Coventry Review of Giallo in Venice

Giallo in Venice (1979)

Sickening, totally incompetent, an absolute insult to good taste... And yet I'm SO glad to have seen it!

[7/10 · 30 May 2006]

Honesty and openness are characteristics that you rarely ever come across in the horror genre. Doesn't it frequently happen that you purchase a title that loudly promotes itself as "the ultimate experience in pure terror" whereas, in reality, it's just another dull and totally unoriginal thriller that wasted both your time and your money? Well, at least Mario Landi's "Giallo A Venezia" is completely different! The brief description on the back of the VHS cover sincerely admits already that this film is a total failure when it comes to building up mystery or suspense, but takes pride in the fact that it is one of the nastiest, sleaziest and most brutal gore flicks ever produced in Italy. And let me assure you, this isn't a lie! Every single reviewer on this website agrees that this is a sick, sick, sick, SICK film and exclusively meant for horror freaks who're constantly searching for new heights in extreme film-making. The plot of "Giallo A Venezia" is hardly worth mentioning, as Landi doesn't even attempt to involve the viewers in the search for the demented serial killer on the loose in the streets of Venice. The mutilated corpses of a young couple are found near a river and pretty soon it becomes clear that they were fanatically into bizarre sexual fetishes and perverted games. A duo of unlikely police inspectors, one addicted to eating boiled eggs and the second looking like a homicidal maniac himself, investigate the case by questioning local prostitutes and their clients. Even though the killer isn't very good at keeping his identity secret, he still manages to commit several more very gruesome and misogynistic murders. As promised, there's absolutely no tension or atmosphere and even the 'surprise' ending is rather laughable. Although supposedly set in one of the most beautiful places in the world, every filming location and piece of scenery looks ugly and unappealing while there isn't the least bit of variety in camera-work or choreography. Mario Landi lacks all the qualities of a real director and allows his cast to do whatever they want, naturally resulting in atrocious performances. It really just is the graphic sickness that makes this movie memorable. The killer, wearing horribly over-sized sunglasses, repeatedly stabs a defenseless woman in the crotch with scissors and the camera proudly zooms in on how the blood floods down her legs (yikes!). Another poor sucker is shot multiple times and subsequently set on fire, yet he remains floundering until all his skin and flesh is burnt up. Mariangela Giordano stars as well and this woman urgently deserves a statue for being the Italian actress who suffered THE most on screen! In "Burial Ground", she had her nipple bitten off by a zombified teenager, in "Patrick Still Lives" (by the same director) she got vaginally impaled with a poker and, in this dubious classic, her leg is sadistically amputated with a rusty saw. Personally, I moved heaven and earth in order to finally obtain a copy of this notorious horror-shocker and, as disturbing as it may sound, I'm actually proud to add it to my collection, even though 99% of the film revolves on UN-sexy sex sequences and sickening gore. Consider yourself warned