MOVIE: Plot Of Fear (1976)

Plot Of Fear

aka E tanta paura, aka Bloody Peanuts

Directed by Paolo Cavara

Starring Michele Placido, Corinne Cléry, Eli Wallach, Tom Skerritt

Centro Produzioni Cinematografiche Città di Milano/G.P.E. Enterprises 1976

On the same night, a female prostitute strangles her client, while a woman is battered around the head with a spanner on a deserted bus. The only link: at the scene of both murders, illustrations from a children’s book called “Shockheaded Peter” have been left behind.

When more murders occur, again marked with illustrations from the same book, the victims are linked back to an elite group calling itself Wildlife’s Friends. Inspector Lomenzo (Placido) is assigned to investigate.

There’s a decent giallo struggling to get out of this one, a frustratingly laboured effort from the director who just five years earlier had given us the rather good Black Belly Of The Tarantula (1971). The dialogue scenes frequently fail to sparkle and the attempt to liven-up proceedings with soft-core sex is all too symptomatic of the original cycle’s death throes. Even the murder scenes don’t quite hit the mark as they should. Things do improve considerably towards the climax, but even by the genre’s standards the denouement will take a bit of work to get your head around.

On the credit side, Michele Placido makes for an engaging force of law and order (at least when he manages to keep his clothes on), while Eli Wallach (despite being dubbed in both Italian and English versions by someone who sounds nothing like Eli Wallach) adds some welcome gravitas, as the head of a video surveillance firm who may or may not be helping the police with their enquiries.

By contrast, Corinne Cléry (fresh from a notorious appearance in The Story Of O (1975)) is mainly required to add titillation value and get naked on occasion. Tom Skerrit has very little to do and is likely just there to add another recognisable name for English-speaking territories.

Ultimately, Plot Of Fear is not without interest: it at least piques curiosity as a halfway house between the giallo cycle and the cop thrillers which would supersede it as an Italian cinema staple, but also highlights just how much the form was losing its way by the latter part of the decade.

MOVIE: The Red Queen Kills Seven Times (1972)

 

The Red Queen Kills Seven Times

aka La damma rossa uccide sette volte

Directed by Emilio Miraglia

Starring Barbara Bouchet, Ugo Pagliai, Marina Malfatti, Sybil Danning

Phoenix Cinematografica/Romano Film/Traian Boeru/Cineriz 1972

 

A prophecy (portrayed in a family painting) dictates that there is a curse on the Wildenbrücks: Every 100 years two sisters will grow to hate each other. One (depicted as the Black Queen), will kill the other (known as the Red Queen). The prophecy says that the Red Queen will then return, killing seven times to avenge her death.

For the current generation of the family, the prophecy seems to be working its spell as Kitty Wildenbrück accidentally kills sister Eveline during a fight. Older sibling Franziska helps to cover the death up, leading everyone to believe that Eveline has gone to the USA, but when grandfather Tobias dies of a fear-induced heart attack and a series of murders linked to Kitty occur, a police artist’s impression of the killer resembles none other than Eveline…

That’s a pretty hefty premise to kick off this giallo with German-shot exteriors. Director Miraglia was perhaps looking to capture the same lightning in a bottle that had made his 1971 effort, The Night Evelyn Came Out Of The Grave such a success, recasting Marina Malfatti from that particular venture. However, this cracking little thriller more than holds its own against its predecessor. Indeed, I might even suggest it’s a better, more rounded film.

Considering that, it’s a great shame that Miraglia never directed another picture after this, but he rounded off his slim filmography with a most enjoyable outing full of the required twists, turns and red herrings. If not quite the peak of the giallo form, it’s certainly a superior entry in the cycle which will more than satisfy the form’s disciples. Horror fans, meanwhile, will find plenty to enjoy in the superbly mounted and executed stalk-and-slash moments, and a water-drenched finale has more than a touch of Poe about it.

A fantastic score from Bruno Nicolai tops things off nicely. Often overshadowed by his fellow countryman Ennio Morricone, his contribution to Italian cinema should never be underestimated.

Interesting aside: The striking imagery of a killer clad in red predates Don’t Look Now by a good year or so.

MOVIE: The Killer Reserved Nine Seats (L'assassino ha riservato nove poltrone) (1974)

The Killer Reserved Nine Seats 

aka L'assassino ha riservato nove poltrone

Cinenove/Overseas Film Company 1974

Directed by Giuseppe Bennati

Starring Rosanna Schiaffino, Chris Avram, Eva Czemerys, Lucretia Love, Paola Senatore

A wealthy socialite invites a group of acquaintances away from a party and back to his country villa, within the confines of which is a grand theatre. It soon becomes apparent that the theatre is not a safe place to be, as the guests are killed off one-by-one.

