Session: Giallo Month II, Week 1
Movie: Blood and Black Lace (1964)
Directed by Mario Bava
As always, there may be spoilers here. And the trailer may be NSFW and/or NSFL
Plot:
Models are dying at the hands of a shadowy murderer. The likely suspects have been arrested, but more models die. Hilarity ensues.
Reaction:
This was a really good murder mystery, with a disturbing murderer (wearing a featureless cloth mask). The murders were creative -- it wasn't the same old same old. Though I admit to finding some of the torture to be a bit much. How this was made in 1964 I'll never know.
As a good mystery, this really kept us (or at least me) guessing, and I found the denouement rewarding. I had no idea.
One of the things I like about this movie is how it illustrates the old Hebrew adage, בדרך שהולך מוליכין אותו. Loosely translated, "He is pushed along the path he travels." In this case, one murder necessitates another. And another. And another. It kind of reminds me of the "Crocodile" episode of Black Mirror, in which case the main character commits murder after murder after murder, constantly trying to cover her tracks - until she gets ratted out.
I really enjoyed this movie, despite having been down on Mario Bava. Keith and Joe insist that Ethan and I did ourselves a disservice by watching a buttload of Bava at a festival instead of savoring them one at a time. If we had had time between Bava films to digest them, we'd appreciate him better. Or so Keith and Joe contend. I'm dubious, but I have to admit this was really good.
Ratings:
Me: 8
Dave: 9.9
Ethan: 8
Joe: 9.99999
Sean: 3 out of 4
…And, there’s the question!
ReplyDeleteWould it have seemed just as “really good”, had it been preceded by three others, and followed by two more?
I’d say no. And, even if you disagree, it wouldn’t have *stood out* to this degree, if it were one part of a “Big Bunch O’ Bava”!
Not everything was created for binging! Especially, things produced back when that term applied mostly to food and drink!
"Would it have seemed just as “really good”, had it been preceded by three others, and followed by two more?"
ReplyDeleteGood question. I know you and Keith say no. I'm not convinced. Since most of those Bava films I saw at the festival are now a blur to me (which, I suppose, supports your contention), maybe I can try rewatching them one at a time at some point in the future.
All except for Planet of the Vampires. That really was a piece of crap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzbEfsCNpis