Rating: 4/5
Hooptober X | 29/34 | Mario Bava
A masked killer murders Isabella, a fashion house model, dragging her away, her stocking glimmering in the backlight.
The models and staff at the fashion house grow weary with the thought of a killer on the loose. But they become terrified when they learn that Isabella kept a diary with all the dirty secrets. Perhaps one of the secrets was what led to her murder.
This movie is so gorgeous. The color is vibrant, and the cinematography is confident. The result is an uncanny murder mystery where the world feels genuine and fabricated, the way fashion reflects a distorted reality back to us.
The influence on Argento is palpable. The striking reds in this movie remind me so much of Suspiria. And, of course, there are the kills in this that Argento lifted for The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.
Bava may have invented giallo with The Girl Who Knew Too Much, but this is his artistic peak in the genre.
Stray Thoughts
- The color in the opening credits is perfect. I love the way it introduces each actor.
- The red doll with no face and a black wig is such a weird image.
- You can’t beat a faceless assailant in a trench coat.