Water Torture

The Plumber (Peter Weir, 1979)

Given the critical acclaim of Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) and The Last Wave (1977), it is surprising to learn that Peter Weir, the leading figure of the Australian New Wave, would still have to resort to writing and directing a TV movie to make some cash. Consequently, his fourth feature would eventually be granted a theatrical distribution in the international market.

The Plumber (1979) is a 77-minute feature film that very much resembles a teleplay thanks to primarily being set in a single location. It centres on class conflict and male toxicity, and showcases the hypocrisies of its two main characters. Above all, the film serves as a spiritual forerunner to The Cable Guy (1996).

Jill Cowper (Judy Morris) is a postgraduate anthropologist residing on the university campus with her scientist husband Brian (Robert Coleby). She spends her days at home working on her Master’s thesis while Brian teaches and conducts nutritional research. He is determined to gain the attention of the World Health Organisation for his theory of Kuru, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by cannibalism, still being present among the tribes of Papua New Guinea. His obsession with this discovery occasionally leaves Jill feeling neglected and alone. An expensive watch for Jill, does little to compensate for her being home alone for the majority of the day.

Max (Ivar Kants) unexpectedly barges his way into Jill’s life as the university's plumber. However, his  invasive behaviour is a red flag; suggesting he could be a shady or dangerous individual. Jill finds herself feeling increasingly uneasy and threatened in her own home by the disruptive and overly friendly plumber. The annoying tradesman exhibits a complete lack of respect for her personal privacy. Max’s bizarre behaviour is evident from the outset as she suspects he may have taken a shower instead of doing any work. Hardly professional.

Max is quite vocal about his dislike for the social and intellectual higher-ups. He sees Jill as one of the elitists perched above the ivory tower of academia and class privilege. Thus, she is the recipient of his subtle, irritating comments and disapproving looks. On the other hand, Jill’s quiet exterior hides a woman who despises Max for his complete lack of sophistication; which is rather ironic, given her studies on primitive tribes.

The scenes between the two characters are remarkably awkward and sinister at times. Weir lets various details linger longer than necessary; achieving an uncomfortable atmosphere throughout the course of the film which feels intentionally exaggerated. Thus, The Plumber alternates between absurd comedy and psychological thriller territory. It’s bolstered by a choice selection of library tracks from the KPM vaults; notably the eerie Sea of Tranquility by Edgar Vetter and W. Merrick Farran, which really fits the bizarre tone of the film.

Weir’s inspiration for writing Max originated from a cab driver he met who resembled a long-haired John Lennon. It was during the Vietnam War, and the director was shocked to discover that his driver held abhorrent opinions on the conflict. The apparent contradiction of a peace-loving crusty of the flower power generation, revealed him to be an unapologetic fascist in a deceptive guise. This was how the plumber/wannabe folk-singer Max came to be. He wears a "Save the whale!" badge, but does he really mean it, or is it performative?

Additionally, the blue sticker on Max’s leather jacket that reads, “Liberal = Less Tax”, was a slogan by Australia’s conservative party, ironically known as The Liberal Party. Further contradictions are evident in Max’s rant to Jill when revealing he was once a burglar:

“Anyway, I only ever took from the rich. Bludgers living off the workers. Sucking the life blood of the country. Vampires. I’d tread on them if I could. Squash ‘em like snails. Wouldn’t give it another thought. That’s the way we saw it in Melbourne. We had principles. The crim scene in Adelaide’s just the opposite. Real capitalist.” — Max

Evidently, Max still acts like a burglar by entering Jill’s home via the hole in the bathroom ceiling when she tries avoiding him.

The most distressing aspect of Jill’s situation is the isolation she faces. Her concerns are not taken seriously by the supporting cast. Her friend Meg (Candy Raymond) appears to regard Max as a typical individual, while Brian is preoccupied with his work to notice anything. The gaslighting further exacerbates Jill’s mental health. 

Brian’s subplot concludes with a group of colleagues from the World Health Organisation being invited to the couple’s apartment for dinner. The menu features Jill’s speciality curry, which on this occasion, she’s accidentally made excessively hot. Keep in mind, their bathroom resembles an obstacle course, with scaffolding everywhere, and you have the makings for a classic comedy skit.

Although The Plumber may appear modest and limited in scope compared to Weir’s other films, it is an exceptionally entertaining and fascinating study of the classes. It achieves this in a relatively short runtime. That makes this a beaut, I reckon.

Currently, The Plumber is available to stream on both BFI Player and the Criterion Channel. It's also available as a bonus feature on Peter Weir's The Car That Ate Paris (1974), which was released recently on 4K UHD. Alternatively, there are old DVD copies about. 

The Painter of Agony

The House with Laughing Windows (Pupi Avati, 1976)

Contrary to the belief of some giallo film experts, the genre’s golden era had long passed by the time Dario Argento released his seminal film Deep Red (1975). There was no revival of the giallo genre as his classic debut The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1971) had achieved. Similarly, when the director returned to the gialli after several years with his masterpiece Tenebrae (1982), that also failed to reignite the genre as it had mostly been absorbed across the Atlantic with the slasher film. In your humble host’s opinion, the quality of these films produced between this period was a nadir for the giallo. Gone were the jet-set locations, the glamorous women and the stylish ‘70s fashions. 

These were succeeded by some of the genre’s most notorious and poorly made films. Examples include The Bloodsucker Leads the Dance (1975), The Sister of Ursula (1978) and the infamous Giallo in Venice (1979). They exemplified the sleaze and ineptitude that became the norm. However, there were notable exceptions. The House with the Laughing Windows (1976), directed by the unfortunately named Pupi Avati, is perhaps the greatest standout and one of the best gialli produced since its heyday.

