Giallo
Encyclopedia
Giallo (ˈdʒallo, plural gialli) is an Italian
20th century genre
of literature and film, which in Italian indicates crime fiction
and mystery
. In the English language it refers to a genre similar to the French fantastique
genre and includes elements of horror fiction
and eroticism
. The word giallo is Italian for "yellow" and stems from the origin of the genre as a series of cheap paperback
novels with trademark yellow covers.
entitled Il Giallo Mondadori
, first published by the Mondadori publishing house
, starting from 1929, and taking its name from the trademark yellow cover background. The series almost exclusively consisted of Italian translations of mystery novels by British and American writers, such as Agatha Christie
, Ellery Queen
, Ed McBain, Rex Stout
, Raymond Chandler
etc.
Published as cheapish paperbacks, the success of the “giallo” novels soon began attracting the attention of other publishing houses, who began releasing their own versions (not forgetting to keep the by-now-traditional yellow cover). The Giallo Mondadori popularity then established the word giallo in Italian as the widespread translation of the English “mystery.”
(eg, Psycho, Vertigo
) or Basil Dearden
(eg, The Blue Lamp
, Sapphire
) are, for Italian-speaking audiences, examples of gialli. For English-speaking audiences, the term has over time come to refer to a very specific type of Italian-produced thriller. Italian audiences have historically referred to these films as, rather than gialli, 'thrilling all'italiana' (in other words, thrillers in an Italian style/Italian-style thrillers) or, sometimes, 'spaghetti thrillers'. So, for Italian audiences, the term 'giallo' denotes a broad genre (the thriller), and the term 'thrilling all'italiana' denotes the specific subgroup of films (a subgenre) that have come to be known by English-speaking viewers as gialli.
The film subgenre that emerged from these novels in the 1960s began as literal adaptations of the books, but soon began taking advantage of modern cinematic techniques to create a unique genre which veered into horror and psychological thrillers.
element is retained, but combined with modern slasher
horror, while being filtered through Italy’s longstanding tradition of opera
and staged grand guignol
drama. They also generally include liberal amounts of nudity and sex.
Gialli typically introduce strong psychological themes of madness, alienation, and paranoia. For example, Sergio Martino
’s Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key
(also known as Eye of the Black Cat) was explicitly based on Edgar Allan Poe
’s short story “The Black Cat.”
They remain notable in part for their expressive use of music, most notably by Dario Argento’s collaborations with Ennio Morricone
and his musical director Bruno Nicolai
, and later with the band Goblin
.
stories. The Swedish director Arne Mattsson
has also been pointed out as an influence, in particular his film Mannequin in Red (1958).
The first film that created the giallo as an Italian cinema genre is La ragazza che sapeva troppo
/The Girl Who Knew Too Much (A.K.A. Evil Eye) (1963), from Mario Bava
. Its title referred to Alfred Hitchcock
’s famous The Man Who Knew Too Much
(1956), again establishing strong links with Anglo-American culture. In Mario Bava’s 1964 film, Blood and Black Lace
(A.K.A. Six Women for the Murderer), the emblematic element of the giallo was introduced: the masked murderer with a shiny weapon in his black-leather-gloved hand.
Soon the giallo became a genre of its own, with its own rules and with a typical Italian flavour: adding additional layers of intense colour and style. The term giallo finally became synonymous with a heavy, theatrical, and stylised visual element.
The genre had its heyday in the 1970s, with dozens of Italian giallo films released. Among the directors represented with notable works in this genre are Dario Argento
, Mario Bava
, Lucio Fulci
, Aldo Lado, Sergio Martino
, Umberto Lenzi
, and Pupi Avati
.
Avati went as far as satirizing the genre in 1977 with a slapstick giallo titled Tutti defunti... tranne i morti (All Deceased but the Dead).
Although often based around crime and detective work, Gialli should not be confused with the other popular Italian crime genre of the 1970s, the poliziotteschi
, which refers to “tough-cop,” action-oriented films (many of them Dirty Harry/ Godfather/ French Connection swipes). Directors and stars often moved between both genres, and some films could be considered under either banner, such as Massimo Dallamano’s 1974 film What Have They Done to Your Daughters?
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
20th century genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
of literature and film, which in Italian indicates crime fiction
Crime fiction
Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred...
and mystery
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
. In the English language it refers to a genre similar to the French fantastique
Fantastique
The Fantastique is a French term for a literary and cinematic genre that overlaps with science fiction, horror and fantasy.The fantastique is a substantial genre within French literature...
genre and includes elements of horror fiction
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
and eroticism
Eroticism
Eroticism is generally understood to refer to a state of sexual arousal or anticipation of such – an insistent sexual impulse, desire, or pattern of thoughts, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality and romantic love...
. The word giallo is Italian for "yellow" and stems from the origin of the genre as a series of cheap paperback
Paperback
Paperback, softback or softcover describe and refer to a book by the nature of its binding. The covers of such books are usually made of paper or paperboard, and are usually held together with glue rather than stitches or staples...
novels with trademark yellow covers.
Literature
The term giallo derives from a series of mystery/crime pulp novelsPulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
entitled Il Giallo Mondadori
Il Giallo Mondadori
Il Giallo Mondadori is an Italian series of mystery/crime novels published by Arnoldo Mondadori Editore since 1929.Their original title was I libri gialli, where giallo in Italian means "yellow", a reference to the color of the cover background. The title was changed to I gialli Mondadori in 1946...
