake for The Psychic Impossibly slow for me.
That’s how I felt, then I watched it a 2nd time and it was a masterpiece.
Don’t Torture A Ducking is similarly slow, but I think it captures a real sense of atmosphere and menace, in comparison.
I guess one man’s slow is another’s restrained and deliberate. I thought this one was paced just right.
We certainly agree here. Duckling is another favourite of mine and, again, Fulci at his best.
[quote=“Phil H, post:426, topic:520”]I guess one man’s slow is another’s restrained and deliberate. I thought this one was paced just right.
We certainly agree here. Duckling is another favourite of mine and, again, Fulci at his best.[/quote]
Yeah, I really dug Duckling My copy starts to skip right the near the end, however! DOH! 
!!!
Last night’s post work film for me was Sergio Martino’s All the Colours of the Dark (1972).
No hidden killer here but a “is she / isn’t she mad” kind of story with nightmares and trippy druggy stuff thrown in to help add atmosphere and confuse matters nicely. Good stuff from Martino this, but with a cast that is lead by Edwige Fenech, George Hilton and Ivan Rassimov he would be hard pressed to make a dud in my opinion. Well shot and with some genuinely eery and surreal looking nightmare sequences. It also has the added benefit of being set and shot in London which never fails to press the right buttons for me. Although, of course, this does (as always) lead to some bizarre geographical continuity situations. In this one we get the lovely Edwige getting on the tube. Next station is Aldwych (we can read the sign clearly). She gets off in a panic at the next station which turns out to be Holland Park! :o That should be at least 8 stops including a change of trains at Holborn. ;D But who cares. The scene itself is actually very good. In fact one of the best in the picture.
Good film, well made. Only the ending is a little weak but I’d had more than enough pleasure by then to not care.
[quote=“Phil H, post:429, topic:520”]It also has the added benefit of being set and shot in London which never fails to press the right buttons for me. [/quote]The flats are in Putney Phil, thought I’d mention that in case you only noticed some of the other areas 
It’s funny you should mention them, mate. You can see the name of the building in tiles on the street at the entrance way and I was considering googling it. You’ve saved me some time. 
Also makes me smile in these films when they walk in from a London street and use what is clearly an Italian telephone and light up an Italian fag. ;D Although there is always the international brand of J&B which fits any location.
Up to now I’ve seen about 60 Gialli
My favourites are
Profondo Rosso
Sei donne per l’assassino
Non si sevizia un paperino
L’uccello dalle piume di cristallo
La casa dalle finestre che ridono (heavily connected with Horror)
La corta notte delle bambole di vetro
Cosa avete fatto a Solange?
L’assassino è costretto a uccidere ancora
Lo strano vizio della Signora Wardh
Una farfalla con le ali insanguinate
Tutti i colori del buio
Una sull’altra
Sette orchidee macchiate di rosso
Quite interesting as well
Una lucertola con la pelle di donna
Reazione a catena (Ecologia del delitto)
La bestia uccide a sangue freddo
The worst I’ve seen
Amore e morte nel giardino degli Dei
La sorella di Ursula
Cinque bambole per la luna d’agosto
Un bianco vestito per Marialé
Gatti rossi in un labirinto di vetro
I disagree, in my opinion isn’t so bad!
More Giallo for me tonight. This time it was The Short Night of Glass Dolls (Lado / 1971)
Original idea having the lead character in a coma the whole way through and kept me guessing through to the end how it would play out. Eery in places, trippy in others and always interesting. Good ending too. Having a great run with these at the moment. Excellent films for a late night viewing after a long shift.
Watched [glow=red,2,300]Baron Blood[/glow] by Mario Bava. Certainly not among his best but I think among his last movies!?
Last night’s Giallo fix was The Red Queen Kills Seven Times which I thought I would like more than I actually did. Barbara Bouchet is always welcome of course and there were some nice set pieces but, on the whole, it left me a bit flat and I came away thinking it was a bit hit and miss really. The storyline, for a start, was far too convoluted which made the final ‘twist’ all a bit complex and confusing. Plus the dialogue and acting were not up to the standard (however patchy that often is in these films) of the better Gialli in my opinion. It was OK, as it had enough positives to keep me going but far from the best of the genre I think.
As an aside, I was struck by the decor of the apartment of the lead Guy’s apartment and was sure I’d seen it in The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh. Checked it this morning and what do you know?
The Red Queen Kills 7 Times
The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh
They even utilise the same spy hole idea in the door.
The Red Queen Kills 7 Times
The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh
I remember thinking when I saw Mrs Wardh that Edwige’s apartment had some way out decor and assumed it was a studio set. But I guess it must have been a real apartment as these two films have it in identical condition right down to the furniture. I’d love to know who owned the place. And what drugs the decorator was on when they fitted it out. :
Footnote: Oh, and despite some nice gory bits in The Red Queen, the scariest thing in the film by far is that shorty dressing gown worn by Ugo Pagliai. (Check out the top pic here) :o
Not my idea of mini either
In that scene it would be better to pay attention to Sybil Danning’s remarkable nude! ;D
She does help take the mind off Pagliai’s micro bedroom wear it is true.
The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail (Martino / 1971)
Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Well directed by Martino with some genuinely tense moments and a great cast. The ‘Pscho-esque’ killing of the main character one third inwas also a nice touch and took me by surprise. Martino was very good at these films and this one is a good example of his craft I think.
Case of the Scorpion’s Tail is one of my favorites… I liked Red Queen Kills 7 Times but I also thought it could have been way better. I just picked up Delirium… Going to watch it tonight