Art restorer Stefano (Lino Capolicchio) is commissioned by Solmi (Bob Tonelli), the diminutive mayor of a provincial village, to repair and complete an unfinished church fresco. The artwork was commissioned by the long-serving parish priest Don Orsi (Eugene Walter) to depict the Martyrdom of St Sebastian. Buono Legnani (Tonino Corazzari), a revered and eccentric local artist would be the person appointed the task of painting the fresco. Unfortunately, the painter had mysteriously passed away before completing it. Mayor Solmi believes the completion and restoration of it will bring much-needed tourism to the area and help boost its economy. Upon seeing the fresco, Stefan becomes instantly obsessed with it and its creator described as "the painter of agony". He begins working immediately,

The village has endured significant hardship since World War II. Its lagoon remains polluted decades after the conflict. Don Orsi’s church was also severely affected. It was converted into a SS barracks during the war and subsequently used as a makeshift morgue. The trauma of war continues to have a profound impact on the community. The village appears to be frozen in time, with few motor vehicles and residents wearing vintage clothing. Above all, they are fearful of the past.

Upon checking into the local hotel, Stefano receives a threatening phone call instructing him to abandon his work on the fresco and leave the village. He dismisses the threat as a prank. He is enjoying the advances of the local schoolteacher, who also happens to be the village bike.  Stefano briefly meets Antonio Mazza (Giulio Pizzirani), an old friend who has also relocated to the village and is assisting with the lagoon’s clean-up. Mazza had recommended Stefano to Mayor Solmi to restore the church fresco. However, he now regrets bringing his friend to the village after learning more about Legnani’s depraved past and horrific inspirations in creating his paintings. With prying eyes and eavesdroppers, it is difficult for Mazza to disclose everything he can to his friend.

After being invited to restaurant owner Poppi’s (Andrea Matteuzzi) house, Stefano sees an entire room’s worth of Legnani’s paintings. This only makes the our protagonist even more fascinated by the insane artist’s life. While there, Mazza calls Stefano urging him to come and see him. He wants to tell Stefano everything. Outside Mazza’s apartment, Stefano witnesses his friend fall to his death. A silhouetted figure can be seen from Mazza’s room.

Stefano’s hotel concierge overhears the latest prank call to him and becomes alarmed. She fabricates a story about needing Stefano’s room for another guest. Fortunately, Don Orsi has arranged accommodation for the young man in a large villa owned by an elderly paraplegic woman who lives alone. It is rumoured she was made an invalid from a venereal disease. Don Orsi’s mouse-eating assistant Lidio (Pietro Brambilla) guides Stefano to the villa. Laura (Pina Borione), the lonely woman, is delighted to have another person in her home. In the attic of the villa, Stefano discovers an old tape recorder. The tape plays Legnani’s insane ramblings which are heard over the sepia-toned opening sequence of the film, where an unnamed man is hung by his arms and brutally stabbed multiple times. 

"The colours, my colours, flow in my veins. They are sweet, my colours, sweet as Autumn, hot as blood, pure as syphilis, and enter into the eyes, infecting all." — Buono Legnani.

Evidently, Stefano seems to have gotten over Mazza’s death (murder?) and seems unfazed from the disturbing tape recording relatively quickly, as he’s already making a late night booty call with the school teacher. To his surprise, the beautiful young brunette woman, who he briefly met on the ferry when he first arrived at the village, opens the front door. Francesca (Francesca Marciano) tells the randy art restorer that the school teacher he came to visit had been transferred, and that she is her replacement, Not sure which is more troubling about Francesca: her inviting a horny stranger into her home in the late hours, or her having a refrigerator filled with snails crawling about in it. She even asks Stefano if he knows how to cook them. The newcomers develop a romantic relationship. Out with the old; in with the new.

This is an appropriate point to conclude the plot of the film without delving into spoilers. While The House with Laughing Windows is half a century old, it’s still an overlooked film; and therefore, a new discovery for many. Its cult status has begun growing in recent years, however. Not only ought it be considered amongst the best gialli ever produced, but it merits the attention of serious cinephiles as an important film in '70s Italian cinema. Therefore, Don Orsi would concur, spoilers would indeed be a cardinal sin.

Pupi Avati’s thriller may adhere to some conventions of the giallo genre, but it also shares significant similarities with the folk-horror sub-genre; specifically Robin Hardy’s British horror classic The Wicker Man (1973). For instance, Capolicchio’s character Stefano falls into a similar spiralling trap as Woodward’s Sergeant Howie as a stranger in a strange land. Both films featuring an isolated community populated by eccentric individuals is another shared characteristic. There is also the daylight horror aspect to both; which are achieved rather masterfully.

The palpable sense of dread in The House with Laughing Windows is undoubtedly its greatest strength. This is achieved through Avati’s increasingly unnerving plot juxtaposed with our protagonists becoming increasingly frightened along the way. The atmosphere becomes electric. Amedeo Tommassi’s haunting piano score further enhances the fear factor; particularly during the third act where events become increasingly sinister. 

The term ‘slow-burn’ may have negative connotations when describing the pacing of films today, but The House with Laughing Windows justifiably earns this description as Avati’s atmosphere wouldn’t have been close to effective if it had breezed through all the chilling plot revelations and genuinely tense scenes for the Ritalin poppin' film fan.

Overall, The House with Laughing Windows has consistently been one of the giallo genre’s most unsung films. This may have been due to the absence of an English dub and accurately translated subtitles in the past. Thankfully, that’s no longer an issue today..