, first published by the Mondadori publishing house
Arnoldo Mondadori Editore
Arnoldo Mondadori Editore is the biggest publishing company in Italy.-History:Founded by the 18-year-old Arnoldo Mondadori in 1907 to publish the magazine titled Luce!, it soon became an important publisher. Its headquarters are in Milan....
, starting from 1929, and taking its name from the trademark yellow cover background. The series almost exclusively consisted of Italian translations of mystery novels by British and American writers, such as Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
, Ellery Queen
Ellery Queen
Ellery Queen is both a fictional character and a pseudonym used by two American cousins from Brooklyn, New York: Daniel Nathan, alias Frederic Dannay and Manford Lepofsky, alias Manfred Bennington Lee , to write, edit, and anthologize detective fiction.The fictional Ellery Queen created by...
, Ed McBain, Rex Stout
Rex Stout
Rex Todhunter Stout was an American writer noted for his detective fiction. Stout is best known as the creator of the larger-than-life fictional detective Nero Wolfe, described by reviewer Will Cuppy as "that Falstaff of detectives." Wolfe's assistant Archie Goodwin recorded the cases of the...
, Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Thornton Chandler was an American novelist and screenwriter.In 1932, at age forty-five, Raymond Chandler decided to become a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in...
etc.
Published as cheapish paperbacks, the success of the “giallo” novels soon began attracting the attention of other publishing houses, who began releasing their own versions (not forgetting to keep the by-now-traditional yellow cover). The Giallo Mondadori popularity then established the word giallo in Italian as the widespread translation of the English “mystery.”
Film
For Italian audiences, the term 'giallo' is used to refer to any kind of thriller, regardless of where it was made. Thus American or British thrillers by directors such as Alfred HitchcockAlfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
(eg, Psycho, Vertigo
Vertigo (film)
Vertigo is a 1958 psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart, Kim Novak, and Barbara Bel Geddes. The screenplay was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A...
) or Basil Dearden
Basil Dearden
Basil Dearden was an English film director.-Life and career:Dearden was born at Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex. He graduated from theatre direction to film, working as an assistant to Basil Dean...
(eg, The Blue Lamp
The Blue Lamp
The Blue Lamp is a British crime film released in early 1950 by Ealing Studios, directed by Basil Dearden and produced by Michael Balcon. It stars Jack Warner as police constable George Dixon, Jimmy Hanley and Dirk Bogarde in an early role...
, Sapphire
Sapphire
Sapphire is a gemstone variety of the mineral corundum, an aluminium oxide , when it is a color other than red or dark pink; in which case the gem would instead be called a ruby, considered to be a different gemstone. Trace amounts of other elements such as iron, titanium, or chromium can give...
) are, for Italian-speaking audiences, examples of gialli. For English-speaking audiences, the term has over time come to refer to a very specific type of Italian-produced thriller. Italian audiences have historically referred to these films as, rather than gialli, 'thrilling all'italiana' (in other words, thrillers in an Italian style/Italian-style thrillers) or, sometimes, 'spaghetti thrillers'. So, for Italian audiences, the term 'giallo' denotes a broad genre (the thriller), and the term 'thrilling all'italiana' denotes the specific subgroup of films (a subgenre) that have come to be known by English-speaking viewers as gialli.
The film subgenre that emerged from these novels in the 1960s began as literal adaptations of the books, but soon began taking advantage of modern cinematic techniques to create a unique genre which veered into horror and psychological thrillers.
Characteristics
“Giallo” films are characterized by extended murder sequences featuring excessive bloodletting, stylish camerawork and unusual musical arrangements. The literary whodunitWhodunit
A whodunit or whodunnit is a complex, plot-driven variety of the detective story in which the puzzle is the main feature of interest. The reader or viewer is provided with clues from which the identity of the perpetrator of the crime may be deduced before the solution is revealed in the final...
element is retained, but combined with modern slasher
Slasher film
A slasher film is a type of horror film typically involving a psychopathic killer stalking and killing a sequence of victims in a graphically violent manner, often with a cutting tool such as a knife or axe...
horror, while being filtered through Italy’s longstanding tradition of opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and staged grand guignol
Grand Guignol
Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol — known as the Grand Guignol — was a theatre in the Pigalle area of Paris . From its opening in 1897 until its closing in 1962 it specialized in naturalistic horror shows...
drama. They also generally include liberal amounts of nudity and sex.
Gialli typically introduce strong psychological themes of madness, alienation, and paranoia. For example, Sergio Martino
Sergio Martino
Sergio Martino is an Italian film director and producer, notable for his contributions to the giallo genre.Martino is the brother of producer Luciano Martino. They collaborated frequently in their respective professions...
’s Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key
Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key
Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key is a 1972 giallo film directed by Sergio Martino. The picture stars Edwige Fenech, Luigi Pistilli, and Anita Strindberg...
(also known as Eye of the Black Cat) was explicitly based on Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
’s short story “The Black Cat.”
They remain notable in part for their expressive use of music, most notably by Dario Argento’s collaborations with Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
and his musical director Bruno Nicolai
Bruno Nicolai
Bruno Nicolai was an Italian film music composer, orchestra director and musical editor most active in the 1960s through the 1980s...
