Giallo
Giallo is Italian for ‘yellow’, harking back to the genre’s pulpy literary origins, where crime stories by the likes of Edgar Wallace were published by Mondadori with trademark yellow covers. The genre was kickstarted by Mario Bava but truly took off in the 1970s, featuring black-gloved killers, stunning women, an endless supply of J&B whiskey, unforgettable soundtracks, and bold, vibrant cinematography.
I may not live long enough to see every giallo ever made, but that definitely feels like a challenge worth taking on.
Links take you to the IMDd. Circled titles: A Point Blank Films fav!
All the Colors of the Dark (1972) 7/10
Edwige Fenech loses her baby, is plagued by nightmares and pursued by a blue-eyed Ivan Rassimov in delirious giallo that owes a debt to Rosemary’s Baby. aka They’re Coming to Get You! See also Satansploitation
Amuck! (1972) 6/10
Glamorous Farley Granger and Barbara Bouchet slum it in this sleazy giallo which looks stunning but joins a selection of films that make Venice look very seedy indeed. aka Hot Bed of Sex
Arabella: Black Angel (1989) 6/10
Sleazy story of a nymphomaniac, her impotent husband, and a black gloved killer on the loose – kinky trash that doesn’t make a lot of sense but is still consistently watchable. aka Arabella, the Black Angel
Autopsy (1975) 7/10
Weird giallo about a wave of sunspots and suicides that is convoluted but ultimately satisfying and quite shocking. aka The Victim
Mario Bava’s brutal, pioneering slasher film has a basic plot, high body count, and a nasty twist ending – all in all, plenty for Friday the 13th to steal from. aka Twitch of the Death Nerve See also Slashers
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) 9/10
Dario Argento’s highly influential giallo has it all – a black gloved killer, J&B, classy set pieces, Ennio Morricone score, and an intriguing mystery.
Black Belly of the Tarantula (1971) 7/10
A rubber-gloved, mask-wearing murderer has a unique method of dispatching victims in textbook example of a giallo – stylish, with strong Ennio Morricone score.
A Blade in the Dark (1983) 6/10
A killer stalks a film composer staying at a Tuscany villa in Lamberto Bava giallo with a dose of Tenebre but stretched out too long and with a completely outrageous twist ending.
Blood and Black Lace (1964) 7/10
A young Cameron Mitchell stars in Mario Bava’s prototype giallo about a shadowy killer stalking a fashion house in Rome which focusses on the murders rather than characters or plot.
The Bloodstained Shadow (1978) 7/10
Venetian giallo about a sanctimonious priest and some local bad eggs featuring Stelvio Cipriani score performed by Goblin – above average, it could have used some trimming. aka Only Blackness
A slaughterhouse worker accidentally starts a downward spiral of killing in this very interesting Spanish giallo with atmosphere of decay and gay overtones typical of director Eloy de la Iglesia.
The Case of the Bloody Iris (1972) 6/10
Edwige Fenech is stalked by a masked killer in second-tier giallo with all the usual elements. aka What Are Those Strange Drops of Blood Doing on Jennifer’s Body?
The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail (1971) 7/10
Black gloved killer - check; convoluted plot - check; J&B - check; and when you throw in the Bruno Nicolai score and exotic Greek locales, you have a better than average Sergio Martino giallo.
The Cat o’ Nine Tails (1971) 7/10
James Franciscus and Karl Malden star in another stylish Dario Argento giallo that suffers from an uneven script while also being surprisingly light on violence (mostly directed at men this time).
Enzo G. Castellari’s only giallo came quite early in the cycle and explores a home invasion plot with London locales – and while stylish is mindless and unremarkable.