The House with Laughing Windows is now available in 4K UHD (and no longer another wish list item) in the US via Arrow Video and is also available in the same format via Shameless Films in the UK.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in giallo, folk-horror and macabre mystery. 

EDIT: Bizzarely, while editing the format of the text, my original review got deleted and blogger auto-saved. Muggins didn't have a back-up. Lesson learned: Never use Blogger as your main format to write anything! Had to rewrite everything I could remember again. 

A Million Bucks or Chunks of Meat?

Night of the Juggler (Robert Butler, Sidney J. Furie, 1980)

Robert Butler and Sidney J. Furie’s Night of the Juggler (1980) doesn't feature any juggling in it. Also, very little of it is set at night. What it is, however, is a tough, frenetic and very gritty crime thriller set in New York City during the late 1970s. Furthermore, it serves as a perfect snapshot of the urban metropolis and its people from this period, in a similar vain to The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), Ms. 45 (1981) and Wild Style (1982). All films which also received the 4K UHD treatment this year. 

In the heart of New York City's Central Park, a teenage girl is snatched by ruthless psychopath, Gus Saltic (Cliff Gorman). He's set his sights on a million dollar ransom for the city that he believes has wronged him. He refused to acknowledge the young girl he has abducted is not the daughter of a rich property developer, but of blue-collared truck driver and former ex-cop Sean Boyd (James Brolin). Boyd will do anything in his power to rescue his daughter from Saltic, including facing off with various seedy lowlifes and a cop who harbours a personal vendetta against him.

James Brolin’s wild mountain man look—shaggy hair, bushy beard and plaid shirt—seems intentional, almost designed to set him apart from the New Yorkers portrayed in the film. But since Night of the Juggler was shot in 1978, just before he starred in The Amityville Horror (1979), where he looked and dressed almost the same, I’d say that was merely Brolin’s fashion sense back then. His character, Sean Boyd is introduced as a bit of a cheeky Jack the Lad in the film. His early scenes show him decapitating a poor rat with a paper guillotine, saving the office secretaries from anymore distress. Following that, he purchases three hot dogs for breakfast for himself and his young daughter, Kathy (Abby Bluestone). The tough living of father and daughter is really touching, establishing the bond between the pair before the event of the kidnapping.

Boyd is almost unstoppable as he desperately tries to get his daughter back. The chase scenes both on foot and on wheels are exciting and thrilling. In one sequence, a sympathetic cabbie, played by a young Mandy Patinkin, seems to be having a blast weaving through New York traffic with Boyd. His Latin accent is like a sneak peek to his most famous line from his filmography.

In another scene, Boyd searches for a possible clue to find Saltic in a seedy peep show. It's delivered with comic effect as the desperate man has to feed coins into a machine to question a naked dancer, played by none other than the famous pornographic actress Sharon Mitchell, to chase a possible lead. A scene reminiscent of the Frankie Goes To Hollywood sequence from Body Double (1984).

Cliff Gorman appears to be having the time of his life as a racist psychotic antagonist. An odious individual, nicknamed by the South Bronx locals as The Moleman because he lives below the ruins of his tenement and lurks in the sewers. Saltic mistakes Boyd's daughter for the child of a wealthy property developer who he blames for ruining his area:

"All the rich bastards lie. That's how they get rich and that's how they stay rich. They're not putting anything over on me because I'm wise to their tricks with their taxes and bullshit and all the little games they play so good, huh? They're all in it together, juggling the books. Well now they're gonna pay. Now I'm gonna be the juggler. I'm gonna juggle the books my way and it's gonna balance out to me." Gus Saltic.

Gorman’s performance is incredibly menacing and deeply unsettling. His opening scene is him sitting at a diner, transforming his breakfast into a face and then ruining it with heaps of ketchup. You don’t need to be a psychiatrist to realise he’s playing a complete nutter. Another wonderful detail about Gorman’s madman is his giggle, which is reminiscent of Renfield’s iconic laugh from Dracula (1931). 

Ironically, he would play a polar opposite character as a compassionate detective in the part after-school special, part sleazy crime thriller Angel (1984).    

Richard Castellano, best known for playing Clemenza in The Godfather (1972), portrays Lieutenant Tonelli, the typical world-weary cop, who is both helpful and a hindrance for Boyd. He even keeps Saltic in the dark about the fact that he has kidnapped the wrong girl. Every movie cop has a little quirk or something odd about them; Tonelli’s is the headache from his daughter’s wedding plans. He talks about it all the time in the film, even using it as an excuse to call home while he’s conducting a phone tap.

Dan Hedaya plays Sergeant Barnes, the crooked cop who’s got a grudge against Boyd. Boyd snitched on him and destroyed his life. Thus, Sgt Barnes acts as a secondary antagonist in the film, and is quite possibly almost as unstable as Saltic. He recklessly shoots at Boyd with a shotgun on the busy streets, even though there are civilians everywhere. Plus, when he finally catches Boyd, he shows how little he cares about his former colleague’s daughter by refusing to send the police to her recently discovered location.

Finally, Maria (Julie Carmen) is a beautiful clerk at the dog pound who assists in locating Saltic. She feels for Boyd’s plight and joins him in his search for Kathy. This decision adds a further obstacle to the mix: the local Latino gang, who are not happy with a "gringo" on their turf with a Butter Pecan Rican. 

Night of the Juggler, based on William P. McGivern’s 1976 bestseller, had a rather bumpy journey to the screen. James Brolin got hurt on a stunt prop, which left him with a limp and a plaster cast. Sidney J. Furie wasn’t happy with how things were going and left after filming about a third of the movie. Robert Butler then took over. Filming begun in the summer of 1978, yet the finished product would not be released until two years later. The fast-paced chase in the first act isn't repeated for the rest of the film. But don’t worry, there are still some amazing moments too, like Boyd’s final showdown with Saltic.