, and later with the band Goblin
Goblin (band)
Goblin are an Italian progressive rock band known for their soundtracks for Dario Argento films ....
.
Development
As well as the literary giallo tradition, the films were also initially influenced by the German “krimi” phenomenon—originally black and white films of the 1960s that were based on Edgar WallaceEdgar Wallace
Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace was an English crime writer, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and numerous articles in newspapers and journals....
stories. The Swedish director Arne Mattsson
Arne Mattsson
Arne Mattsson was a Swedish film director, born in Uppsala.His early movies were mostly comedies. His biggest success was Hon dansade en sommar , which earned him the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and a nomination for the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1952...
has also been pointed out as an influence, in particular his film Mannequin in Red (1958).
The first film that created the giallo as an Italian cinema genre is La ragazza che sapeva troppo
La ragazza che sapeva troppo
The Girl Who Knew Too Much is a 1963 Italian giallo film. Directed by Italian filmmaker Mario Bava, the film stars John Saxon as Dr. Marcello Bassi and Letícia Román as Nora Davis. The plot revolves around a young woman named Nora, who travels to Rome and witnesses a murder. The police and Dr....
/The Girl Who Knew Too Much (A.K.A. Evil Eye) (1963), from Mario Bava
Mario Bava
Mario Bava was an Italian director, screenwriter, and cinematographer remembered as one of the greatest names from the "golden age" of Italian horror films.-Biography:Mario Bava was born in San Remo, Liguria, Italy...
. Its title referred to Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
’s famous The Man Who Knew Too Much
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956 film)
The Man Who Knew Too Much is a suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring James Stewart and Doris Day. The film is a remake in widescreen VistaVision and Technicolor of Hitchcock's 1934 film of the same name....
(1956), again establishing strong links with Anglo-American culture. In Mario Bava’s 1964 film, Blood and Black Lace
Blood and Black Lace
Blood and Black Lace is a 1964 Italian thriller film directed by Mario Bava. Bava cowrote the screenplay with Giuseppe Barilla and Marcello Fondato. The film stars Cameron Mitchell and Eva Bartok...
(A.K.A. Six Women for the Murderer), the emblematic element of the giallo was introduced: the masked murderer with a shiny weapon in his black-leather-gloved hand.
Soon the giallo became a genre of its own, with its own rules and with a typical Italian flavour: adding additional layers of intense colour and style. The term giallo finally became synonymous with a heavy, theatrical, and stylised visual element.
The genre had its heyday in the 1970s, with dozens of Italian giallo films released. Among the directors represented with notable works in this genre are Dario Argento
Dario Argento
Dario Argento is an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in the horror film genre, particularly in the subgenre known as giallo, and for his influence on modern horror and slasher movies....
, Mario Bava
Mario Bava
Mario Bava was an Italian director, screenwriter, and cinematographer remembered as one of the greatest names from the "golden age" of Italian horror films.-Biography:Mario Bava was born in San Remo, Liguria, Italy...
, Lucio Fulci
Lucio Fulci
Lucio Fulci was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his directorial work on gore films, including Zombie and The Beyond , although he made films in genres as diverse as giallo, western, and comedy...
, Aldo Lado, Sergio Martino
Sergio Martino
Sergio Martino is an Italian film director and producer, notable for his contributions to the giallo genre.Martino is the brother of producer Luciano Martino. They collaborated frequently in their respective professions...
, Umberto Lenzi
Umberto Lenzi
Umberto Lenzi , is an Italian film director who was very active in low budget crime films, peplums, spaghetti westerns, war movies, cannibal films and giallo murder mysteries ....
, and Pupi Avati
Pupi Avati
Giuseppe Avati, better known as Pupi Avati is an Italian film director, producer, and screenwriter.-Early life and career:...
.
Avati went as far as satirizing the genre in 1977 with a slapstick giallo titled Tutti defunti... tranne i morti (All Deceased but the Dead).
Although often based around crime and detective work, Gialli should not be confused with the other popular Italian crime genre of the 1970s, the poliziotteschi
Poliziotteschi
Poliziotteschi films constitute a sub-genre of crime and action film that emerged in Italy in the late 1960s and reached the height of their popularity in the 1970s...
, which refers to “tough-cop,” action-oriented films (many of them Dirty Harry/ Godfather/ French Connection swipes). Directors and stars often moved between both genres, and some films could be considered under either banner, such as Massimo Dallamano’s 1974 film What Have They Done to Your Daughters?
Giallo Filmography
(Title/ director/ release date/ alternate titles)- The Girl Who Knew Too MuchLa ragazza che sapeva troppoThe Girl Who Knew Too Much is a 1963 Italian giallo film. Directed by Italian filmmaker Mario Bava, the film stars John Saxon as Dr. Marcello Bassi and Letícia Román as Nora Davis. The plot revolves around a young woman named Nora, who travels to Rome and witnesses a murder. The police and Dr....
(Mario BavaMario BavaMario Bava was an Italian director, screenwriter, and cinematographer remembered as one of the greatest names from the "golden age" of Italian horror films.-Biography:Mario Bava was born in San Remo, Liguria, Italy...
, 1963, A.K.A. Evil Eye) - Blood and Black LaceBlood and Black LaceBlood and Black Lace is a 1964 Italian thriller film directed by Mario Bava. Bava cowrote the screenplay with Giuseppe Barilla and Marcello Fondato. The film stars Cameron Mitchell and Eva Bartok...