The Corruption of Chris Miller (1973) 7/10
Spanish giallo about a disturbed woman and her stepdaughter who hire a drifter; despite censorship issues, this simmers with sexual tension and contains a decent amount of gore. aka Behind the Shutters; Sisters of Corruption
Dagger Eyes (1983) 6/10
Assassins are on the trail of a prostitute who knows too much in latter-day giallo that plays like a Eurospy and looks like an expensive commercial. aka Mystère
The Dead Are Alive (1972) 6/10
Not a zombie flick – this is an overlong giallo with a killer on the loose during an archaeological expedition with plenty of brutal slayings, sun-soaked settings, and Riz Ortolani score. aka The Etruscan Kills Again
Death Carries a Cane (1973) 5/10
Routine giallo focussed on exploitative elements – not very exciting and lacking in style. aka Tormentor
Death Walks at Midnight (1972) 6/10
Convoluted giallo with strong female protagonist, stylish death scenes courtesy of a spiked metal glove, and ridiculous finale; somewhere in the middle of the pack.
Death Walks on High Heels (1971) 7/10
A masked killer with a mechanical voice box targets a redheaded stripper in giallo that is convoluted even by genre standards, with an impossible-to-guess killer; overlong but enjoyable.
Deep Red (1975) 10/10
Possibly Dario Argento’s best giallo – arty set pieces, over-the-top violence, David Hemmings and Daria Nicolodi performances, and Goblin score converge in visceral masterpiece. aka The Hatchet Murders
Delirium (1987) 6/10
Lamberto Bava’s giallo about a former hooker who runs a men’s magazine features copious nudity, Daria Nicolodi, weird visions and fancy camerawork – style over substance all the way. aka Delirium: Photo of Gioia
Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972) 8/10
A southern Italian town is rocked by a string of child murders in this disturbing and successful Lucio Fulci giallo that attacks small town ignorance, superstition and the Catholic Church.
Evil Eye (1963) 7/10
Mario Bava’s early Hitchcockian giallo and last black and white film has a mechanical plot but plenty of style, humour, a young John Saxon, and (in US version) a Les Baxter score. aka The Girl Who Knew Too Much
Eye in the Labyrinth (1972) 6/10
Sun-drenched giallo with interesting cast and Freudian plot; quirky but not a classic.
Eyeball (1975) 6/10
A red-cloaked killer removes victims’ left eyeballs in Umberto Lenzi giallo with scenic Spanish locales, lesbianism, red herrings, and death in the fun house – good but let down by silly ending.
Franco Nero is a hard drinking reporter whose friends are being targeted by a serial killer in middle of the pack giallo with Ennio Morricone score and Vittorio Storaro cinematography. aka Evil Fingers
Five Women for the Killer (1974) 5/10
The title gives away the plot of this routine giallo, which features a nasty killer of pregnant women.
Footprints on the Moon (1975) 4/10
A woman can’t remember the last three days and chain smokes while remembering a dream starring Klaus Kinski; sounds interesting but too slow to justify its running time. aka Le Orme
The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion (1970) 7/10
Giallo without kills that focusses instead on a blackmail plot, made up for by Dagmar Lassander’s spicy performance and Ennio Morricone’s wonderful score.
Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) 6/10
Second-tier Argento giallo with ridiculous plot and odd humour, including Bud Spencer in the cast.
Probably the most shocking giallo ever made, this is so misogynistic and sleazy that it leaves little room for plot – all in all, not a great postcard for Venice. See also Shocking Sinema
Hotel Fear (1978) 6/10
A bunch of sleazy hotel guests harass a young girl in this grim and grotesque sex drama that turns into a giallo for its finale.
The House with Laughing Windows (1976) 7/10
An art restorer comes to a sinister village and discovers a terrifying secret in dark giallo that builds slowly but pays off for the most part. aka The House of the Laughing Windows
The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire (1971) 6/10
People keep getting killed around an ambassador in early giallo filmed in England and Ireland that is high on sex and violence, but too convoluted and ultimately unsatisfying.