Lieutenant Tonelli’s constant complaints about his daughter’s wedding feel a bit forced and predictable. Thankfully, they are not annoying enough to be irritating.

Seargeant Barnes might seem a bit out there in the film, though. Having a secondary antagonist among all the other challenges Boyd has to overcome to find his daughter is a bit much. Still, Hedaya’s performance is really memorable, no matter what.

Night of the Juggler is a film that really has earned its cult following. It’s a fascinating blend of sleaze, violence and a delightful nod to unapologetic film making seldom made today. Plus, its reputation really took off as a title that wasn’t given a proper home on physical media, other than being only available on VHS. Thankfully, this changed thanks to Kino Lorber in the US and Radiance’s new Transmission imprint in the UK.

I really enjoyed this. It's essentially "What if Taken was a Seventies film?" It felt like a trip down memory lane and it truly lived up to its reputation, even with a few obvious flaws. Night of the Juggler will definitely find appreciation by anyone who loves gritty crime thrillers from the 1970s and early 1980s. It’s packed with a dark and cynical atmosphere and keeps you on the edge of your seat with genuine suspense and tension. I’d definitely recommend it.

Giallo Queens

Even though I still have a mountain of film reviews to get to, I’m compelled to chat about some of my favourite female characters from giallo films. As someone who loves both giallo and slashers, the former often leads into the latter, so the giallo queens are often progenators for scream queens and final girls in most cases.

These heroines would largely differ from their counterparts by being maturer in age (although, not considerably), independently spirited and stunningly glamorous. Therefore, they were another captivating element to a fashionable world full of blood, leather gloves and shameless product placement. 

Without further ado, here are five of your host's favourite giallo queens:

Edwige Fenech

You might say it’s cronyism, but Edwige Fenech truly deserves her giallo crown, regardless of being married to Luciano Martino, the producer of many of her best gialli — and many of which were also directed by her brother-in-law, Sergio. She showed she was a versatile actress beyond having to just yell ‘Pronto? Pronto? Pronto?’ into a phone like many of her peers. For instance, drinking dog’s blood at a Satanic cult shindig in All the Colours of the Dark (1972)..

She had the opportunity to go beyond just playing the damsel in distress waiting to be rescued. She was practically a villain flirting with her uncle and getting off with her aunt in Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972).

Plus, Fenech’s amazing on-screen chemistry with spaghetti western star and giallo king George Hilton in three classic films made them the Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable of the giallo world; albeit with plenty of nudity and sex.

Fenech also starred in Andrea Biachi’s Strip Nude for Your Killer (1975), which, aside from the unintentional sleaze and endless depravity, ends with the possibility of her being sodomised for the sake of a comedy ending. She also co-starred with Michael York and Donald Pleasence in Ruggero Deodato’s late-game entry Phantom of Death (1988), a film that is often labelled a giallo, although it's liberally applied here.

In Italy, Fenech is mostly known for a bunch of Italian sex comedies; the nation’s very own Barbara Windsor, if you will. For the rest of us, she’s better known for starring in some of the best gialli ever produced, which makes her the numero uno giallo queen.

Recommendations:

Five Dolls for an August Moon (Mario Bava, 1970)

The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (Sergio Martino, 1971)

All the Colours of the Dark (Sergio Martino, 1972)

The Case of the Bloody Iris (Giuliano Carnimeo, 1972)

Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (Sergio Martino, 1972)

 

Barbara Bouchet

Barbara Bouchet might have been an unofficial Miss Moneypenny and one of Captain Kirk's snogs, but to anyone familiar with the giallo genre, she is unquestionably one of its A-listers.

 

Bouchet shone in Emilio P. Miraglia’s gothic-tinged The Red Queen Kills Seven Times (1972) and Lucio Fulci’s controversially provocative Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972), which really put her on the map as a standout actress in the giallo genre.

 

She also starred in some of the more erotic films in the genre. Silvio Amadio’s Amuck! (1972) is a prime example, where she finds herself in the crosshairs of a couple with questionable tastes, played by the experienced Hollywood actor Farley Granger and the Italian enchantress Rosalba Neri (another entry on this list).

 

Another film that is worth mentioning is her brief appearance as an unfortunate prostitute who meets a gruesome end in the strange film The French Sex Murders. This film features a host of cult Euro-film stars, Anita Ekberg, Howard Vernon and the aforementioned Rosalba Neri to name a few. However, the film’s real highlight is its detective character, played by the American actor Robert Sacchi, who obviously got the part for remarkably looking like Humphrey Bogart. By no means a recommendable film, but an strange oddity for giallo addicts.

 

Barbara Bouchet also ventured into Eurocrime and Poliziotteschi action thrillers, such as the fantastic Italian gangster film Milano Calibro 9 (1972), Ricco: The Mean Machine (1973) and the unbelievably misogynistic Cry of a Prostitute (1974) starring Henry Silva. Her films are the very reason Quentin Tarantino looked like a gormless film nerd when photographed with her.

 

Recommendations:

Black Belly of the Tarantula (Paolo Cavara, 1971)

The Red Queen Kills Seven Times (Emilio Miraglia, 1972) 

Don't Torture a Duckling (Lucio Fulci, 1972) 

Amuck! (Silvio Amadio, 1972)

 

Anita Strindberg

Swedish actress Anita Strindberg's legacy in giallo is as well defined as her cheekbones.