(Mario Bava, 1964, A.K.A. Fashion House of Death, Six Women for the Murderer) - The Killer Without a Face (Angelo Dorigo, 1967)
- The Sweet Body of Deborah (Ernesto Gastaldi, 1968)
- Naked You Die (Antonio Margheriti, 1968, A.K.A. The Young, the Evil and the Savage)
- Deadly Inheritance (Vittorio Sindoni, 1968, A.K.A. The Killer Has Clean Hands)
- OrgasmoOrgasmoOrgasmo is a 1969 movie starring Carroll Baker and Lou Castel, and directed by Umberto Lenzi. The movie casts Baker as an American heiress who moves to Italy and befriends a young man and his girlfriend, only to discover that they are not what they seem....
(Umberto Lenzi, 1968, A.K.A. Paranoia) - A Black Veil for Lisa (Massimo Dallamano, 1968, A.K.A. Death Has No Sex)
- Paranoia (Umberto Lenzi, 1968, A.K.A. A Quiet Place To Kill) (not to be confused with "Orgasmo")
- So Sweet, So Perverse (Umberto Lenzi, 1969)
- La Bambola di Satana (F. Casapinta, 1969, A.K.A. Satan's Baby Doll )
- One on Top of the Other (Lucio FulciLucio FulciLucio Fulci was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his directorial work on gore films, including Zombie and The Beyond , although he made films in genres as diverse as giallo, western, and comedy...
, 1969, A.K.A. Perversion Story) - The Bird with the Crystal PlumageThe Bird with the Crystal PlumageThe Bird with the Crystal Plumage is a 1970 giallo suspense thriller directed by Dario Argento . The film is considered a landmark in the Italian giallo genre...
(Dario ArgentoDario ArgentoDario Argento is an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in the horror film genre, particularly in the subgenre known as giallo, and for his influence on modern horror and slasher movies....
, 1970, A.K.A. The Gallery Murders, A.K.A. Phantom of Terror) - Five Dolls for an August MoonFive Dolls for an August MoonFive Dolls for an August Moon is a 1970 Italian thriller film directed by Mario Bava, from a screenplay by Mario di Nardo. The music is written by the Italian film composer Piero Umiliani...
(Mario BavaMario BavaMario Bava was an Italian director, screenwriter, and cinematographer remembered as one of the greatest names from the "golden age" of Italian horror films.-Biography:Mario Bava was born in San Remo, Liguria, Italy...
, 1970, A.K.A. Island of Terror) - The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion (Luciano Ercoli, 1970)
- Lizard in a Woman’s SkinA Lizard in a Woman's SkinLizard in a Woman's Skin is a 1971 Italian giallo film directed by Lucio Fulci. It was released in 1971. The film follows the daughter of a respected politician by the name of Carol Hammond , who experiences a series of vivid, psychedelic nightmares consisting of depraved sex orgies and LSD...
(Lucio FulciLucio FulciLucio Fulci was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his directorial work on gore films, including Zombie and The Beyond , although he made films in genres as diverse as giallo, western, and comedy...
, 1971, A.K.A. Schizoid) - The Fifth Cord (Luigi Bazzoni, 1971, A.K.A. Evil Fingers)
- The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (Sergio MartinoSergio MartinoSergio Martino is an Italian film director and producer, notable for his contributions to the giallo genre.Martino is the brother of producer Luciano Martino. They collaborated frequently in their respective professions...
, 1971, A.K.A. Blade of the Killer, The Next Victim, Next!) - Tail of the Scorpion (Sergio MartinoSergio MartinoSergio Martino is an Italian film director and producer, notable for his contributions to the giallo genre.Martino is the brother of producer Luciano Martino. They collaborated frequently in their respective professions...
, 1971, A.K.A. "The Case of the Scorpion's Tail") - Black Belly of the TarantulaBlack Belly of the TarantulaThe Black Belly of the Tarantula is a 1971 Italian film directed by Paolo Cavara. It is one of many Italian giallo films to be inspired by Dario Argento's successful debut thriller The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. The film was shot on location in Rome, Italy in 1970...
, (Paolo Cavara, 1971) - The Cat o’ Nine TailsThe Cat o' Nine TailsThe Cat o' Nine Tails is a 1971 Italian giallo thriller film written and directed by Dario Argento; it was his second film as director....
(Dario ArgentoDario ArgentoDario Argento is an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in the horror film genre, particularly in the subgenre known as giallo, and for his influence on modern horror and slasher movies....
, 1971) - The Bloodstained Butterfly (Duccio Tessari, 1971)
- Four Flies on Grey VelvetFour Flies on Grey VelvetFour Flies on Grey Velvet is a 1971 Italian mystery thriller film, directed by Dario Argento. The screenplay is also by Argento, from a story by him, Luigi Cozzi, Mario Foglietti and Bryan Edgar Wallace .-Plot:...
(Dario ArgentoDario ArgentoDario Argento is an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in the horror film genre, particularly in the subgenre known as giallo, and for his influence on modern horror and slasher movies....
, 1971) - My Dear Killer (Tonino Valerii, 1971)
- Twitch of the Death NerveTwitch of the Death NerveTwitch of the Death Nerve is a 1971 Italian horror film directed by Mario Bava. Bava cowrote the screenplay with Giuseppe Zaccariello, Filippo Ottoni and Sergio Canevari, with story credit given to Dardano Sacchetti and Franco Barberi. The film stars Claudine Auger, Luigi Pistilli, and Laura...
