SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

Grimossfer Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

Benedito Dias Rodrigues Regarded for mostly the first Giallo ever made,the Master gave us a new genre of picture aftewards,Mario Bava's legacy is a valuable efforts to all fans of this neglected kind,after this point and through the years slowly the genre getting strong as we knows today of utmost importance indeed,Brutal,Bloody,Cold,Fear and thriller can defines this new one!!!Resume:First watch: 2017 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7

Mark Turner I can't say this loud enough. This is one of the most gorgeous films I've ever seen released on blu-ray. Seriously it is a visual delight. Let me put it this way and this is no fault in the film. I had to start watching this film 4 different times. I made the mistake of doing so late at night and was so tired I'd fall asleep. Again, this was no fault of the film. And each time I went back, including the final time, I always started at the beginning. Not to remind me of what happened but because I so enjoyed the look of the film. It is beautiful! So let's get the story out of the way first shall we? The film opens with the murder of Isabell, a model who works in an haute couture fashion house on her way home on a dark and stormy night. Her body shows up the next day in a studio closet. As the police begin to investigate the number of suspects grows rather than dwindle. It seems most of the other models had some reason or another to fear Isabella. The owner, the studio's manager, friends and other co-workers as well.A diary that Isabella kept is also discovered but before it can be taken to the police it is stolen. The woman, another model, who stole the diary is tortured and also found murdered. Each time we see the murderer he/she is clothed in a black coat, black gloves and a full face mask. The identity of the murderer as well as who will survive are not revealed until the end of the film.Yes, the story can seem fairly simple. But the twists and turns presented in the backstage issues among the cast make it as much a melodrama as a near perfect giallo film.For those who don't know what giallo is it is a genre of Italian film named so because they presented whodunits, murder mysteries that were similar to the style of writing found in books published in that country that were published with a bold yellow border, giallo meaning yellow in Italian. Those books which featured the writings of Edgar Wallace, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie and more were quite popular. The films were mostly whodunits as well but had several items that became running themes, among them a killer whose face is not seen who wore black gloves. The amount of violence was also fairly extreme for the time and was a noted feature.So what makes this one stand out? The director of the film was Mario Bava, a noted Italian director who came from a cinematographer background. For Bava the look of the film was as important as the story being told if not more so. It shows in this film. The colors used here virtually leap from the screen. Bava used extremes in color to highlight various scenes with the murders taking place in a highly stylized use of lighting and color that I've not seen before. It helps the story rather than hinder it. It catches your eye and makes you watch just to see the images on screen.It was also one of the first of the giallo films, some calling it the very first made although there were a few others that qualified. While it was released in 1964 it holds up to today's standards. Younger viewers might think it is ripping off any number of slasher films they've witnessed but the fact is it was there long before the rest. The film led the way for directors that followed, including the most famous of these other than Bava, Dario Argento. Having worked with Bava the influence he had on Argento is obvious.It's hard to describe just how amazing this film is visually. I know, I keep raving about it but it really is that great. From the opening credits my eyes went wide watching what was on the screen. I kept asking myself how I had never seen this movie but then I thought what sort of condition would it have been in had I seen it years ago? Arrow Video has done an amazing release with this one offering it in a 2k transfer and in 1080p. Until you watch it you won't realize just how amazing the film looks because of this.Not only have they done a great job with the presentation of the actual film the extras are so good that even I watched them. And keep in mind, I'm not one to watch all of the extras on every film. But Arrow does such a great job of it that I can't help myself. Space doesn't allow me to go into detail what they've rounded up but trust me, it is well worth it.Arrow Video has pulled out all stops on this release and it shows. Fans of the film will go insane over the combination of extras combined with the gorgeous presentation. Horror fans may end up discovering a treat that they somehow missed like I did. And collectors will find this a must have for their shelf, an original film that delights all of the senses. For some it might seem dated but for those willing to take the trip this is one Italian film that should be required viewing for film fans and one that I know I'll be watching more than once.

Scott LeBrun Isabella (Francesca Ungaro), one of the lovely young models at a fashion house, meets a gruesome demise in this films' opening minutes. When her former co-workers rifle through her belongings, a diary is discovered. And many characters are mighty anxious to find out what Isabella might have written in there. Meanwhile, people continue to be murdered, and there's no shortage of suspects."Blood and Black Lace" was an early example of that beloved Italian genre of murder mysteries known as "Gialli", and as such, it's pretty good of its kind. Some viewers could find it a little hard to stomach, because it's rather brutal. Our murderer employs various methods, but always displays a certain sadism. The story & screenplay (by Marcello Fondato, in collaboration with director Mario Bava and Giuseppe Barilla) are not great, but they are reasonably involving and do try to keep you on your toes. The real drawing card, as with any film by Bava, is his visual style. His creation of images, and the colorful lighting and props, rank right up there with the best of his work. Things begin on an effectively ominous note, with a close-up on a sign that comes loose due to a heavy storm. As Bava well knows, dark and stormy nights are a classic trope of the entire horror genre.The acting is generally acceptable, with American actor Cameron Mitchell in the lead. Standing out among this cast are the sultry Eva Bartok as the Contessa, and Dante DiPaolo as drug-addicted Frank Sacalo. Other familiar faces include Luciano Pigozzi (the Italian Peter Lorre), Lea Lander ("Rabid Dogs"), and Harriet Medin ("The Whip and the Body"). As fans of the Giallo come to expect, much of the female cast is strikingly sexy and used to full advantage.Some Bava fans regard this as his true masterpiece.Seven out of 10.

Michael_Elliott Blood and Black Lace (1964) **** (out of 4) Mario Bava's ground-breaking murder-mystery takes place around a model agency where one by one women begin to be murdered by a person dressed in black and a haunting white mask. A police inspector appears to have a list of suspects narrowed down but soon he realizes that there are many twists ahead of him.BLOOD AND BLACK LACE might not have been the first giallo ever made but there's no question that it had the biggest impact on the genre and it influenced everything that was to follow. It's easy to watch this film and see how it would influence the likes of all Italian mysteries going forward and especially those of Dario Argento. It's been said that Bava was a genius with the camera and that's obviously true by watching this Technicolor gem that jumps off the screen from the opening shot to the very last.To me the real star here is the actual look of the film. From the opening shot to the very last you're greeted with some of the greatest and more lured images that you're ever going to see. Several directors were able to work wonders with Technicolor but I really can't think of too many who used the colors so well. Just take a look at the great detail in the various red colors throughout the picture. Whether it's a diary, a phone or blood flowing through a tub, the color just jumps out. The solid black look of the killer is something else that really stands out in the picture and just take a look at the sequence where a light flickers on and off to highlight the killer.The film offers up some very good performances from the cast. Even though Cameron Mitchell is the only "name" here, everyone does a very good job in their roles. The death scenes are quite poetic in their own right and there's no doubt that the mystery keeps you guessing right up to the end. Another thing I've always loved about this picture is Bava's style. It really just seems as if the camera is floating from one scene to the next in a poetic way that captures the beauty of everything we're seeing on the screen but also ties everything together.BLOOD AND BLACK LACE is one of those landmark films that has been copied dozens of times over the years but it's lost none of its luster. The film is as impressive today as it was the day it was released.