 

With her captivating looks and outstanding acting, she quickly moved from supporting roles such as Lucio Fulci’s A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin (1971) to the main protagonist in Sergio Martino’s jet-setting thriller, The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail (1971).

 

Her most remarkable role, and perhaps the best in the entire giallo genre, is that of the wife of a decadent author who is both physically and mentally mistreated by him in Sergio Martino’s, Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972). In a perfect world, Liza Minelli should have given her Best Actress Oscar for Cabaret (1972) to Anita Strindberg for her outstanding performance in this Edgar Allan Poe-inspired giallo.

 

Strindberg would also play a grieving mother alongside one-time Bond actor George Lazenby in Aldo Lado's whodunnit Who Saw Her Die? (1972). A dark film where the killer is dressed like a Monty Python granny. This giallo ought to interest fans of '70s British horror as it contains some uncanny similarities to Nicholas Roeg's classic Don't Look Now (1974), despite preceding it by a couple of years.

Yet to see The Two Faces of Fear (1972) and believe me, I've tried tracking it down countless times. Therefore I can't recommend it. I have seen the Haitian giallo Tropic of Cancer (1972), but it's largely forgettable, other than Anita Strindberg being in it. The same goes for Puzzle (1974), where she has a very minor role.

 

Murder Obsession (1981) was one of her final films before she from acting. It's sometimes described as a giallo, but it's more of a supernatural slasher, in my opinion. Regardless of genre, it's an underrated film and deserves more love from Italian horror fans.

 

Recommendations:

A Lizard in a Woman's Skin (Lucio Fulci, 1971)

The Case of the Scorpion's Tail (Sergio Martino, 1971)

Who Saw Her Die? (Aldo Lado, 1972)

Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (Sergio Martino, 1972)

 

Suzy Kendall 

Suzy Kendall might not have starred in as many gialli as the rest of her peers, but quality over quantity is more than applicable for the former missus of one half of Derek and Clive. Her films are legitimately amongst the best in the genre.

 

The British actress, best known for To Sir, with Love (1967) and Up the Junction (1968), would get a taste for the psychological thriller in the obscure home invasion film The Penthouse (1967). A foray of thrillers would follow, most of which were giallo, but the bizarre thriller Assault (1971) is worth a mention on account of it being produced by Eric Rogers of the Carry On film series.

 

The actress made her official debut in giallo with Dario Argento's classic The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970). The terror laced scene where she is trapped in her apartment whilst the killer whittles her front door with their knife, is one of the seminal set pieces in the film and one of the obvious examples as to why it helped reinvigorate the genre.

Kendall would also appear in Sergio Martino's Torso (1973), a giallo which can just as easily be labelled a slasher, thanks to containing many elements with it. Above all, it's the final act of the film, where Kendall's character finds herself trapped in a country home while the killer chops up her classmates oblivious of her presence, that truly takes it into slasher territory. 

 

Umberto Lenzi's problematically named giallo Spasmo (1974) would mark her final role in the genre. Perhaps not one of the director's best known films, but it's one of his better entries in the genre. Well worth checking out as it features one of giallo's most recognisable faces in Italian genre cinema, Ivan Rassimov. It also boasts a great score by Ennio Morricone, too.

 

Decades after retiring from film, Kendall would make a return as Toby Jones's mum in Peter Strictland's fantastically surreal Berberian Sound Studio (2012); a hypnotic ode to Italian film set in the '70s.

 

Recommendations:

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (Dario Argento, 1970)

Torso (Sergio Martino, 1973)

Spasmo (Umberto Lenzi, 1974)

 

Nieves Navarro (AKA Susan Scott)

Spanish actress Nieves Navarro began making real moves in spaghetti westerns in the 1960s. Her glamorous appeal was a match made in heaven when she transitioned into a giallo queen at the star of the 1970s.

 

The actress would play memorable supporting roles in some major gialli, but it wasn't until the Death... films, directed by her husband Luciano Ercoli, that she would get to play more leading roles. 

Navarro's fiery, Latin temperament made the characters she played stand out from the more timid and fragile female protagonists one would find in gialli. This virtue would also lend to being a weakness at times, as she would avoid major red flags and be completely unaware of any potential dangers until it eventually comes knocking at her door.

 

After the classic era of the giallo had passed, Navarro would appear in much smuttier genre offerings, notably some of the Black Emanuelle films starring the cult actress Laura Gemser. As much as I'm a fan of Joe D'Amato's Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals (1975), it's hard to argue with these films not being a low point for any actor, sadly.

 

Recommendations:

The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion (Luciano Ercoli, 1970)

Death Walks On High Heels (Luciano Ercoli, 1971)

All the Colors of the Dark (Sergio Martino, 1972)

Death Walks at Midnight (Luciano Ercoli, 1972)

So Sweet, So Dead (Roberto Bianchi Montero, 1972) 

Death Carries a Cane (Maurizio Pradeux, 1973)

 

Marina Malfatti

Even though Marina Malfatti never had a lead role in a giallo, she has played many supporting roles where she is a genuine scene-stealer and far more memorable than the main female character. Therefore, Malfatti is a sound choice to complete this list.

A big part of what makes her interesting is her posh persona, no matter the character she plays. It is often enhanced by an upper class English accent for the international dub version.

However, what really makes her stand out is the outrageous outfits she wears. Her signature look is usually revealing her midriff and showing off a lot of cleavage, whether she is in sparkly tops or sheer gowns with plunging necklines that go all the way down to her navel.