(Mario BavaMario BavaMario Bava was an Italian director, screenwriter, and cinematographer remembered as one of the greatest names from the "golden age" of Italian horror films.-Biography:Mario Bava was born in San Remo, Liguria, Italy...
, 1971, A.K.A. Bay of Blood, Ecology of a Crime, Chain Reaction ) - The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire (Riccardo Freda, 1971)
- The Red-Headed Corpse (Renzo Russo, 1971, A.K.A. Sweet Spirits, The Sensuous Doll )
- The Devil Has Seven Faces (Osvaldo Civirani, 1971, A.K.A. The Devil With Seven Faces)
- Amuck! (Silvio Amadio, 1971, A.K.A. In Pursuit of Pleasure, A.K.A. Maniac Mansion)
- They've Changed Their Faces (Corrado Farina, 1971)
- Slaughter HotelSlaughter HotelSlaughter Hotel is a 1971 Italian horror film directed by Fernando Di Leo and starring Klaus Kinski. -Plot:An axe-wielding maniac stalks the beautiful, scantily-clad women of an upscale sanitarium, all under the watchful eye of the mysterious Dr. Keller .-Cast:* Klaus Kinski - Dr...
(Fernando Di Leo, 1971, A.K.A. Asylum Erotica, The Beast Kills in Cold Blood) - Death Walks on High Heels (Luciano Ercoli, 1971)
- The Case of the Bloody Iris (Giuliano Carnimeo, 1972, A.K.A. Why Are Those Strange Drops of Blood On Jennifer’s Body?)
- Don’t Torture a DucklingDon't Torture a DucklingDon't Torture a Duckling, is a Giallo film directed by Lucio Fulci in 1972.The film is significant within Fulci's filmography as it is one of the first in which he began using violent gore effects, something he would continue to do in his later films, such as Zombi 2, The Beyond and City of the...
(Lucio FulciLucio FulciLucio Fulci was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his directorial work on gore films, including Zombie and The Beyond , although he made films in genres as diverse as giallo, western, and comedy...
, 1972) - Who Saw Her Die?Who Saw Her Die?Who Saw Her Die? is a 1972 thriller film directed by Aldo Lado and starring George Lazenby. In this film, the parents of a murdered woman search for the killer as the body count grows.-Cast:* George Lazenby - Franco Serpieri...
(Aldo Lado, 1972, A.K.A. The Child ) - Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the KeyYour Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the KeyYour Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key is a 1972 giallo film directed by Sergio Martino. The picture stars Edwige Fenech, Luigi Pistilli, and Anita Strindberg...
(Sergio MartinoSergio MartinoSergio Martino is an Italian film director and producer, notable for his contributions to the giallo genre.Martino is the brother of producer Luciano Martino. They collaborated frequently in their respective professions...
, 1972, A.K.A. Eye of the Black Cat) - The French Sex Murders (1972, A.K.A. The House of Rendezvous)
- Smile of the Hyena (Silvio Amadio, 1972, A.K.A. Smile Before Death)
- What Have You Done to Solange?What Have You Done to Solange?What Have You Done to Solange? is a 1972 giallo film directed by Massimo Dallamano. The film was based on the Edgar Wallace mystery novel The Clue of the New Pin. It was shot on location in London, England over the course of six weeks in the fall of 1971...
(Massimo Dallamano, 1972, A.K.A. Secret of the Green Pins, The School That Couldn't Scream, Terror in the Woods) - Knife of Ice (Umberto LenziUmberto LenziUmberto Lenzi , is an Italian film director who was very active in low budget crime films, peplums, spaghetti westerns, war movies, cannibal films and giallo murder mysteries ....
, 1972, A.K.A. Silent Horror) - All the Colors of the Dark (Sergio MartinoSergio MartinoSergio Martino is an Italian film director and producer, notable for his contributions to the giallo genre.Martino is the brother of producer Luciano Martino. They collaborated frequently in their respective professions...
, 1972, A.K.A. They're Coming to Get You, Day of the Maniac) - The Dead Are AliveThe Dead Are Alive- Plot :Between Spoleto and Cerveteri, someone kills young couples, inspiring himself to the frescos of a grave etrusca in which the demon Tuchulca appears...- Cast :...
(Armando Crispino, 1972, A.K.A. The Etruscan Kills Again) - Delirium (Renato Polselli, 1972, A.K.A. Delirio Caldo )
- The Short Night of the Glass Dolls (Aldo Lado, 1972, A.K.A. Paralyzed)
- Five Women for the Killer (Stelvio Massi, 1972)
- Seven Bloodstained Orchids (Umberto Lenzi, 1972, A.K.A. The Puzzle of the Silver Half-Moons)
- Crimes of the Black Cat (Sergio Pastore, 1972, A.K.A. Seven Shawls of Yellow Silk)
- Naked Girl Killed in the ParkNaked Girl Killed in the ParkNaked Girl Killed in the Park is a 1972 thriller film directed by Alfonso Brescia and starring Robert Hoffmann.-Cast:* Robert Hoffmann - Chris Buyer* Pilar Velázquez - Catherine Wallenberger* Irina Demick - Magda Wallenberger...
