August is Giallo Month at Retro Slashers!
Welcome to another theme month here at Retro Slashers! We’re going Italian for the month of August, and soon enough you’ll be Eyeball-deep in pastaland panache. Spanning primarily the 60′s, 70′s & 80′s, Giallo is a subgenre composed of suspense, mystery and blood, combined with high filmic style more often than not – and when not, still hold their own as watchable failures.
From the technicolor terror of Bava’s Blood And Black Lace to the aural delights of Goblin’s musical contributions to Argento’s Deep Red to the if-it-quacks-like-a-duck sleaze of Fulci’s New York Ripper. Giallo, or Gialli, is a gateway drug for horror snobs into the slasher genre.
For an overview of “yellow” film, consume Christian Sellers’ Retro Slashers Giallo Starter Guide.
I also recommend The Do-It-Yourself Giallo Kit which auto-generates a fake title, director and plot. It sure tickles my fancy every time I take a spin! Here’s what it spat out at me, and it’s criminal it doesn’t exist! Post your generated movie logs in the comments!
Strange Shadows on a Frozen Landscape
Directed by
Gianni de Bonti
A visiting English photographer is found dead (presumably a suicide) in an old, abandoned warehouse. His sister is a witness to the the killing; and when another person is found murdered, she is caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse with a maniac.
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TENEBRAE is one of the best – excellent cinematography, pulsing soundtrack, explicit gore, a genuine ” who dunnit “, and the hottest transexual seen in a loooooooooooooooong time !
I love the hobo at the start. “I’ll kill you!” “Shitttttttt!”
ha, yes, the hobo along the fence – she does get killed, but not by him !!!
I love Giallo. There’s just something about the disregard for pure logic, elegant cinematography, violence, sex, dubbing and up front music.
New York Ripper! Foot sex. psychic subplots, extreme gore and a killer that quacks like duck. Utterly fabulous
Yay, Giallo!!!
From The Do-It-Yourself Giallo Kit:
A Torn Photo in the Hands of the Assassin
Directed by
Sergio & Martino de Alberto
A frantic young woman is murdered with a hatchet in a darkened movie theater. A visiting English student is unsatisfied with the official explanation of the murder; and despite several false leads, he discovers that he himself is actually responsible; his own close colleague is forced to kill him before he can kill again.
love me some giallo,
My Heart is an Assassin with One Red Eye
Directed by
Carlo Plagiarino
A student decapitates a rival, and disposes of the head in a darkened movie theater. A mad man is implicated in the killing; and ultimately he kills the maniac in self-defense, but is mistakenly identified as the culprit and killed by a relative of the victim seeking revenge.
Yes… Tenebrae is one of Argento’s best. Deep Red (uncut version) is in my opinion the best giallo film ever. Deep Red is a wonderful film and it put Argento on the map. Bay of Blood is another great gaillo.
Super excited for Giallo month. I just tracked down copies of Death Laid an Egg and Giallo a Venezia, so I’ll definitely be joining in on the gialli viewing festivities.
Hey Mattdeapo – I LOVE Death Laid an Egg, and Giallo a Venezia is truly something else… a sleazy, sleazy flick that’s not to be missed.
Wow I remember that Do-It-Yourself Kit. Giallo Month sounds like a good call, looking forward to seeing what titles you cover. Like slashers it’s a genre that is hard to classify as there’s more to it than just a black-gloved killer and naked women, so the possibilities are endless.
And the Strong, Bitter Smell of Blood Slowly Began to Fill the Silent Room
Directed by
Stefano Stefani
A young girl , with no memory of the past few hours, finds herself standing drenched in blood in an old, abandoned warehouse. A mad priest accidentally steps into the middle of the police investigation of the the murder; and ultimately he apparently discovers the culprit’s identity. The fleeing suspect is accidentally killed; but in a shocking twist, it turns out the real criminal is someone nobody suspected…!
Hot Dog! Giallo! This is bound to be fun!
From the Do-It-Yourself Giallo Kit.
A Glass Eye on the Crystal Balcony
Directed by
Pupi Duppi
A visiting English actor is strangled in the style of a killer who has been dead for many years. A blind boy is unsatisfied with the official explanation of the murder. After several bloody murders, he is caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse with a maniac.
Hooray!
This a sub-genre I need some serious education in. I don’t believe I’ve even seen one. Just didn’t seem to interest me much even though I know I’m probably missing some films I’d love more than ones I’d hate.
What’s the best introductory film? Like, “Halloween” is to the slasher what (blank) is to the giallo.
Dave Stewart,
Excited to hear that both flicks were worth the effort. I’ll be watching those this week.
Does everybody consider Twitch of the Death Nerve a giallo? If so, it’s my second favorite after Tenebre.
Hey zmbdog,
The first giallo that I saw was Deep Red and I loved it. Everything directed by Dario Argento that I’ve seen I’ve liked Tenebrae is also great. I’m kind of new to giallo too,so I’m really looking forward to the reviews this month.
ah, it was called SLEEPLESS, and I also liked TRAUMA as it had DEEP RED like moments in it.
YAY GIALLOS! BUT I STILL WANT ASIAN SLASHERS!
Mattdeapo – I definitely consider Bay of Blood (aka Twitch of the Death Nerve, etc, etc, etc) to be a giallo. And a great one at that.