 

My favourite Malfatti role is her playing Edwige Fenech's bourgeios, British neighbour in Sergio Martino's classic All the Colours of the Dark (1972). She's perhaps at her most stylish as she's dressed similarly to Ingrid Pitt's iconic blue gown from Countess Dracula (1971), replete with a choker. Her piercing stares and graceful poise reinforce the untrustworthy aristocrat vibe exuding from her roles. As evident when I recently watched for the first time The Blood-Stained Lawn (1973); which is not a giallo, in my opinion, given it features a blood-sucking robot.

 

Recommendations:

The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave (Emilio Miraglia, 1971)

All the Colors of the Dark (Sergio Martino, 1972)

The Red Queen Kills Seven Times (Emilio Miraglia, 1972) 

Seven Blood-Stained Orchids (Umberto Lenzi, 1972)

 

I had planned to include ten giallo queens in this list, but since I started working on it during the summer heatwave (which I admit was on and off), it might have taken another five months to wrap it up. Still, it’s a great reason to create another list down the road when I have more time to dedicate and focus on this subject matter.

Picks of 1975

It's been fifty years since the term summer blockbuster entered the modern lexicon. That's largely attributed to Steven Spielberg's Jaws being one of the greatest box office success stories ever; as well as being culturally impactful, even today. Therefore, it would lay down the blueprint for event movies ever since.

Picks:

Autopsy (Armando Crispino) 

Brannigan (Douglas Hickox) 

Bucktown (Arthur Marks)

Countess Perverse (Jesús Franco)  

Deep Red (Dario Argento)

The Devil's Rain (Robert Fuest) 

The Eiger Sanction (Clint Eastwood)

Eyeball (Umberto Lenzi) 

Footprints on the Moon (Luigi Bazzoni, Mario Fanelli) 

French Connection II (John Frankenheimer) 

Ilsa, She Wolf of the S.S. (Don Edmunds)*

Jaws (Steven Spielberg) 

Lips of Blood (Jean Rollin) 

The Man Who Would Be King (John Huston)

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones) 

Night of the Seagulls (Amando de Ossorio) 

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Milos Forman)

Picnic at Hanging Rock (Peter Weir)

Race with the Devil (Jack Starrett) 

Rollerball (Norman Jewison) 

Shivers (David Cronenberg)

Supervixens (Russ Meyer)

Switchblade Sisters (Jack Hill)

Glaring Blind Spots:

Dog Day Afternoon (Sidney Lumet); Hard Times (Walter Hill); and Night Moves (Arthur Penn).

Could have added a few more to the list, like The Stepford Wives, but way too much time has passed since last seeing any of them. No idea if they still hold up.

* Still banned outright today by the BBFC.

Seven Nation Army

The BBC just released the Blu-Ray box set for the second season in Terry Nation's dystopian, space opera Blake 7. Naturally, I put my film watching on hold and binged through it like my life depended on it.

Many of the points I addressed in a blog post dedicated to the first season are just as valid here. Therefore, to avoid repeating it all again, here's an episode guide on the second season of the science fiction series.

Redemption 

Liberator, the mysterious alien spacecraft commandeered by Blake and his crew, is shown being destroyed in last season's cliffhanger finale. It's revealed as a prophetic vision by Orac, the supercomputer and one seventh of Blake's posse. Avon deduces that identifying the star constellation in the background of Orac's prophecy, the Liberator can avoid its destruction. Shortly afterwards, the ship is attacked and pursued by unknown spacecrafts. The Liberator attempts to flee, but is eventually controlled remotely by The System, a computer network created by an advanced alien civilisation, revealed to be the creators of the Liberator.

Terry Nation ends his streak as the sole writer of the series on a high. A rewarding season opener as the Liberator's origin sheds some of the mystique about the ship. Really enjoyed the scene where Blake has to wrestle with the Liberator's cables and circuitry; like they were snakes. I also found it funny seeing the Altas, a bunch of saggy-arsed, hive-minded and cold-blooded women being connected with the Liberator; a ship that looks like it was kit-bashed from a sex toy by the effects department. Rating: 9/10

Shadow

Blake goes to Space City seeking aid against the Terran Federation from the criminal underworld known as the Terra Nostra (see what they did?). Furthermore, Orac and Cally, the telepathic member of Blake's gang, are confronted by a psychic alien entity. Cally manages to combat the invisible enemey with the use of moon discs (they look like brown pebbles), the products used by the Terra Nostra to harvest the narcotic Shadow.

Dud episode! Terry Nation proves how big his shoes are to fill with script editor Chris Boucher taking control of the writing reins. The episode is a convoluted mess and hard to believe it's written by the same creative mind responsible for the seminal Doctor Who story The Robots of Death. Cally is a complete buzzkill once the episode focuses primarily on her. The episode really drags by all the hallucinatory imagery of Cally being trapped inside Orac or when a bunch of pebbles are laughably placed all over Cally. The Terra Nostra plot isn't enjoyable, either. The so-called gangsters are nothing but a bunch of stuck-up, English toffs in brown velour suits rather than resembling anything shady or scary. Also, it's no surprise when it's revealed the Terra Nostra is also controlled by the Federation. Worst of all, is seeing Karl Howman, from the awful sitcom Brush Strokes and the former British video nasty Exposé (1976), playing one-half of a pair of pixie-looking junkies being Shadow addicts. The siblings reminded me of Wilykit and Wilykat from Thundercats and were insufferable. Rating: 4/10

Weapon

Both the Liberator's crew and the Federation go searching for the fugitive scientist Coser, the developer of a powerful weapon known as I.M.I.P.A.K. (Induced Molecular Instability Projector And Key). A deadly device able to mark its target with dark matter and be detonated from an extremely long range (a million miles, or so). Servalan and Travis (in the latter's case; merely canonically) are back. The devious pair employ the genius psychostrategist (otherwise known as a "puppeteer") Carnell to pinpoint Coser's whereabouts, while also lure out the scientist with a clone of Blake.

