My Top Five Giallo Films in the Time of Covid
I love the giallo genre. Even a bad giallo is at the very least entertaining, if not perplexing. I love gialli films as much as other people love super-hero films. In a time where every film or television program is packed full of modern politics or social justice browbeating, I’ve been drawn even deeper into the insane Italian films of Dario Argento, Mario Bava, and Lucio Fulci. Movies today are meant to send a message, to preach someone else’s morality, and to win awards. The Italian films made from the mid-60’s to the late 80’s were made for one reason—to entertain. Beautiful women, dashing men, neon blood, and a tongue in cheek sensibility make these films fun. Yes, they are brutally violent, they depict horrible things and outdated sensibilities, but they also depict persons taking it upon themselves to uncover the evildoer at the risk of their own lives. Also, if you are a sensitive soul, these movies aren’t for you. If you are easily offended, you should probably avoid all films made in the 1970’s in general.
What is a giallo? It’s pulp. Think about a dime store mystery novel in the spinner at the local Barnes and Noble, but sexier. Gialli films fall somewhere between Hitchcock and the modern slashers. They normally involve an outsider coming into a world of which they have little understanding. Whether that be a small town, a dance school, or the fashion industry, there’s always somebody who gets pulled into the mystery. This outsider will encounter friends, foes, and just plain weirdos. A killer will be on the prowl and we along with them. We will see the murders this killer commits through their eyes in a POV camera view while the killers creepy musical score carries on around us. Characters we love and hate die, because in giallo, no one is safe. Also, the resolution may not make any sense, but that’s fine, because as Stephen King has always told us, it’s the journey that matters, not the ending.
So here are my top 5 gialli I’ve been watching during the 2020 Corona Virus Quarantine:
5. A Blade in the Dark – Lamberto Bava
I think this may be the most palatable film for modern audiences. The set-up is much more familiar. A horror composer is holed up at a secluded mansion in the countryside in order to complete his new work. He is composing the score for a new horror film based on biographical information provided by the film’s director from a secret source. Multiple mysteries, who is the killer and who is the film about, a dual mystery. Are they the same person? Are there two killers? This film was made a television miniseries for Italian television, with a kill placed at the end of every 30 minute episode. The kills were so bloody, it was refused by Italian television and thus recut into a single feature. The pacing for television means that this movie is fast and furious. There is very little downtime compared to other gialli and it has great score by Oliver Onions to boot.
4. Blood and Black Lace - Mario Bava
This movie is beautiful. Bava was the master of atmosphere who never got his just credit for the American filmmakers who ripped off his workm, I’m looking at you Sean Cunningham. Blood and Black Lace is a study in how to make a murder mystery sexy. A masked killer cuts their way through a stable of fashion models on the hunt for a diary. The diary contains all sorts of sordid information including details of abortions performed on models, records of drug deals, and other lurid details. The killer is on a rampage to stop these details from being found, but with each murder, information slips out. The kill scenes are incredible set pieces that fit the setting of high fashion. Beautiful deaths for beautiful people. This may be the most influential film of the genre.
3. Tenebre - Dario Argento
Tenebre or Tenebrae, depending on where you saw the film, is the most 80’s a giallo can be. It’s brash, coked up, and glorious. It follows Stephen King… I mean Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa). A famous American thriller writer who travels to Italy on a book tour of his new, and controversial novel. Murders begin following his first meeting with the press, with the murderer sending letters to police and Peter Neal himself, letting everyone know that the author is the inspiration for the crimes. This film is a blast. It’s brightly lit, gorgeously shot, and has one of the most coherent plots found in the genre. There’s multiple fakeouts, a great Goblin synth score, and one insane kill scene that I can’t believe got by the ratings board. Highly Recommended.
2. Cat O’Nine Tails - Dario Argento
To me, this is the most complete Argento film. It features fully fleshed out characters that are actually likable, a rarity in the genre. Most characters in these movies are annoying douche-bags. Deep Red is widely considered to be the best Gialli ever made and it has one of the most annoying leading men ever. In The Cat of Nine Tails, Argento gives us three leads to root for: a blind crossword writer (Karl Malden) and his six-year-old adopted niece, and a dashing reporter (James Franciscus). Together they investigate murders surrounding a genetics laboratory and a secret study being performed there. There’s something for everybody in this film including corporate espionage, incest, switchblade canes, and poison milk.
The Bird With the Crystal Plumage - Dario Argento
So, yeah… I’m an Argento fanboy. Sue me. This was Argento’s directorial debut and my personal favorite of the genre. This movie plays with you through giving you a view of not only the killer’s POV, but also the protagonist. We see an attempted murder foiled, or did we? Do we remember the details? Is there something we missed? The protagonist doesn’t know and neither do we. In fact, if you run the initial scene in slow motion you could probably solve the mystery. Much like Ari Aster did in Midsommar, everything you need to solve the film is right there in front of you at the start. This is as close to Hitchcock as these films get. The cinematography is masterful handled by Vittorio Storaro. The film score is by Ennio Morricone, arguably the greatest film composer of all time. This movie is the closest Giallo gets to Hitchock, a must see film.
