*Anchor Bay also offers both films in a box set with The Bloodstained Shadow and a special set with a bonus 4th disc, The Case of the Bloody Iris!*
 

Italian Giallo filmmaking is a very formulaic style.  Giallo (meaning "yellow" and named for Italian pulp crime novels that had yellow covers) usually consists of a mysterious killer, sudden violent outbursts, misdirection techniques, gratuitous nudity and a surprise twist ending.  Following this tradition does not allow for much experimentation with original concepts, but Aldo Lado found a way with Short Night of Glass Dolls (originally titled "Short Night of the Butterfly", but changed due to a simultaneously released movie of similar title).

SNoGD tells us a classic Giallo tale from an entirely new perspective...that of a man who for all appearances is dead.  The movie opens with the discovery of the corpse of political journalist Gregory Moore (Sorel).  As he is transferred to the morgue, we discover that he is actually aware and conscious, yet unable to communicate or move even slightly.  It's as if the only functioning part of his body is his brain.  As Gregory struggles to remember what has brought him to this state, we join him in his memories and flashbacks, and a puzzle is laid out before us.

Gregory is madly in love with a beautiful woman from Prague, whom he hopes to take back with him to his native England, and begin a life together.  Unfortunately, while called away on a story, Gregory's girlfriend, Mira (Bach), goes missing from his apartment in the middle of the night.  This sends Gregory on a mad search for clues to what could have happened to her and who would know the truth.  Sorel is at first hindered and eventually helped by his former lover, and fellow journalist Jessica and colleague Jack.  The three battle against time and a very suspicious and unhelpful police detective, and are forced to watch as one lead after another turns up dead.  The hunt turns up a corrupt political system, a slew of possible evil-doers, and a seedy private club that poses as a classical music lovers society but is hiding a dark secret.  

Taken on its own, SNoGD is a classic Giallo complete with a surprising ending, however when compared to one of Lado's other classic giallos, Who Saw Her Die?, there are some disturbing similarities.  The two films, directed by Lado only a year apart, seem to be written from the same outline.

Both movies tell the tale of a professional, middle aged man, working in a European country, who is visited by a loved one.  In both cases, this person ends up missing and the main character is forced to take up the search due to incompetent and inept police detectives.  In both cases, there is a shadowy and mysterious killer who "does-in" all those that would help our hero, moments before they are able.  And most disturbingly, both films deal with the uncovering of a secret "club" that appears innocent but is indeed sinister.

SNoGD was the directorial debut of Lado, and seems almost like a practice run for the second film.  I say this only because Who Saw Her Die? is the vastly superior of the two.  The score however, as in WSHD?, is wonderful and adds much to the overall ambience of the film, and helps make the truly shocking and surprising elements of Short Night of Glass Dolls stand out.

I highly recommend Aldo Lado's contributions to the giallo genre, but if I were to recommend only one of the films, I would lean towards the more polished Who Saw Her Die?.  However, if you aim to be the giallo completist, or simply want to be treated to a decidedly original piece of Italian cinema, then Short Night of Glass Dolls is for you!

- aaron -