The Giallo Thread

[platostotal]

I shall have Ms. Fenech... as my Avatar

[PaulD]

Originally Posted by platostotal

I shall have Ms. Fenech... as my Avatar

I'd 'av at 'er



(i dunno)

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Love and Death in the Garden of the Gods (1972)

[bdc]

Code Red will be releasing a couple of Gialli on blu-ray.
Most interesting of the announcements is Enigma Rosso so far.
Which is the third in the "Schoolgirls in peril trilogy" started with Solange and What Have They Done to Your Daughters.
So far there was only a so-so German dvd which could be considered English friendly...there was of course also the Italian dvd by CineKult (in Italian).

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bdc

Code Red will be releasing a couple of Gialli on blu-ray.
Most interesting of the announcements is Enigma Rosso so far.
Which is the third in the "Schoolgirls in peril trilogy" started with Solange and What Have They Done to Your Daughters.
So far there was only a so-so German dvd which could be considered English friendly...there was of course also the Italian dvd by CineKult (in Italian).

Hopefully a more consumer friendly company will release them in the future.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Bloodstained Butterfly (1971)

Following the brutal murder of a young French girl in a park a tv celebrity is accused of the crime and brought to trial. Unbeknown to him his lawyer is having an affair with his wife and the case for the man isn't exactly being fought with utmost conviction. Once in prison however the murders begin again.

The Bloodstained Butterfly is a giallo but not as you know it. Leaving aside all the usual genre motifs, the film concentrates on police forensics and the ensuing court case over lurid sex and violence and black gloved killers.

Director Duccio Tessari isn't someone i'm really familiar with. (I think the Alain Delon thriller No Way Out / Big Guns is the only other of his in my collection) His CV, without translation, suggests this was his only gialli among a varied career of western, drama and crime. It's a pity as The Bloodstained Butterfly is a memorable and intelligent addition to the genre. The story is complex and the denouement surprising, although perhaps not so much in this field, and the way the storyline and characters weave together is delightful in it's intricacies. It's the stylistic flourishes of Tessari that ensure the film is one that stands out in the memory though. It's photographed beautifully, Tessari's camera entering scenes from the most varied angles creating fascinating cinematography by Carlo Carlinibut. However it's the stunning score that stands out for me and makes the film a favourite of the genre. Incorporating Tchaikovsky's Concerto No. 1 for Piano into a multi layered composition by Gianni Ferrio is a hypnotic experience and simply sublime in it's execution.

As a giallo it's not a film i can recommend because it differs so much from the norm, but as an Italian crime film it's really quite exemplary.

I watched this via Arrow's dvd from the recent Blu/dvd combo release and found it's colours to be completely natural, although blacks are a tad hazy at times. The picture, upscaled, is sharp but i've seen better from other giallo releases. This sounds like i'm being critical but i'm not. I wouldn't have even commented on the tech aspects had i not been asked. However as i was and i am, i will say that the soundtrack is stunning. The music beautifully mixed and voices crystal clear. I watched the English dub as there was so much missing from the subtitles, especially during the crime scene investigation, i just had to hear it all.

Highly recommended.

[sjconstable]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Director Duccio Tessari isn't someone i'm really familiar with. (I think the Alain Delon thriller No Way Out / Big Guns is the only other of his in my collection) His CV, without translation, suggests this was his only gialli among a varied career of western, drama and crime.

He also made this giallo: L'uomo senza memoria (1974) - IMDb

And people also class 'Death Occurred Last Night' as one, but it's a poliziottescho.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by sjconstable

He also made this giallo: L'uomo senza memoria (1974) - IMDb

And people also class 'Death Occurred Last Night' as one, but it's a poliziottescho.

Ah yes Puzzle. A film i try to block from memory. I used to have the AWE disc but really didn't get on with the film at all.

I don't have Death Occurred Last Night yet. Any good? I've been meaning to buy the Raro release for ages.

[sjconstable]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Ah yes Puzzle. A film i try to block from memory. I used to have the AWE disc but really didn't get on with the film at all.

I don't have Death Occurred Last Night yet. Any good? I've been meaning to buy the Raro release for ages.

Yeah it's pretty good

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

The Killer Reserved Nine Seats (1974)