Col cuore in gola (I Am What I Am)

Cul cuore in gola was Tinto Brass first and only giallo. Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to see this, but considering it stars both Jean-Louis Trintignant and Ewa Aulin I'd certainly like to. At the moment there's an Italian DVD without any English options available, but according to rumors this will be released by Cult Epics during 2009. Let's hope so!

Omicidio per appuntamento (Date of a Murder)

Mino Guerrini's Omicidio per appuntamento was co-scripted Fernando Di Leo. The film is something of a spy/giallo hybrid and has a very 60's feel to it. Even though George Ardission isn't one the more memorable giallo protagonists ever, I still find the film quite entertaining. The chemistry between the two male leads is good and there's a a great sequence on roof that features some dangerous looking stunt work. 

Copkiller

Like yesterday's poster, Copkiller is another film that I don't really consider a giallo. The first few minutes makes you think that it might be, but then there's a change of pace and the rest of the film is almost like a stage-play, set in a New York apartment overlooking Central Park. I'm not generally that keen on Italian films set in the States, but this is pretty good stuff with good performances by both Harvey Keitel and John "Johnyy Rotten" Lydon.

Autostop Rosso sangue (Hitch Hike)

There are quite a few definitions of what constitutes a Giallo and every now and then you come across heated discussions on boards and forums if particular films should be counted as gialli or not. When I started this blog earlier this year, I decided that if the film is included in Adrian Luther Smith's Blood and Black Lace, it's ok to post the locandina here. There are a few films that I wouldn't classify as gialli that are included though. This and tomorrow's poster are two of them. Autostop Rosso sangue is a very good film, but to me it has far more in common with the "terror" genre (The House on the Edge of the Park, Night Train Nurders, Lonely Violent Beach) than the giallo genre. Great poster though, so I'm glad I get the chance to post it here.

Il Tuo vizio è una stanza chiusa e solo io ne ho la chiave (Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key)

I'll end the week with one of my favourite posters, the locandina for Sergio Martino's Il Tuo vizio è una stanza chiusa e solo io ne ho la chiave. A great film and a fantastic title. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find out who id the artwork, but it looks like he might possibly have found some inspiration in Edvard Munch's The Scream.

Misteria (Body Puzzle)

Recently re-watched Misteria for the first time in a couple of years and this is one my favorites out of Lamberto's gialli. There are some excellent set-pieces to be found in a few of his other films, but on the whole this is a much more satisfying film for me. I know not everybody appreciates Joanna Pacula and Tomas Arana, but I think they work quite well together here.

Amore e Morte nel giardino degli dei

The only reason I've got the locandina for Amore e Morte nel giardino degli dei is dumb luck. I'd won a lot of four locandine that included Lenzi's Un posto ideale per uccidere for 9 euro and was pretty pleased about winning that one. I was unfamiliar with this particular title and the imdb lists this as a drama/fantasy, so it wasn't until I was looking through Blood and Black Lace one day that I realized this was a giallo. Haven't seen the film so I can't really say anything other that Sauro Scavolini is the brother of Romano Scavolini of Nightmare fame.

Il Coltello di ghiaccio (Knife of Ice)

Time for some posters from the golden era of the gialli after the 80's posters last week. Lenzi's Il Coltello di ghiaccio is one the best gialli of his career, but unfortunately it turned out to be the last of his collaborations with Carroll Baker. Although the Japanese DVD from Trash Mountain Video is quite decent, I'd love to see this get the full special edition treatment at some point. Great looking locandina from Studio Casaro.

Phenomena

I watched Phenomena twice last month. I managed to catch it on the big screen (I was really excited about this, but slightly let down when it turned out it was a DVD, rather than film that was projected) and also picked the R2 Medusa DVD up. This edition contains the Integral version of the film (with English subs). Never watched the film in Italian before and it was a slightly strange experience to see the film without hearing Jennifer Connelly's and Donald Pleasance's voices. Unfortunately the misplaced heavy metal was still there though.
Great poster art by E. Sciotti

Arabella l'angelo nero (Angela, the Black Angel)

Stelvio Massi might have been responsible for some great poliziesci (including the enjoyable Mark trilogy), but Arabella l'angelo nero really is a very poor giallo. Without a decent script and unable to create any kind of suspense, Massi goes all with the sleaze instead and any female character sheds her clothes within seconds of appearing on screen. Well, everybody apart from Evelyn Stewart. I always feel a bit sorry for her when I watch this. She'd been in films by Fellini and Visconti and she starred in handful of classic gialli titles, but by 1989 she was reduced to starring in this kind of shabby fare. No wonder this was one of her last films.

L'Assassino è ancora tra noi (The Killer is Still Among Us)

L'Assassino è ancora tra noi is loosely based on the still unsolved murders by the Mostro di Firenze in the early 80's and is mostly known for the very brutal killings that bookends the film. With no English language version available, a lack of any greater set-pieces or suspense through the greater part of the film and shot in a dull looking tv-style, it's easy to understand why this hasn't received any praise by giallo fans. I'd only seen the Italian language print until recently when I had the chance to see the excellent fan dvd made by Oli at Profondo Blogger. It's still not a great giallo by any means, but the subtitles certainly increased my appreciation of the film.

Follia omicida (Murder Obsession)

And people complain about The Iguana with the Tounge of Fire??!! I recently revisited Riccardo Freda's final giallo Follia Omicidia from 1981 and it's a very, very poor effort, even by 80's giallo standard. Overlong, convoluted and short of suspense, this film is a mess. Add a godawful synth soundtrack and some of the worst special effects you're likely to see and you're got yourself a film you're unlikely to want to revisit on a regular basis.

Murderock - uccide a passo di danza (Murder Rock)

It's time for another 80's week and what better way to start it off than with Fulci's Murder Rock. Made four years after the original Fame film and with the tv-series still running, the setting of this 1984 giallo must have seemed like a great idea at the time. Cue plenty of dance scenes, leotards, leg warmers, a very 80’s score by Keith Emerson and some cracking alternate titles that almost sound too good to be true: Slashdance and Giallo a Disco.
There’s some gut-wrenchingly bad Fame-inspired dialogue, hilarious dancing in skimpy outfits and apart from Cosimo Cinieri, the acting really isn’t all that great but I find Murderock strangely entertaining in spite of all this.