The Killer Must Kill Again (1975) 7/10
Hitchcockian thriller about an adulterer who makes a deadly deal with serial killer, with enough suspense, blood and nudity to please giallo fans. aka The Spider
Knife of Ice (1972) 6/10
Fourth joint giallo by Umberto Lenzi and Carroll Baker, who plays a mute woman involved in a series of murders in mountainous Spain; an acceptable effort but lacking in thrills.
A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin (1971) 7/10
Strange Lucio Fulci giallo featuring hippies, LSD, psychedelic nightmares, lesbianism and sex orgies, strung together by a murder plot; a wild ride.
Murder-Rock: Dancing Death (1984) 5/10
A hypodermic needle-wielding psycho is on the loose at a New York ballet school in Lucio Fulci shocker; lazily directed, with too many dance sequences – for Fulci completists only. aka Murder Rock
The New York Ripper (1982) 7/10
Vile, misogynistic Lucio Fulci thriller with a serial killer who quacks like a duck – but if you are looking for the pinnacle (or nadir) of New York sleaze, you have come to the right place. See also Shocking Sinema
The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave (1971) 6/10
A mentally unstable man with a penchant for S&M sparks off a chain of bizarre events after getting remarried in groovy giallo with plenty of spice but a clichéd plot and ridiculous ending. aka The Night She Rose from the Tomb
No One Heard the Scream (1973) 6/10
Eloy de la Iglesia’s Hitchcockian giallo starts in London before relocating the action to Spain where there are suspenseful moments and a surprise ending; modest but worthwhile.
Nothing Underneath (1985) 6/10
Flashy De Palma-esque giallo starring Donald Pleasence about a serial killer roaming Milan, using scissors to kill top models – not very good, but a big hit in Italy.
Opera (1987) 8/10
Excellent Dario Argento giallo, probably his last great film, with intriguing backdrops and plot, black gloved killer, gore, and high style, somewhat let down by a tacked-on ending. aka Terror at the Opera
Orgasmo (1969) 5/10
Sex, drugs, and 60s shenanigans at an Italian villa that was spicy enough to relaunch Carroll Baker’s career, leading to further collaborations with Umberto Lenzi, despite its dumb ending. aka Paranoia
The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974) 7/10
A woman has strange hallucinations related to the suicide of her mother in this stylish Repulsion-esque giallo that mostly delivers the goods – and a wacky ending.
Michael York and Donald Pleasence chew the scenery while Edwige Fenech keeps her clothes on in Ruggero Deodato’s latter-day giallo with a few nods to The New York Ripper but lacking in suspense. aka Off Balance
Plot of Fear (1976) 6/10
Michele Placido is an inspector on the case of a string of murders surrounding a sex club in convoluted giallo with strange moments such as a randomly inserted porn cartoon by Italian animator Gibba.
The Police Are Blundering in the Dark (1975) 3/10
Weird giallo marketed as a poliziotteschi; it makes little sense, and the police don’t show up until the last five minutes! See also Poliziotteschi
The Psychic (1977) 7/10
A woman’s psychic visions lead her to discover a murder in macabre but restrained final pre-gore flick from Lucio Fulci. aka Murder to the Tune of the Seven Black Notes; Seven Notes in Black
The Red Queen Kills Seven Times (1972) 7/10
Giallo with gothic trappings and convoluted plot about a family curse – an energetic entry. aka Blood Feast
Seven Blood-Stained Orchids (1972) 6/10
This Umberto Lenzi giallo has a convoluted plot about a killer leaving crescent moon medallions at the scene of the crime and all the tropes of the genre; middle of the pack.
Short Night of Glass Dolls (1971) 7/10
This has a great wraparound story featuring Jean Sorel waking up dead, a shocking plot with interesting themes, and terrific score as always by Ennio Morricone.
Sexed-up, shameless giallo set in an asylum with absurd plot and an unusually subdued Klaus Kinski; watchable, but director Fernando Di Leo can do much better. aka Asylum Erotica; Cold Blooded Beast
Sleepless (2001) 7/10
Strong return to form for Dario Argento possibly because it’s an old fashioned giallo with Goblin score, great cast including Max von Sydow, plenty of plot twists, and a ton of gore.