(Alfonso Brescia, 1972) - The Night Evelyn Came Out of the GraveThe Night Evelyn Came Out of the GraveThe Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave is a 1971 Italian giallo film directed by Emilio Miraglia. It was released in 1971.-Plot:The film tells the story of Alan , a man whose obsession with his disloyal dead wife, Evelyn, causes him to prey upon sexy redheads, including Erika Blanc, who in a...
(Emilio Miraglia, 1972) - Death Walks at Midnight (Luciano Ercoli, 1972)
- TorsoTorso (1973 film)Torso, or I corpi presentano tracce di violenza carnale is an Italian giallo thriller directed by Sergio Martino. The film was shot on location in Perugia and the Italian countryside in early 1972, and was subsequently released in 1973...
(Sergio MartinoSergio MartinoSergio Martino is an Italian film director and producer, notable for his contributions to the giallo genre.Martino is the brother of producer Luciano Martino. They collaborated frequently in their respective professions...
, 1973, A.K.A. The Bodies Show Traces of Carnal Violence ) - Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye (Antonio Margheriti, 1973)
- The House of FearThe House of FearThe House of Fear is the first English translation of the Ibne Safi's much celebrated Urdu novel Khaufnaak Imaraat that was first published in 1955. It is published by Random House and translated by Bilal Tanweer. It also carries another novella Shootout at the Rocks...
(1973, A.K.A. The Girl in Room 2-A) - The Red Queen Kills Seven TimesThe Red Queen Kills Seven TimesThe Red Queen Kills Seven Times is a 1972 Italian giallo film directed by Emilio Miraglia.-Plot:Two sisters, Kitty and Evelyn, are cursed by a family painting depicting a seven year-cycle in which a Red Queen is raised from the dead to kill seven times...
(Emilio Miraglia, 1973) - Perfume of the Lady In Black (Francesco Barilli, 1973)
- Death Carries a Cane (Maurizio Pradeux, 1973)
- Eyeball (Umberto Lenzi, 1974, A.K.A. The Devil’s Eye, The Eye, The Secret Killer, Wide-Eyed in the Dark)
- AutopsyAutopsyAn autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
(Armando Crispino, 1974, A.K.A. Sunspots, Macchie Solari) - Spasmo (Umberto Lenzi, 1974)
- What Have They Done To Your Daughters? (Massimo Dallamano, 1974, A.K.A. The Co-ed Murders)
- A Dragonfly for Each Corpse (León KlimovskyLeón KlimovskyLeón Klimovsky was an Argentine film director.A trained dentist, born in Buenos Aires, his real passion was always the cinema. He pioneered Argentine cultural movement known as cineclub and financed the first movie theater to show art movies...
, 1974, A.K.A. Red Killer) - The Killer Has Reserved Nine Seats (Giuseppe Benati, 1974)
- The Killer Must Kill Again (Luigi Cozzi, 1974, A.K.A. The Spider)
- The Killer With a Thousand Eyes (1974, A.K.A. On The Edge) co-stars Britt Nichols
- Deep RedDeep RedProfondo Rosso is a 1975 giallo film directed and written by Dario Argento and co-written by Bernardino Zapponi. It was released on March 7, 1975 in Italy and June 11, 1976 in the United States. The film's score was composed and performed by Goblin...
(Dario Argento, 1975, A.K.A. The Hatchet Murders) - Strip Nude for Your Killer (Andrea BianchiAndrea BianchiAndrea Bianchi is an Italian film director and writer.-Filmography:* Diabólica malicia * Treasure Island...
, 1975) - Reflections in Black (Tano Cimarosa, 1975, A.K.A. Vice Wears Black Hose)
- The Bloodsucker Leads the Dance (Alfredo Rizzo, 1975, A.K.A. The Passion of Evelyn)
- The House with Laughing WindowsThe House with Laughing WindowsThe House with Laughing Windows is a 1976 Italian mystery-horror film co-written and directed by Pupi Avati. The movie was filmed in Lido degli Scacchi, Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy...
(Pupi AvatiPupi AvatiGiuseppe Avati, better known as Pupi Avati is an Italian film director, producer, and screenwriter.-Early life and career:...
, 1976) - The Psychic (Lucio Fulci, 1977, A.K.A. Murder to the Tune of the Seven Black Notes, Seven Notes in Black)
- The Girl in the Yellow Pyjamas (1977, A.K.A. The Pyjama Girl Case)
- Watch Me When I Kill (Antonio Bido, 1977, A.K.A. The Cat's Victims)
- Killer NunKiller NunKiller Nun is an Italian nunsploitation film directed/co-written by Giulio Berruti and co-written by Alberto Tarallo...
(1978, A.K.A. Deadly Habit) - The Sister of Ursula (1978)
- Red Rings of Fear (Massimo Dallamano, 1978, A.K.A. Enigma Rosso)
- The Bloodstained Shadow (Antonio Bido, 1978, A.K.A. Solamente Nero)
- Giallo in Venice (Mario Landi, 1979, A.K.A. Thrilling in Venice)
- The Black CatThe Black Cat (1981 film)The Black Cat is a 1981 Italian horror film directed by Lucio Fulci, using his usual violent style. The film is based loosely on the story of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe.- Plot :...
