Monday, May 9, 2011

Valentina Cortese & John Saxon in The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963)

Obscurity factor: 6

Keeping with the "woman in danger" thriller theme from yesterday we find Nora (Leticia Roman) visiting Rome to care for a sick aunt. After her aunt dies she is invited to stay in the home of a new acquaintance, Laura (Valentina Cortese) while she's away on vacation. She witnesses a murder, but is told that it must have been a hallucination because the crime had been committed 10 years earlier - part of a grisly series of murders by a serial killer dubbed the Alphabet Killer. As she tries to make sense of it all she begins to suspect she may be the next victim. The only one she can turn to for help is a young doctor (John Saxon), but can she trust him?

Poster source: Wikipedia

This film is part of the Italian Giallo film movement and was directed by Mario Bava. It's very moody and atmospheric and while the story takes some suspension of disbelief to swallow, it has a very stylish quality to it that makes it interesting.

This film, which was renamed The Evil Eye for the American market is available on DVD and can be seen in its entirety on YouTube. Part one is above, uploaded by monster4josh.

Obscurity factor: 6 (available on DVD & YouTube, known to Gaillo fans, largely unknown to the general public)
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8 comments:

  1. VanceManMay 9, 2011 at 4:30 PM

    I've spent a lot of time in the giallo film world of Dario Argento, but I have had Mario Bava targeted for my next "deep dive" into the genre. Thank you for giving me a good starting point.

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  2. BenMay 9, 2011 at 4:32 PM

    I haven't seen any Dario Argento films. I'll have to look for them.

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  3. VanceManMay 10, 2011 at 9:32 PM

    I believe that Argento's "Suspiria" was the last film done with the traditional three-strip technicolor process. It's a visual feast and like the Technicolor spectacle that is "The Red Shoes," it's also centered on ballet (albeit a ballet school run by witches.).

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  4. BenMay 11, 2011 at 12:54 AM

    Hmm, interesting. I'll have to take a look at that...

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  5. PropagatrixMay 11, 2011 at 4:28 PM

    Ben, I second the recommendation of SUSPIRIA as an intro to Argento. It's gorgeous AND it features the lovely Jessica (PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE) Harper!

    FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET, THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, DEEP RED...Dario's amazing.

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  6. BenMay 11, 2011 at 4:29 PM

    Two recommendations from astute people! Well, now I have to see it...

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  7. PropagatrixMay 11, 2011 at 4:31 PM

    P.S. John Saxon is another of my older-guy crushes from way back!

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  8. BenMay 11, 2011 at 4:32 PM

    He's very sexy - I liked him on The Mary Tyler Moore Show

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