Smile Before Death (1972) 5/10
A slow first half and convoluted second half is accompanied by an annoying jingle, lesbian love scenes, and mod clothing – not really worth the effort.
Giallo about cheating women targeted by a serial killer made even sleazier by a hardcore version called Penetration which displeased star Farley Granger; fairly entertaining, with downbeat ending. aka Penetration; The Slasher ... Is the Sex Maniac!
So Sweet... So Perverse (1969) 5/10
Carroll Baker returns for another Umberto Lenzi sex thriller that takes too long to get going before offering some mildly interesting twists and turns.
Spasmo (1974) 5/10
Trippy giallo supposedly intended by Umberto Lenzi as a critique of Italy’s elites, this is mostly a convoluted mess and light on sex and violence though it features a dreamy Ennio Morricone score.
StageFright (1987) 7/10
Impressive debut from Dario Argento collaborator Michele Soavi with basic slasher plot but visually striking murders. aka Deliria See also Slashers
The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (1971) 8/10
Good looking giallo starring Edwige Fenech with a black gloved killer on the loose, lovely locations, sexy score, and a half-decent mystery.
Strip Nude for Your Killer (1975) 7/10
Super sleazy and stylish giallo with all the tropes of the genre, a wild plot, and Edwige Fenech rising above the misogyny.
The Suspicious Death of a Minor (1975) 6/10
A detective investigates the death of a young prostitute and what ensues is part giallo, part poliziotteschi, with outrageous humour and set pieces, that somehow manages to hang together. aka Too Young to Die See also Poliziotteschi
Tenebre (1982) 8/10
Anthony Franciosa is a horror author embroiled in the search for a serial killer in fetishistic Dario Argento thriller with infamous gore, stylish camerawork and terrific Goblin score turned up to 11. aka Unsane
Too Beautiful to Die (1988) 5/10
In name only sequel to Nothing Underneath set around the making of a music video, making this very 80s indeed – right down to Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Huey Lewis and TOTO on the soundtrack.
Torso (1973) 7/10
Sergio Martino’s sleazy and censored giallo plays like a slasher, with a plot centred around the gory murders of young female students – but it’s much better executed than others of its ilk in the 1980s. aka The Bodies Bear Traces of Carnal Violence; Carnal Violence See also Slashers
Trauma (1993) 6/10
Dario Argento’s first American film is a retread of Deep Red, with Tom Savini FX that should have been gorier, and distinguished cast let down by plot holes and some rather weak performances.
Violent Blood Bath (1974) 4/10
A notoriously harsh judge finds his vacation interrupted when a mysterious killer begins murdering those around him – sounds interesting but this is plodding and confused, much like its title. aka Penalty of Death
What Have They Done to Your Daughters? (1974) 7/10
Police investigate the apparent suicide of a teen girl in giallo that mixes in poliziotteschi and focusses on the lurid details, also featuring Farley Granger and a pleasing Stelvio Cipriani score. aka The Coed Murders See also Poliziotteschi
What Have You Done to Solange? (1972) 8/10
Top-tier giallo with beautiful woman, graphic murders, copious nudity, great Ennio Morricone score, and an intriguing mystery, very loosely based on an Edgar Wallace novel. aka The Clue of the New Pin
George Lazenby pursues the killer of his daughter in Venice in precursor to Don’t Look Now with one of Ennio Morricone’s best scores; uneasy atmosphere somewhat let down by convoluted plot.
You'll Die at Midnight (1986) 5/10
Formulaic thriller from Lamberto Bava with too many red herrings and an implausible plot. aka Midnight Killer
Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972) 7/10
Edwige Fenech stars in sleazy mix of Poe’s The Black Cat and Clouzot’s Diabolique – lots of twists lead to a silly ending, but there is plenty to enjoy along the way, such as Bruno Nicolai’s score.