A film often tagged as a giallo, and there is certainly enough of that genre's ingredients here to keep fans occupied, but as things progress its premise (clearly indebted to Agatha Christie) takes a sharp turn into more supernatural territory.

It's an enjoyable enough effort, marred slightly by some sexual violence which adds nothing to proceedings, a curious addition since the film seems somewhat generally coy about depicting the actual murders in any detail. Additionally hampering things is a hamfistedly talky screenplay, and an overly stretched final act which aims for atmosphere but leaves the remaining cast effectively wading through treacle to get to the end.

For all that, the setting is very effective and fans of the "Ten Little Indians" style of thriller will find plenty to enjoy. Sure, characters act illogically throughout, but that's nothing unusual in a film of this ilk. Good soundtrack work adds to things considerably, and there's certainly enough good set pieces to make The Killer Reserved Nine Seats worth tracking down.

MOVIE: The Night Child (1975)

The Night Child

aka The Cursed Medallion

Italy 1975, 83m, Magdalena Produzione

DVD: Arrow Films (UK) - Cert 15

A documentary maker is investigating the role of the devil in art. He comes across a painting which begins to have an alarming effect on his already troubled daughter's behaviour...

Although one of a number of Italian horrors inspired by the success of The Exorcist, this particular film takes quite a different approach to the other imitators. Director Massimo Dalliano was formerly a cinematographer for Sergio Leone on A Fistful Of Dollars and For A Few Dollars More, so it isn't surprising that he turns in a film which looks gorgeous, using the central-Italian locations to great effect. Whilst it doesn't have much in the way of real shocks or chills, there are some effectively dream-like moments, whilst the creative use of paintings and sculptures adds to the slightly surreal feel.

The screenplay is somewhat muddled, but thoughtfully handled nonetheless, with a strong central performance from Richard Johnson. Let down somewhat by the re-dubbing of the Italian performers, and the odd bit of dodgy back-projection work, The Night Child has much to admire overall, as long as you don't expect any pyrotechnics.



Original US Teaser Trailer:

MOVIE: Baron Blood (1972)

aka Gli orrori del castello di Norimberga (original title)

Peter (Antonio Cantafora) is in Austria in search of his ancestry. He is the descendant of Baron Otto von Kleist, a sadistic man who in his time terrorised the locals, before being burnt at the stake. Peter's uncle takes him to the Baron's castle, where Eva Arnold (Elke Sommer) shows him around the property, which is to be auctioned. At the sale, the winning bidder is the mysterious Alfred Becker (Joseph Cotten), who seems to have both a wide knowledge of and slightly unhealthy interest in the Baron's activities. Meanwhile, people are starting to get bumped off - does Becker have something to do with it?

Whilst not exactly one of Mario Bava's greatest films, there is still enough of interest to make Baron Blood worth a view. I normally side with the original European versions of his films, but in this case the AIP version for the US does tighten things up considerably, and dare I say I find Les Baxter's score in this version more effective, although Stelvio Cipriani's original score is enjoyable enough, even if his theme music is a tad 70's lounge in style.

The Viennese castle location is especially striking, and as you would expect from its director, there are several well staged set pieces. A sequence in which Elke Sommer is stalked through the fog is trademark Bava, but the sum overall is not as great as its parts. The usually reliable Joseph Cotten seems slightly ill at ease as Becker (the role had first been offered to Vincent Price), whilst Sommer also seems a little out of place. The script fails to make the most of Becker revealing his true colours: once the reveal has been made, the film seems to suddenly be over too quickly, whilst some of what has come before has perhaps gone on a bit too long.

Still, all things considered, Bava on an off day is still more interesting than a lot of directors on full steam. Recommended to his fans as an occasionally interesting entry in his canon, whilst cautiously recommended as a curio to others.

Blu-Ray Notes: Yet another solid presentation from Arrow Films. The transfer is pleasing enough, if not earth shattering, but is likely to be about as good as this film will look considering the source material. However, having the Italian, English export and US versions of the film all together is a horror buff's dream! Trailers, radio spots, a slide show of Bava on various film sets and an interview with fellow director Ruggero Deodato provide the extras.




West Germany/Italy 1972 -  Leone International/Cinevision/American International

98 Minutes (original version), 90 minutes (US version)

Certificate - 15 (UK)

Blu-Ray/DVD: Arrow Films (UK)