STACK #138 Apr 2016

DVD & BD FEATURE

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If you're an adventurous viewer who's eager to leave the comfort zone of generic Hollywood blockbusters, let STACK's Scott Hocking point you towards strange and exciting new frontiers in cinema, and explain what you need to know prior to taking the plunge. [Note: Some titles discussed may not be available on DVD and Blu-ray, so please check the JB Hi-Fi website.] BEGINNER’S GUIDE

#1 - ITALIAN GIALLO THRILLERS What is giallo? Italian for ‘yellow’ – the distinguishing colour of the covers of Italian-translated crime fiction paperbacks from authors like Agatha Christie and Raymond Chandler. The term giallo was adopted for the cycle of Italian-made film thrillers popular during the 1960s and ‘70s, featuring murder mystery elements. The giallo cycle bridged the gap between the crime-thriller and the slasher movie, and was highly influential on directors like John Carpenter, Brian De Palma and Guillermo del Toro. Some cineastes argue that giallo is a style, not a genre.

DVD & BD

Blood and Black Lace

(like David Hemmings and Karl Malden) to increase sales potential outside Italy. Their composers of choice include Ennio Morricone and the prog-rock group Goblin. The films are technically accomplished, boasting inventive cinematography and style to burn. This compensates for failures in plotting and characterisation. There are exceptions to the rule, but giallo films are best enjoyed for their visuals and mood rather than their narratives. Where to Start A killer stalks models in a prestigious fashion house in Rome and suspicion falls upon just about everybody in Mario Bava’s visually ravishing and incredibly atmospheric Blood and Black Lace (1964). The prototype of the giallo

Distinguishing Characteristics Largely indebted to the aforementioned novels and the films of Alfred Hitchcock , giallo thrillers are murder mysteries featuring nonsensical plots and characters, deceptive flashbacks, and embellished with graphic violence, nudity, groovy soundtracks and a distinctively colourful and slick visual style. The protagonist is often a foreigner visiting it. The police and detectives are portrayed as clueless idiots who only serve to hinder the amateur sleuth’s investigations. The killers wear black leather gloves and/or a black trenchcoat with a high collar and a hat to obscure their identity. They are frequently female, or there can be two murderers in order throw the audience off the scent. Their weapon of choice is usually a straight razor or a large knife, although some are more creative. Europe (usually Rome) who witnesses a brutal murder and then attempts to solve

The killer’s motivation usually stems from some form of childhood trauma, sexual deviancy or strange medical condition (eg. an extra Y chromosome inducing criminal tendencies). The murder set pieces are graphic and

highly stylised, with victims often dispatched in brightly lit apartments, museums or galleries, sometimes in full view of a witness. Giallo films have very long and extravagant titles that sometimes include reference to an animal: The Bird with

thriller, it introduces the key elements that would define the genre. Bava’s groundbreaking film established the template for gialli and Dario Argento expanded and popularised it with his debut feature The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970). A huge

the Crystal Plumage , The Cat o' Nine Tails , The Black Belly of the Tarantula , Four Flies on Grey Velvet , The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave , The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh , and the best one of all: Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key . The filmmakers favour bold primary colours and close-ups of eyes (a nod to the voyeuristic nature of the films), bathroom taps and running water. They frequently cast international stars

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