Scott LeBrun
It's all about director Lamberto Bavas' style in this decent Giallo with a merely okay story but lots of sex and violence. Beautiful Serena Grandi (known as the "Dolly Parton of Italy") stars as Gioia (Gloria in the English language version), a former model who now owns and operates an adults only magazine. Her models begin to be slaughtered by a psycho admirer of hers, who arranges their dead bodies in front of a photo of her. Naturally, this leads her to believe that she will eventually become the killers' ultimate victim.The lighting and camera work are exemplary. Certainly if Lambertos' father Mario had seen this one, he likely would have been proud. There is also some effective suspense at times. Simon Boswell supplies a score that alternates between pounding rock 'n' roll and more conventional arrangements. (One climactic chase scene would have done better to do away with the rock score.) The screenplay by Gianfranco Clerici & Daniele Stroppa does at least succeed in keeping fans of this genre interested in determining which of the possible suspects will eventually be unmasked as the real culprit. The most original touch is when things are shown from the killers' warped perspective, and it's too bad that we don't see a little more of this throughout.The performances are adequate enough for the material. Nothing award worthy, but entertaining. Grandi is well supported by Daria Nicolodi, Vanni Corbellini, David Brandon, Karl Zinny (who'd acted for Lamberto in "Demons", and who here plays a horny, sleazy, surly, wheelchair bound kid), and the most welcome of all, Italian cult & exploitation icon George Eastman, playing Gioias' ex fiancée, an actor. There are several very attractive female cast members and numerous breast shots for those who are interested. Veteran sex symbol Capucine appears as Gioias' bitter business rival.If you enjoy the genre or the films of Bava Jr., this should be an agreeable hour and a half exercise in style and sleaze.Seven out of 10.
MARIO GAUCI
The younger Bava's films never scaled the heights of his famous father's influential work; this giallo is a largely mediocre effort (the one good example from the sub-genre to emerge during this decade was Dario Argento's TENEBRE [1982]) with little to hold one's attention - apart from the actresses' physical attributes and especially star Serena Grandi!Here, the director even borrows a page from his father's book by utilizing the oft-used fashion-house setting (providing a cheap excuse for ample gratuitous nudity). He even strives for a distinctive color scheme during the murder scenes, but the killer's POV produces a weird gimmick involving the victims wearing laughable make-up and underscored by equally exaggerated sound effects! The cast (including Daria Nicolodi, George Eastman and Capucine), at least, provides enough suspects to keep the audience guessing and the electronic score by Simon Boswell isn't too bad either, under the circumstances.
aaronpynn32-1
This is a better than average Giallo and is packed with solid actors. There are scenes that you will remember from this one. George Eastman has a small part in this so don't go in expecting a large amount of him in this one. If you are a fan of this style of film or even just a fan of Serena Grandi you must see this film. George Eastman and Serena Grandi get along way better in this film than in Grim Reaper. ;-)The killer is plagued with delusions and these are worth seeing. There is a nightmarish feel too the film. The pacing is very well done. Look for one of the lead actors of Demons to have a prominent part in this film. Lamberto Bava did a great job with this one. See the Shriek Show DVD version of this one.
gridoon
Sort of an "Eyes of Laura Mars" wannabe, this Italian import has a murky, gloomy visual style, a derivative slasher-movie plot and an exploitative approach (with lots of nudity and some graphic, though unoriginal, murders). Overall, a mediocre thriller, but at least director Lamberto Bava has some bizarre ideas that may not add up to much, but do manage to grab our attention (SPOILER:before two of the murders, the victims-to-be turn into appallingly ugly half-human monsters, at least from the killer's point-of-view). (**)
AD
