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In the early minutes of this film, we witness the stalking and brutal beating death of a small child at play, through the eyes of the killer. Without revealing more, we are introduced to a strikingly similar looking young girl, Roberta, as she arrives in Venice to visit her father, a successful sculptor named Franco. As the two go about having fun all over Venice, the killer returns to stalk Roberta every time she is left alone, even for a matter of moments. These scenes are stretched very tight and create several very tense moments of the "look out behind you" variety.
Franco's time together with Roberta, creates opportunity for his acquaintances to meet his daughter, and almost each one seems to display unhealthy behaviors towards her. Inappropriate comments or touches are all but missed by the oblivious father and preoccupied daughter, and eventually this leads to tragedy.
Franco becomes "intimately distracted" by his girlfriend, whom he has not informed his daughter or estranged wife of, and Roberta turns up missing. Franco, filled with guilt and self-loathing at his neglect, frantically searches for her, only to have her found dead, floating in a canal. He begins to investigate, with the ineffective help of an incompetent police detective, and uncovers the seedy underbelly of several of his associates.
Franco learns of the previous child's murder and begins to connect the dots of a connection between that girl and his own daughter. Along the way, he uncovers several members of a hidden sex society, a convicted pedophiliac, but also several people who try to help him. These people however all seem to end up dead, as the mysterious killer seems to remain one step ahead at all times.
Ennio Morricone has concocted a disturbing "theme" to go with each moment of suspense and terror; composed using the haunting voices of chanting children. Use of this music allows director Aldo Lado to direct his audience as well as the events of the film. By placing thematic elements in certain moments, we begin to anticipate what is about to take place, and this anticipation leads to misdirection and surprise. Much in the same vein as Suspiria or Halloween, the music becomes just as important to the story as what takes place on the screen.
While this film does not set any precedents for ingenuity or originality, it does handle quite well the formula that fans have come to love in giallo cinema. Plenty of sex and nudity, a surprise ending and an unknown assailant complete my giallo checklist and makes for a fulfilling piece of film. -aaron-
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