A far better episode from Chris Boucher compared to his previous one. Great to see Servalan back in her sadistic glory again, although, I really can't say the same for Travis given how Brian Croucher's performance is so jarringly different when compared to what made Stephen Greif's version so memorable from the first season. Enjoyed seeing the I.M.I.P.A.K.weapon in action; at first against a clawed, alien beast, and once again on Blake and his comrades Avon and Gan. I also got a kick out of seeing British horror scream queen Candace Glendenning as Rashel, a freed slave on the run with Coser. Weapon has a worse IMDb rating than Shadow; which is bizarre, since it's a big improvement and far more enjoyable. Rating: 8/10

Horizon

Blake pursues a Federation ship to the mysterious planet Horizon. Blake and Jenna teleport down and are are captured by a native. The eventually become prisoners and forced into labour alongside the rest of the unfortunate populace in underground mines. They eventually learn that Horizon's ruler, Ro, is being used as a puppet by the Federation for their own means. 

A lame and largely forgettable episode by scriptwriter Allan Prior, the co-creator of the yachting drama Howard's Way. Avon left alone aboard the Liberator, debating whether he should abandon his crew mates still on Horizon, is probably the only positive aspect about this episode. Otherwise, there's lots of instances where Federation officials say "Kommissar!" and "Assistant Kommissar!" while Blake teaches the slaves how to share the cauldron of gruel they're given to eat. Definitely struggled to stay awake through this commie gobbledegook. Rating: 5/10

Pressure Point

Frustrated with all the foreplay, Blake decides to stick it where it hurts for the Federation; taking the battle to Earth. His plan is to destroy Central Control, the computer network and nerve centre of the Terran Federation, effectively toppling the authoritarian regime's iron grip over the galaxy. Thus, Blake teams up with resistance leader Kasabi, the former tutor of Servalan who harbours obvious beef with the ruthless Supreme Commander.

Terry Nation returns with one of the best episodes in the series thus far. Obviously, the mission fails; resulting in the death of the underdeveloped Olag Gan, a member of Blake's outlaw gang. Farewell, Gan! We hardly knew you. Nevertheless, Pressure Point is an action packed episode with an intriguing dose of betrayal. It's a lot of fun seeing Blake, Avon, Vila and the soon to snuff it Gan fighting their way to Central Control. This includes a genuinely tense scene where the lads traverse through a minefield. Also, despite my dislike for Croucher's portrayal of Travis, I did enjoy the scenes between him and Servalan during this episode. Rating: 10/10

Trial

In the aftermath of Gan's death, Blake decides to do some soul searching on an uninhabited planet while his crew ponder over whether to still follow him or not. Meanwhile, Travis does some of his own reflection as he awaits court-martial.

An introspective episode after the action-packed events of the previous one, but a good one, regardless. It's intriguing to discover that the unnamed planet (which looks like it might have been filmed in the Blue Peter garden) is in fact a living creature. It's also engrossing to find out that Blake and Zil, the ridiculous looking alien he befriends, have very limited time left before the living planet floods the surface with oceans of its own saliva to cleanse itself of all the parasites living on it. Overall, I found this part of the episode more interesting than Travis's trial. However, much like Pressure Point, I did find Brian Croucher's performance tolerable here. Kind of funny seeing John Savident, better known for playing Fred Elliott on Coronation Street along with Kevin Lloyd, who was D.C. Tosh Lines on The Bill, playing characters from the Terran Federation. Rating: 7/10

Killer

Avon and Vila teleport down to the Federation planet of Fosforon to get their hands on a translator crystal which would vitally aid them in decoding enemy transmissions. Tynus, the commander of the Q-Base installation, is an old "friend" of Avon; one who owes the renegade engineer a big favour. Blake also teleports down to the installation after a derelict, centuries-old spaceship drifts over the planet. Cally telepathically senses immense danger inside the ship.

Two great plot lines running concurrently by the legendary Doctor Who writer Robert Holmes. What starts off as a heist story eventually turns into a horrific contagion story; with a whiff of zombie goodness. Avon and Vila are a perfect double act, and it's great seeing them working together in this fantastic episode. Tynus, is played by Ronald Lacey, a natural at playing odious and slimy characters; best known for his characters Harris on the classic sitcom Porridge as well as Gestapo officer Arnold Ernst Toht in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). Hence, you're waiting for the all important betrayal while the killer plague ravages the installation. Killer episode. Rating: 10/10

Hostage

After a run-in with Federation pursuit ships, the Liberator receives a message from Travis, who has now gone rogue. The dastardly villain has Blake's ex, Inga, hostage on the planet Exbar. Blake's uncle, Ushton, lives on the planet, who might be able to help.

WTF? Blake and Inga are literally kissing cousins! That's about the only memorable detail from what's otherwise a completely forgettable episode; that, and the fact Jenna gets a little jealous when she sees them kiss. I was mostly bored by this episode, and not even Avon and Vila could rescue it once they entered the mix. Therefore, I kept myself occupied googling what else Judy Buxton, the actress who played Inga, had done as she looked familiar. Turns out she was in I Don't Want to Be Born (1975), starring Joan Collins and a bunch of other cult legends no doubt ashamed of that god awful movie. She later married the actor who played Spike from the sitcom Hi-de-Hi. Rating: 5/10

Countdown

The Liberator reaches the planet Albion, searching for a Federation major once linked to Control Centre and might know of its new location. However, Albion's rebels are close to victory, thus the Federation activate a Solium radiation device which will wipe out all life on the planet. It's a race against time for Blake to find Major Provine, while Avon and Grant, a rebel who blames him for his sister's death, are on a tense-filled mission to deactivate the lethal weapon with the little time they have.

