Arrow Video, out now

 

When a wealthy businessman’s wife is killed in a car crash, he’s shocked to find that the vehicle’s brakes have been tampered with. But that’s just the beginning of his descent into a psychological nightmare.

This 1969 London-set giallo immediately distinguishes itself from Klaus Kinski’s (Nosferatu the Vampyre) regular fare insofar as he plays a good guy (with a very posh British overdub) and is terribly terribly restrained. Riccardo Freda (I vampiri, The Horrible Dr. Hitchcock) also directed bonkers giallo The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire [link to review] and while this isn’t as much fun, it’s easier to follow.

Certainly not in the same league as Mario Bava’s Blood and Black Lace or Dario Argento’s ‘animal’ trilogy, the direction of this giallo is assured and it’s fascinating to see the outsider’s view of late 60s London, full of unlikely and unlikeable characters. There’s plenty of bare boobs to earn its mild exploitation credentials, but it’s not a sadistic movie, keeping your eye very firmly on the convoluted plot machinations. The over-use of poor stock footage and risible dialogue (possibly a victim of the translation from Italian!) mean that you’re never truly drawn in, forever aware of its artifice as it draws towards its nonsense conclusion.

Arrow’s new 2K restoration of the full-length Italian version of the film is taken from the original 35mm camera negative and features English and Italian soundtracks, titles and credits, with newly-translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack. Author and critic Tim Lucas provides an informed commentary, there’s a new video interview with composer Nora Orlandi, as well as a career appreciation of his scores. Finally, there’s a new video essay on Riccardo Freda’s gialli by author and critic Amy Simmons, an extensive image gallery and trailers.

Verdict: From the OTT concert hall score to the stereotypical London bobbies wondering around in London smog, this a non-too-subtle thriller that wears its artifice in its sleeve. One for the giallo brigade, but there are some charms for the aficionado of 70s Euro-nonsense. 7/10

Nick Joy