Page 48 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 120

48 Issue #120 January 2023 www.sportsenergynews.com

In Reel Time

Super Dario

piece of art from the window. . . the
By Nikolai Adams only lead from the second death, a
stuttering pimp in jail – who was not
icture this – a stunning modernist a witness to the occurrence, though he
Pgallery catches the eye of a passerby suggests looking for an affluent male.
late one night, not because of its striking
white floors and walls that are the Picking up very little along the way
backdrop for noteworthy pieces of art, (and what is collected very well may be
but rather, because it is the scene of a misleading), the only thing the police
brutal attack. . . a woman being knifed can glean (and pass along to Sam) is
by a man dressed in a dark raincoat, that the killer is left handed and likely
fedora and gloves, her panicked look middle aged. Though seemingly no
and seeping blood in stark contrast to closer, the murderer begins to take
the pale decor. Attempting to rescue her, an interest in the amateur sleuth. .
he gets stuck between two hard-wired . suggesting that he is on the right
glass door panels – this is the hook for track. Will Sam be able to unmask Photo Submitted
the benchmark 1970 giallo The Bird the killer, putting an end to the brutal Suspense, but also the Master of the another one straight away (oh, the power
with the Crystal Plumage, written and psychopathic killings, or will he and Macabre – Brian De Palma, as this scene of money to sway opinions).
directed by Dario Argento. his girlfriend fall prey to the cool, sharp clearly influences a moment from 1980’s
point of metal? Dressed to Kill. Another sequence was Though not the first giallo (Mario
The man is Sam Dalmas (Tony Bava and others had started the trend in
Musante), a struggling author from the The first film by Argento, it is achieved by dropping a camera six the sixties),
United States. Coming off of a bender, loosely based upon Frederic Brown’s stories to the ground – breaking it in the
it is this disturbing sight that enlivens novel “The Screaming Mimi”, which process (accidentally), it was worth it in The Bird With The Crystal Plumage is
his senses, a chivalric jolt of adrenaline. was also made into a feature in 1958 order to get the right shot; while another credited with giving the unique genre its
Though he cannot rescue the girl (starring Anita Ekberg). Demonstrating extended scene is filmed from high up boom. Spawning numerous gialli, both
directly, he is able to sound the alarm, a veteran’s skill (at building suspense) on a rooftop – a sequence with amazing similar and different, it also led to an
flagging a late-night walker who calls at a very young age, countless scenes scope. inordinate amount of creative, animal-
the police. are shot with style, creativity, and an Intriguingly, producer and distributor centric titles. . . including Argento’s
impressive dynamism – this first picture Goffredo Lombardo (of Titanus) wanted animal trilogy – this one, followed by his
Despite saving the woman, Monica led to the director being coined ‘The to fire Argento early on – not liking the
Ranieri (Eva Renzi), the atrocious act Italian Hitchcock’ – the film also has a look of the dailies. Argento stood up next two films, 1971’s The Cat o’ Nine
of violence is etched in his mind, a near Freudian, dream-like quality (drawing for himself, unwilling to be replaced Tails and 1972’s Four Flies on Grey
constant nightmarish flash that won’t some comparisons to Spellbound). (and, although furious, Lombardo Velvet. Influential to say the least, its
leave him alone. Unable to leave the Bodies, both dead and alive, are placed backed down). . . though, when the combination of big box office returns, eye
country – as his passport has been taken in the camera’s line of sight, warning final product was finally screened for opening suspense, touches of violence
by Inspector Morosini (Enrico Maria the viewer that something foul is afoot Lombardo, he was no less angry – still and nudity, a tense and fascinating score
Salerno), due to the fact that he is a – unbeknownst to our protagonist, unwilling to accept Argento’s vision. (by Ennio Morricone – improvising
witness to the attack, the detective also while a triangular stairwell scene is Leaving in a huff, Argento’s father along with his musicians while watching
suggests that this is likely part of a slew thrilling murder poetry in motion. followed (Salvatore was a well known the film. . .never has sighing felt more
of serial killings. sinister), its unmistakable colour palette
I must admit that I am a sucker for a film producer and executive), and saw (combined with Vittorio Storaro’s
Returning to his loving girlfriend good staircase in film (be it the fight the man cloister himself away in his dynamic cinematography), and unique
Julia (Suzy Kendall), it is quite clear scene in last 2017’s Atomic Blonde, or office (with some of his colleagues). take on memory (and whether it can
that he is not going to fall into the same the steps found as you enter the Bates’ Observing the man’s secretary shaking be trusted), makes it difficult to ignore,
rut he was in before, instead turning home in Psycho), and this one finds a while eating, he asked her what was the a motion picture that still holds up to
his creative mind towards solving the woman scaling the unusually shaped matter – her reply, the film has shaken this day. With a superb ending, you’ll
elusive case. Investigating the suspected flight, the lights ominously going off me. Taking her into his office, Lombardo fall for this classic giallo – and, like an
first murders, there is little to go on. . as she makes her way towards her listened to her, but was still not one intoxicating piece of art, it is well worth
. the genesis killing was that of a lady abode. With only one way up and hundred percent convinced. . . yet, after remembering.
working at an antique shop, the last down, it feels claustrophobic, and as if a slow start at the box office, it took off,
person to see her an unknown patron we are almost blind. It not only draws with Lombardo then calling Argento – Can be watched in Italian with English
who purchased a primitive, macabre impressive parallels to the Master of extremely pleased, saying, let’s make subtitles, or in dubbed English