Once again, another stellar episode penned by Terry Nation. A riveting watch, with both plot lines lending to some thoroughly tense and suspenseful scenes. Incredibly entertaining watching all the convoluted hoops Avon and Grant have to go through in order to deactivate the bomb; even having to teleport to the polar ice cap and thaw it out. Loved it. Possibly the best of the second season, in my opinion. Rating: 10/10

Voice from the Past

During one of Cally's Rainbow Rhythms exercise sessions, Blake experiences severe mental pain brought about from the conditioning done to him by the Federation. It's revealed to be a subliminal signal, ordering him to divert from his ship's current course to the asteroid P-K118 instead. He convinces Vila it's a conspiracy engineered by the rest of the crew, where they subsequently lock them up. When Blake arrives on the asteroid's base, he meets rebel leader Shivan and Ven Glyn, a key figure who falsified evidence against him, who has defected over.

A convoluted episode from Roger Parkes, a writer who also contributed to a number of screenplays for another of Terry Nation's TV creations; the series Survivors. Sadly, what might have potentially been an episode full of of intrigue fundamentally yo-yos from tediously dull conversations to shambolically comedic once you see and hear Shivan on screen. I'm surprised the cast and crew were able to keep a straight face. Shivan's real identity is of no real surprise; it's so bloody obvious. Rating: 4/10

Gambit

After the events of Countdown, Blake learns that Control Centre has been renamed Star One and the former Terran Federation cybersurgeon, Docholli, might be able to know of its location. The crew of the Liberator find the cybersurgeon in the seedy quarter of the metropolis known as Freedom City, along with Travis working as the cybersurgeon's bodyguard. Blake, Jenna and Cally go in search of their their quarry. Meanwhile, unwillingly to be left behind, Avon and Vila take a shrunken Orac with them and hit the casinos. Unbeknown to them all, Servalan is also in Freedom City and on the hunt for Docholli and Travis.

Hard to believe Travis was such a villainous threat at one time, and yet he's reduced to skulking about in a hat and cape looking like the Phantom of the Opera. Servalan shines in this episode like a dominatrix from Hell. Once again, Avon and Vila's side story is the most fun. Vila playing speed chess against the Klute, "a galactic grandmaster", where the loser gets fried, was my favourite scene. This was another episode by Robert Holmes. Rating: 7/10

The Keeper

After finding Docholli, Blake learns that the co-ordinates to Star One are imprinted onto a brain amulet, worn around the neck of the planet Goth's ruler. Goth is a primitive world, whose natives live similarly to Viking culture. On their heals is Travis, who also happens to be after the amulet.

Another filler episode from Allan Prior, although Jenna has more to do in this episode; albeit feigning interest in the amorous advances of Goth's ruler, Gola. The McGuffins necessary to get to Star One have really outstayed their welcome by the penultimate episode. I also found the whole story rather predictable and lacklustre; the obvious plot twist being a particular crude set-up. Rating: 5/10

Star One

Lurena, a young technician on Star One, discovers that her fellow colleagues have been replicated by alien saboteurs. Climactic weather effects have already been felt across Federation worlds because of the sabotage on Star One.The Liberator finally reaches the base, where Blake and crew discover a vast minefield in the vacuum of space designed to keep something out. When the crew learn of an Andromedan invasion, Blake abandons destroying Star One and bides time for the now alerted Federation to stop the invaders. Thus, the Liberator is all that stands to fend off the armada until his sworn enemies come to aid in the battle.

Star One is an absolute belter and by far the best episode in the series by Chris Boucher. I like the obvious inspiration taken from Invasion of the Body Snatchers, along with the Andromedan fleet being forced to funnel through a small gap in the minefield with the Liberator holding them off. Essentially the Battle of Thermopylae, but in space. Which makes for a great cliff hanger. Apparently, Terry Nation intended for the invaders to be the Daleks. Of course, it never happened, but it adds fuel to the fire that Doctor Who and Blake's 7 were set in the same universe. Also, Travis didn't pull off anything immersion breaking to spoil the whole episode. Rating: 9/10

TL; DR:

Overall, the decision to include other writers was both a gift and a curse. It obviously worked for Terry Nation, since the episodes he wrote for the second season were amongst the best in the series. Even on my least favourite episodes, the character writing was mostly faithful (with the exception of Travis). The dichotomy between Blake the idealist and Avon the realist makes for some enjoyable chemistry between the two, which really flourished in this second season.

Regarding Travis, he was the biggest disappointment. That's partly due to Stephen Greif not returning to play the character for the second season. There was a twisted and psychotic menace about Travis in the previous season, and that's sadly lost in Brian Croucher's performance. Also, Greif looked far cooler with the cardboard egg box on his face as a cybernetic implant, than the tiny eyepatch Croucher has on. Croucher's Cockney inflection didn't help the character, either.

Also, I'm not surprised Sally Knyvette exited the series given how little she had to do. However, I am bewildered Jan Chappell stayed on for another season given how much of a dead weight Cally was. Gareth Thomas, who played Roj Blake would no longer be a regular after this second season. Blake's 7 without Blake! Paul Darrow's Kerr Avon would naturally take over as the show's lead, which was always apparent from the very first season.

Looking forward to the third season box set getting released next year! Fingers crossed there's a BBC still around to release it by then.