Giallo Essentials: Black Box by Arrow Films

Smile Before Death, originally titled Il sorriso della iena, is an overlooked and underrated giallo that mixes elements of a psychological thriller with inspirations from the drama genre and a touch of softcore pornography that underlines how experimental, liberal and progressive filmmaking was in the early seventies while it has become significantly more conservative, prude and repetitive these days.

The film revolves around a boarding school student who decides to stay with her stepfather and her mother's best friend after her mother's tragical suicide. What starts as a lighthearted vacation in a lush mansion beside a magnificent lake takes a sinister turn when the three characters start plotting intrigues against one another. These tensions increase dramatically and lead to a breathtaking finale with several interesting twists and turns.

This movie convinces on several elements. First of all, the plot is quite clever and comes around with a few interesting twists in the closing stages that will keep viewers on the edges of their seats. Up next, the tension between the three distinctive lead characters is quite palpable and increases the movie's uneasy atmosphere. The acting performances are very credible, decent and expressive. Especially youngster Jenny Tamburi shows incredible talent and has her breakthrough performance in this movie. The locations have also been chosen with care and offer colourful, elegant and sophisticated elements on the pulse of their time. The fact that most of the movie takes place in the mansion adds a claustrophobic vibe as it makes the beautiful place feel like a golden cage.

This film however also has several flaws that keep it from being an excellent genre film or even a masterpiece. First of all, the soundtrack is repetitive, dull and at times nerve-firing. Up next, the main intrigue of the movie is quite by the numbers and easily predictable until the final fifteen minutes offer a dramatic turn of events. This final series of events might be entertaining but is also quite overwhelming as the screenwriters are pulling rabbits out of their hats.

At the end of the day, fans of the giallo genre and anyone who likes the vibes of the late sixties and early seventies should certainly appreciate this movie that deserves more attention, recognition and praise. Despite its nostalgic vibe, the film is overall rather entertaining. However, it lacks the depth to leave a lasting impression and stand the test of time as a genre classic.

The Weapon, the Hour & the Motive, originally titled L'arma, l'ora, il movente, is a giallo from the early seventies that mixes thriller elements with inspirations from the drama genre and a few mild softcore pornography sections. While this Italian movie isn't creative, gripping and surprising enough to have stood the test of time, it's still a very decent film that entertains from start to finish and impresses five decades later with its charming nostalgic vibe.

The story revolves around charming young priest Don Giorgio who has two secret romantic and sexual relationships. Upon celebrating his fortieth birthday, Don Giorgio has a change of heart and decides to break off his two relationships to dedicate his entire life to serving God. One gloomy night just after the witching hour, the young priest is murdered while atoning for his sins. Proactive Inspector Boito and his clumsy assistant Moriconi start very difficult investigations as they face denial, silence and superstition. The only potential eyewitness is an orphaned boy who has been traumatized by the brutal events. Things take an even more complicated turn when the dynamic inspector slowly falls in love with one of the two suspects and risks compromising his own investigation.

This giallo convinces on several levels. First of all, the locations in and around the nunnery have been chosen with care and ooze with gloomy atmosphere. Up next, the camera and light techniques increase the mystery and tension of this very good film. The characters have sufficient depth such as the tormented eye witness, the emotional investigator and the friendly but clueless assistant. The acting performances are also very decent and involve an experienced cast with great chemistry.

However, there are specific reasons why this movie has been overlooked and forgotten for such a long period of time. The idea to introduce sins such as sexual intercourse, murder and blackmail into a secluded, religious and conservative setting has been used time and again. A significant mistake is that one of the two suspects dies halfway through the movie, making it obvious who the person behind these crimes must be. The film's ending feels pulled out of thin air and asks for a complete suspension of disbelief regarding certain irrational decisions.

Despite its obvious flaws, this movie still oozes with atmosphere and is entertaining from start to finish. Anyone who likes both thrillers and the vibes of early seventies should certainly appreciate this film a great deal. Giallo fans will be pleasantly surprised by the recent releases by Arrow Films that might be rather expensive but that have been crafted with great care and attention to detail.

The Killer Reserved Nine Seats, originally titled L'assassino ha riservato nove poltrone, is a giallo that combines elements of a psychological thriller with mild softcore pornography. The plot is closely inspired by the works of Agatha Christie which should certainly please genre fans but has prevented the movie from leaving a mark upon release.

The movie revolves around Patrick Davenant who invites a group of family members and friends to visit an elegant theatre in his lush villa. However, there are tensions among the nine visitors who are consumed by greed, jealousy and resentment. Patrick Davenant only just survives an attempt to murder him but can't prevent one of his visitors getting stabbed to death upon the theatre stage. As the survivors attempt to get help, they realize that the telephone lines have been cut, that all the windows and doors have been shut and that the set of keys that helped them entering the theatre has disappeared. What started as a short visit following a party has now become a fight for survival.

This giallo convinces on several levels. First and foremost, the movie takes its time to introduce the nine different characters in a detailed way as viewers learn about their strengths, flaws and convictions. Up next, the ways the different characters meet their grisly fates are quite diversified and keep the film's tense atmosphere elevated. The different locations inside the claustrophobic theatre have been chosen with care and vary from colourful dressing rooms over dusty attics to sinister basements. The moody soundtrack blends in perfectly and has an amazingly nostalgic vibe. The movie convinces with fluid pace as it entertains from start to finish. The plot is solid and will keep you guessing until the very end. The conclusion comes around with surprising supernatural elements that make this film stand out among similar genre films.

On the other side however, there are significant reasons why this film has been overlooked and forgotten for such a long period of time. Except for its quirky conclusion, the plot lacks creativity and shamelessly copies the works of Agatha Christie. Up next, the negative traits of the nine characters are quite predictable, similar and by the numbers, making it difficult to empathize with any of them. The acting performances are at times wooden, slow and exaggerated, especially in the first third of the movie before atmosphere, pace and tension take a much better turn.

At the end of the day, this obscure giallo convinces with interesting characters, gloomy locations, excellent pace, diversified killing techniques and a surprising ending that pardon for an overall weak plot, predictable negative character traits and a somewhat slow start in the first third of the movie. Genre fans should certainly appreciate this rediscovered gem that oozes with atmosphere and entertains from start to finish.