christopher-underwood Much feted as the prototype giallo, if not the first of the genre, this is certainly a striking and then original piece of work. Viewed today, it almost appears as an homage or satire of gialli, as so many of the tropes that those who love the films will recognise are present here. The opening is stunning, never mind a death during a thunderstorm before we are even into the story, there is a fantastic and very creepy, wonderfully lit sequence on the famous Spanish Steps in Rome. Dark shadows, light reflected in pools - of blood or water - and we are away. Half naked girl strewn across the path and a knife in and out a body which is then unceremoniously dragged away. The film is uneven and although the lovely Leticia Roman and (a very young) John Saxon do well there are short periods when all is not quite so great. Plenty more brilliantly lit and varied scenes to come though before the surprising denouement. Thank you Mario Bava, maybe not the greatest giallo but you opened the door.

Johan Louwet This murder mystery is atmospheric and it's cool to see the images of Rome in the sixties. Even in black and white it looks wonderful and having visited the town in 2014 I must say I still recognized quite some places. It's nice to have a female protagonist who goes to investigate a murder she has seen. The idea that she might have witnessed a murder that happened 10 years ago was certainly interesting. The movie goes at a pretty relaxing pace along where we get to know every bit of these ABC murders. A few times we are tricked into having a false murderer. In the end the true murderer is found and I must admit I didn't see that coming. The movie is good with interesting ideas but its problem is there is no memorable scenes at all. Also the role of the young doctor clumsy and for comical relief at times did not really work well in my opinion. Leticia Roman was great in her role though.

secondtake The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963)Well, this is a classic worth watching for film buffs interested in the first giallo movie ever made (if we ignore the Hitchcock precedents). Giallo films are purposely simple and gory and filled with dramatic camera-work. In a sense they play off the style, one after another, becoming increasingly about the genre rather than movies that stand on their own. It's like slasher films these days, or maybe even zombie films, where you watch knowing what you're going to get, and that's exactly what you want.Even the director, Mario Bava, admitted openly this was a silly film with great cinematography. That sums it up. He couldn't even remember the two leading actors. There is a bizarre, cheesy, low-budget thriller aspect to the whole enterprise that makes it fun in a campy way even if you aren't a giallo fan. But it's not good in a traditional sense.Even the main premise is old as the hills--a serial killer is stabbing women in the back in alphabetical order by last name. This is oddly confused in the plot, because woman C was killed a decade before and we see the next woman killed before our eyes. But the heroine's last name begins with D, as if she is going to be next, and indeed she finds her picture in a file at the end suggesting she really is next in line. So what letter did the woman killed before our eyes have?One of the weird aspects to the plot might explain this--the woman accidentally smokes a marijuana cigarette at the beginning of the movie, and we come to realize she might have dreamed the whole episode. Never mind there are other deaths and mishaps that seem rather real. And a handsome Italian doctor in love with her.It's also weird in a funny way that the lead woman is an Italian actress playing an American visitor in Rome. Naturally her Italian is excellent. And the whole movie is centered around the Spanish Steps, which are often completely (completely) empty, not a person around. Adds to the surrealism. There are creaky horror film conventions like the shadowy man seen through the window, or the overdecorated house with creepy lights where the woman is staying, alone of course.What's to recommend this? The photography. The noir influence (and the Roger Corman one, I suppose) is clear. And beautiful. Now if the story and acting made some modicum of sense we'd be set for a classic over-the-top scary movie. Yes, it's important as a giallo example, but don't overblow the result.

MartinHafer A young tourist arrives in Rome and witnesses a brutal knifing. The assailant then attacks her and she awakens in the hospital. She apparently had been talking about the murder in her delirium and a police investigator is nearby. He dismisses her story as just a dream and no one will believe her that it occurred. In fact, doctors then arrive and talk about how she is a neurotic and probably imagined the incident due to alcoholism or a bump on the head! The woman just catch a break from these jerks! The only one who will even listen to her is a young doctor (played by American actor, John Saxon)--though he's also convinced the incident never occurred.A bit later, the young lady meets a woman about her age that takes her under her wing. This new friend comes on a bit strong and even invites the lady to stay in her home while she's away in Switzerland. This and the fact that the house is on the same square where the murder apparently took place would certainly seem to be good reasons to decline the offer--but she does not! There, alone in the house, you know something bad will happen! Leave, lady...leave!!! But, she doesn't and again and again, it looks like she's just imagining all of this.This is a very creepy and atmospheric thriller from famed horror director Mario Bava--who made a lot of other cool films in his career, such as "Danger: Diabolik". His films are seldom dull--and this one is no exception. Exciting and with lots of nice twists.By the way, in an odd casting decision, the Italian actress Letícia Román was cast in the lead as an American. And, American John Saxon was cast as an Italian! Talk about weird...but it somehow worked!