(Lucio Fulci, 1982) - TenebraeTenebrae (film)Tenebrae is a 1982 Italian horror thriller film written and directed by Dario Argento. The film stars Anthony Franciosa, John Saxon, and Daria Nicolodi...
(Dario Argento, 1982, A.K.A. Unsane) - The Scorpion With Two Tails (Sergio Martino, 1982, A.K.A. Murder in the Etruscan Cemetery)
- A Blade in the DarkA Blade in the DarkA Blade in the Dark but also known by the title House of the Dark Stairway, is a 1983 horror film.-Plot:Bruno, a composer, becomes involved in a series of murders who lives in a villa. In a horror film Bruno is scoring: a young child, taunted by cruel bullies, descends into a dark cellar after a...
(Lamberto Bava, 1982, A.K.A. The House with the Dark Staircase) - The New York RipperThe New York RipperThe New York Ripper, original title Lo squartatore di New York, is a 1982 Italian horror film directed and co-written by Lucio Fulci.The film score was written by Francesco De Masi...
(Lucio Fulci, 1982) - Blood Link (Alberto DeMartino, 1983, A.K.A. Extrasensorial)
- Murder RockMurder RockMurder Rock is a 1984 giallo film film starring Olga Karlatos and written and directed by Lucio Fulci.-Plot:...
(Lucio Fulci, 1984) (A.K.A. Murder Rock Dancing Death) - Sweets for a Stranger (Franco Ferrini, 1985)
- Fashion Crimes (Bruno Gaburro, 1986) (A.K.A. Death and Fashion)
- Body CountBody CountBody Count is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1990. The group is fronted by rapper and actor Ice-T, who founded the group out of his interest in heavy metal music, taking on the role of vocalist and writing the lyrics for most of the group's songs. Lead guitarist...
(Ruggero DeodatoRuggero DeodatoRuggero Deodato is an Italian film director and screen writer, best known for directing violent and gory horror films. Deodato is infamous for his 1980 film Cannibal Holocaust.- Biography :...
, 1987, A.K.A. Camping del Terrore) - Phantom of DeathPhantom of DeathPhantom of Death , also known as Off Balance, is a 1988 giallo film directed by Ruggero Deodato.-Plot:...
(Ruggero Deodato, 1987, A.K.A. A Most Uncommon Crime)) - Stage Fright (Michele SoaviMichele SoaviMichele Soavi, sometimes known as Michael Soavi is an Italian filmmaker.-Career:Michele Soavi was born in Milan. As a teenager, Soavi enrolled in creative arts classes and developed into a talented actor. He took acting lessons at Milan's Fersen Studios, but his greatest talent was working behind...
, 1987, A.K.A. Deliria, Bloody Bird, Aquarius) - DeliriumDelirium (1987 film)Delirium, also known as Photo of Gioia and Delirium: Photo of Gioia is a 1980 Italian giallo film directed by Lamberto Bava and starring Serena Grandi.-Plot:A former prostitute is in charge of a successful men's magazine...
(Lamberto BavaLamberto BavaLamberto Bava is an Italian film director, specializing in horror and fantasy films.Bava was born in Rome, Italy, the son of cinematographer/director Mario Bava, and grandson of cameraman Eugenio Bava...
, 1987, A.K.A. Photos of Gioia) - Fatal Temptation (Enrico Grassi, 1987)
- Too Beautiful To Die (Dario di Piana, 1988, A.K.A. Nothing Underneath 2)
- Dial Help (Ruggero Deodato, 1988)
- OperaOpera (film)Opera is a 1987 Italian giallo film written and directed by Dario Argento. The film stars Cristina Marsillach, Urbano Barberini, and Ian Charleson. Cinematography is done by Ronnie Taylor while Brian Eno and Claudio Simonetti composed the film's score. The film was released in the United States...
(Dario Argento, 1988, A.K.A. Terror at the Opera) - MassacreMassacre (film)Massacre is a 1934 American drama film directed by Alan Crosland. The film stars Richard Barthelmess and Ann Dvorak as its Native American protagonists, and also features Charles Middleton, Sidney Toler, Claire Dodd and Clarence Muse.-Plot:...
(Andrea Bianchi, 1989) - Arabella, The Black Angel (Stelvio Massi, 1989)
- The Murder Secret (Mario Bianchi & Lucio Fulci, 1989, A.K.A. Don't be Afraid of Aunt Martha)
- TraumaTrauma (1993 film)Trauma is a 1993 film directed by Dario Argento who also co-wrote the screenplay. The film can be described as a giallo, that is a film with influences from the horror, mystery, and thriller genres.-Plot synopsis:...
(Dario Argento, 1992, A.K.A. Dario Argento's Trauma) - Misteria (Lamberto Bava, 1992, A.K.A. Body Puzzle)
- The Stendahl Syndrome (Dario Argento, 1996)
- Fatal Frames (Al Festa, 1996)
- The House Where Corinne Lived (Maurizio Lucidi, 1996)
- Wax Mask (Sergio Stivaletti, 1997, A.K.A. Maschera di Cera)
- SleeplessSleepless (2001 film)Sleepless is a 2001 horror film by Dario Argento. The film stars Max von Sydow and Stefano Dionisi and marks Argento's return to the giallo subgenre...
