Short night of the glass dolls
Journalist Gregory Moore (Jean Sorel) is found seemingly dead in a Prague park. However we soon learn he's actually alive but trapped in his body, desperate for someone to notice he's not dead as he faces a pending autopsy. As he lies on the slab he flashes back to the events that led him to his current predicament, the disappearance of his girlfriend and the occult conspiracy he uncovers investigating it.
Aldo Lado's Giallo is one of the real highlights of the genre. Not only is it incredibly intense, as Moore desperately pleads for someone to notice he's alive. It's also a very smart little picture. The setting in Prague is a great idea. Made only a few years after the Prague spring and the attempt to liberalise the country after the repressive communist regime that took power after world war 2. One of the themes of the film is the repression of the state against individualism and the corruption of the authoritarian state. Its also worth noting that Prague was the home town of Franz Kafka whose more nightmarish tales of bureaucracy going out of control informs some of the plot points of the film. Also the occult history of Prague certainly comes into play, especially in the final act.
I have the camera obscura release of this, but honestly if you haven't picked this up yet save your cash and buy 88's release. There's very little difference in the transfers an if anything 88's looks slightly better. Its probably £20 or so cheaper as well
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