Talking to a fellow IMDber a few months ago about my plans to watch a number of gialli titles in the run up to Halloween,I was caught completely by surprise,when the IMDber sent not 1,but 2 Giallo titles! With having been a fan of Umberto Lenzi since seeing his overlooked title Spazmo (also reviewed),I felt that it was the perfect time to start smell the orchids.
View on the film:
"Unofficially" adapting the Cornell Woolrich novel Rendezvous in Black,the screenplay by co-writer/(along with Roberto Gianviti) director Umberto Lenzi takes an extremely cynical view to institutions and sub-cultures who should be helping with the tracking down of the killer,as the writers go from showing drugged- out hippies being willing to do anything for their latest high,to the police and church being prepared to take any shortcuts,in or to get favorable headlines.
Casting the net out wide for suspects,the writers take the rather daring approach of showing the investigation hitting dead ends, from half-interested investigators.
Allowing Mario to hit a dead-end tombstone,the writers surprisingly let lone amateur detective Mario work with the cops,which gives the film a tremendous deal of friction,as Mario finds himself not only having to deal with a psychotic killer,but also with a lazy police force,who want to close the case asap.
Backed by a fantastic rolling Jazz score from Riz Ortolani,Umberto Lenzi gives the film an eye-catching, stylized appearance,which goes from darting across rooms in search for the killer,to Lenzi matching each of the murders razor cuts with scatter-shot whip-pans which create a vicious mood.
Surrounding the killer with beautiful women from a fearful Marisa Mell to an elegant Uschi Glas,Lenzi gives each of the actresses a wonderful glamorous appearance,which is joined by an excellent weirdly comedic atmosphere,as each of the would-be victims face everything from poisoned cats to a pre-Driller Killer driller killer,as Mario starts to wipe the blood from the stained orchids.
View on the film:
"Unofficially" adapting the Cornell Woolrich novel Rendezvous in Black,the screenplay by co-writer/(along with Roberto Gianviti) director Umberto Lenzi takes an extremely cynical view to institutions and sub-cultures who should be helping with the tracking down of the killer,as the writers go from showing drugged- out hippies being willing to do anything for their latest high,to the police and church being prepared to take any shortcuts,in or to get favorable headlines.
Casting the net out wide for suspects,the writers take the rather daring approach of showing the investigation hitting dead ends, from half-interested investigators.
Allowing Mario to hit a dead-end tombstone,the writers surprisingly let lone amateur detective Mario work with the cops,which gives the film a tremendous deal of friction,as Mario finds himself not only having to deal with a psychotic killer,but also with a lazy police force,who want to close the case asap.
Backed by a fantastic rolling Jazz score from Riz Ortolani,Umberto Lenzi gives the film an eye-catching, stylized appearance,which goes from darting across rooms in search for the killer,to Lenzi matching each of the murders razor cuts with scatter-shot whip-pans which create a vicious mood.
Surrounding the killer with beautiful women from a fearful Marisa Mell to an elegant Uschi Glas,Lenzi gives each of the actresses a wonderful glamorous appearance,which is joined by an excellent weirdly comedic atmosphere,as each of the would-be victims face everything from poisoned cats to a pre-Driller Killer driller killer,as Mario starts to wipe the blood from the stained orchids.