(Dario Argento, 2001) - Eyes of Crystal (Eros Puglielli, 2004)
- GialloGiallo (film)- Plot :The film, set in Turin, Italy, follows French flight attendant Linda and Italian-American detective Enzo Avolfi, who team up to find Linda's younger sister Celine. Celine, a model, has been abducted by a serial killer. Known only as "Yellow" , he kidnaps beautiful foreign women in his...
(Dario Argento, 2009)
Giallo influences on other films or neo-giallo
- Communion (Alfred Sole, 1976)
- Dressed To KillDressed to KillDressed to Kill is a 1980 erotic crime thriller film written and directed by Brian De Palma. It stars Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson and Nancy Allen in a Golden Globe nominated performance. The original music score is composed by Pino Donaggio. The film is marketed with the tagline "Brian De Palma,...
(Brian De PalmaBrian De PalmaBrian Russell De Palma is an American film director and writer. In a career spanning over 40 years, he is probably best known for his suspense and crime thriller films, including such box office successes as the horror film Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables, and Mission:...
, 1980) - CruisingCruisingCruising may mean:*Cruising , driving around for social purposes, especially by teenagers*Cruise , in aviation*Cruising , leisurely travel by boat, yacht, or cruise ship...
(William FriedkinWilliam FriedkinWilliam Friedkin is an American film director, producer and screenwriter best known for directing The French Connection in 1971 and The Exorcist in 1973; for the former, he won the Academy Award for Best Director...
, 1980) - Happy Birthday to Me (J. Lee ThompsonJ. Lee ThompsonJohn Lee Thompson , better known as J. Lee Thompson, was an English film director, active in England and Hollywood.- Early years :...
, 1981) - American NightmareAmerican Nightmare (film)American Nightmare is a 1983 horror film shot in Canada. It is directed by Don McBrearty.-Plot:Wealthy pianist Eric Blade tries to locate his missing runaway sister in an unnamed city. His journey takes him to seedy sex shops and strip joints...
(Don McBreartyDon McBrearty-Filmography:*American Nightmare, 1983*Coming Out Alive, 1984*Strange Tales/Ray Bradbury Theatre, 1986 *A Child's Christmas in Wales, 1987...
, 1983) - Basic InstinctBasic InstinctBasic Instinct is a 1992 erotic thriller directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas, and starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone....
(Paul Verhoeven, 1992) - Se7enSeven (film)Seven is a 1995 American thriller film, which also contains horror and neo-noir elements, directed by David Fincher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. It was distributed by New Line Cinema and stars Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, R...
(David FincherDavid FincherDavid Andrew Leo Fincher is an American film and music video director. Known for his dark and stylish thrillers, such as Seven , The Game , Fight Club , Panic Room , and Zodiac , Fincher received Academy Award nominations for Best Director for his 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and...
, 1995) - SawSaw (film)Saw is a 2004 American independent horror film directed by James Wan. The screenplay, written by Leigh Whannell, is based on a story by Wan and Whannell. The film stars Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, Whannell and Tobin Bell...
(James WanJames WanJames Wan is a Malaysian-born Australian producer, screenwriter, and film director of Chinese heritage. He is widely known for directing the horror film Saw and creating Billy the puppet. He also directed Dead Silence, Death Sentence and Insidious.-Life and career:Wan was born in Kuching, Sarawak,...
, 2004) - I Know Who Killed MeI Know Who Killed MeI Know Who Killed Me is a 2007 American horror-thriller film directed by Chris Sivertson and starring Lindsay Lohan.-Plot:The quiet suburb of New Salem is being terrorized by a serial killer who abducts and tortures young women, holding them captive for weeks before murdering them...
(Chris SivertsonChris Sivertson-Biography:Sivertson's debut feature film The Lost adapted Jack Ketchum's celebrated crime novel and has become a cult classic. His follow up film, I Know Who Killed Me starring Lindsay Lohan, was not well-received by critics and it won several Golden Raspberry Awards...
, 2007) - Lust for VengeanceLust For VengeanceLust for Vengeance is an American Softcore, Erotic thriller, inspired by 1970s Italian thrillers called Gialli that was shot in November 2001 and was re-released with a 10th Anniversary Explicit Version through Music Video Distributors on October 25, 2011.- Plot :Michael Richards is a rapist and...
(Sean WeathersSean WeathersSean Weathers is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, editor and actor. Weathers is a no budget horror filmmaker. He began with House of the Damned but has shown improvement with his other two productions...
, 2008) - AmerAmer (film)Amer is a 2009 French-language thriller film written and directed by French directors Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani.-Cast:* Marie Bos* Delphine Brual* Harry Cleven* Bianca Maria D'Amato* Cassandra Forêt* Charlotte Eugène Guibeaud...
(Hélène Cattet & Bruno Forzani, 2009) - Black SwanBlack Swan (film)Black Swan is a 2010 American psychological thriller film directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel and Mila Kunis. Its plot revolves around a production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake ballet by a prestigious New York City company. The production requires a ballerina to...
(Darren AronofskyDarren AronofskyDarren Aronofsky is an American film director, screenwriter and film producer. He attended Harvard University to study film theory and the American Film Institute to study both live-action and animation filmmaking...
, 2010) - Masks (film)Masks (film)Masks is a 1987 French comedy film directed by Claude Chabrol. It was entered into the 37th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Philippe Noiret as Christian Legagneur* Robin Renucci as Roland Wolf...
(Andreas Marschall), 2011