Giallos.

[Os Cangaceiros]

In this thread we discuss giallos.

Technically one could argue that giallos are nothing but Italian thrillers. But this is a simplistic definition, as there are Italian thrillers that afficionados of the genre would not classify as "giallos". Giallos developed their own trademark style over the years, usually (but not always) involving lurid storylines with plenty of sex and murder, and the ubiquitous killer armed with gloves and a straight razor. Oh, and J&B Whiskey. Dario Argento (who is overrated IMO, but is probably the most well-known of giallo directors) originally made his name as a director with giallos, as did others such as (the good) Lucio Fulci and (the great) Sergio Martino, and many other lesser names.

So, what are your thoughts on the genre and some of your favorite films in it?

Mine:

Don't Torture A Duckling (Fulci)
Tenebre (Argento)
Bay of Blood (Bava)
Your Vice Is A Locked Room (Martino)
The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (Martino)
Torso (Martino)
Strip Nude For Your Killer (Bianchi...quite possibly the most unabashedly sexist film I've ever seen)
Seven Deaths In The Cat's Eye (Margheriti...outrageously entertaining, highly recommended)
Black Belly Of The Tarantula (Cavara)

I've seen a ton of these films...there are a lot that I can't even remember...

[JustMovement]

hmm interesting, I never knew this was a seperate genre (although I had heard of Dario Argento but I though he was more a generic pulp director). In Italian any mystery or thriller novel/movie are refered to as Gialli. Anyways I will have to check it out, is it a film noir type of thing?

[Os Cangaceiros]

I'd call it a seperate subgenre, personally. Dario Argento has done other films than just giallos (for example, the fairly well-known Suspiria, a supernatural film about witches) but the majority of his work resides in the more typical giallo narratives such as Tenebre, Deep Red etc. There's actually some disagreement I suppose about whether Suspiria is a giallo, as it's a mystery film of sorts, but most people don't consider it to be one, at least not in my experience.

It's not really like film noir, because it's not really as "serious", I guess is the right word. Well, some are more serious than others I suppose. Films like Strip Nude For Your Killer aren't serious at all, and are packed to the gills with sleaze, while others such as Don't Torture A Duckling attempt a more meaningful narrative at times. I think that it's generally a lot more colorful and over-the-top than the film noir genre is.

[x359594]

We might as well explain that the term giallo (Italian for yellow) originally referred to paperback crime/thriller novels with yellow covers, much as the French publishers Gaillimard introduced the serie noire from which film noir derives its name as a genre.

[Os Cangaceiros]

We might as well explain that the term giallo (Italian for yellow) originally referred to paperback crime/thriller novels with yellow covers, much as the French publishers Gaillimard introduced the serie noire from which film noir derives its name as a genre.

yup.

I like giallo poster art. It reminds me of cheap, really trashy paperback novels or something:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VQJVKC806jU/TcvbTCHgxzI/AAAAAAAAAk4/JgtA2pQ3B4o/s1600/amer-movie.jpg


http://www.atrocitynights.com/AFF/Images/AllTheColorsOfTheDark.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gsUALeZML10/SM8IEQnEP2I/AAAAAAAAEKE/NF9Dfb124FE/s400/new_york_ripper_poster_02.jpg

("The New York Ripper")

http://bt.eutorrents.com/imagehost/images/solangeee4.jpg

("What Have You Done To Solange?")

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ncd4fiMAovw/Td6g9EocFfI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/28bxlbIHccs/s1600/FPoaLAS.jpg

[Os Cangaceiros]

btw, not to necro this thread or anything, but if someone wants to watch a "neo giallo", I watched one recently, a French film called Blackaria.

http://www.horreur.net/img/blackaria_dvdfr.jpg

It's actually pretty bad, but if you like b-movies it's probably worth a look.

[GiantMonkeyMan]

I watched a film recently called The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) which was pretty hilarious, mainly because it had John Saxon as an Italian doctor and Leticia Roman as an American tourist. Enjoyable film, though.

[Os Cangaceiros]

John Saxon is my role model and spiritual life coach.

[Pirate Utopian]

I like them. I'd say they're the link between film noir and slasher films.

You mentioned most of my favorites like Don't Torture a Duckling and Bay of Blood (aka Twitch of the Death Nerve).
I like Lucio Fulci's New York Ripper, nothing mindblowing but really entertaining.

[Rooster]

There's a Dario Argento film called Giallo. Despite it's kinda toned down violence, it's still a pretty good Argento film. It's got Adrian Brody in it and the film is fairly high budget.

PDxdtetSxOc

[GallowsBird]

I like the genre (I like a lot of Italian Cinema from the ultra-art films to the Macaroni Military to the Spaghetti Westerns, the latter being my favourite) though I haven't seen as much of these as I have seen Spaghetti Westerns.

The last one I wacthed was the classic (and oddly banned in the UK for a bit) 'Tenebre' (which featured Giuliano Gemma of Spagh West fame, who used to be one of the biggest stars in Italy). I haven't seen that new film by Argento called 'Giallo' however. I have heard some bad things about it but I didn't mind some of the other disliked Argento films.

[Os Cangaceiros]

I love Tenebre, that may be my favorite giallo with the possible exception of Don't Torture A Duckling. It's the only Argento film that I like, but man it's great. I especially like the scene with the ravenous dog, I wish I had a dog like that...

Also, the infamous scene with the axe and severed hand near the end.

[bcbm]

i watched 'don't torture a duckling' couple months ago during a fulci trip, i enjoyed it. definitely intend to check out more giallos

[Clarksist]

I love the big directors in the Giallo genre more when they do supernatural horror. Dario Argent (Phenomenon, and Suspiria) or Lucio Fulci (The Beyond, and The House by the Cemetary - good couple of years for Fulci) really do well in supernatural horror.

The straight up giallo is still great. Didn't see Opera in the discussion yet. Not Argento's best film, but I find it years later to be the one that gets me most viscerally. The memory of those strips of pins being taped under her eyes returns even more than the music for Tenebre.