Before the influence of Dario Argento's 'The Bird with the Crystal Plumage' permeated every corner of the giallo genre, another strain of these distinctive Italian thrillers enjoyed considerable success. These "melodrama gialli", heavily inspired by Clouzot's 'Les diaboliques', relied less on graphic violence and high body counts and more on psychological tension. Minou ('Dagmar Lassander', 'Lucio Fulci's The Black Cat') leads a pampered but dull life with her frequently absent husband, Peter (Pier Paolo Capponi, The Cat O' Nine Tails). One night, while out walking on the beachfront, Minou is accosted by a mysterious blackmailer (Simon Andreu, 'Death Carries a Cane') who informs her that Peter is a murderer. Driven by misplaced loyalty to her husband, Minou gives in to the blackmailer's every perverted whim in exchange for his silence. But as the blackmailer ups the ante, demanding that she submit to his increasingly obscene demands, can Minou hold on to what little remains of her sanity? Written by the prolific Ernesto Gastaldi ('Torso'), infused with a seductive score by the great Ennio Morricone ('The Cat O' Nine Tails') and featuring a memorable turn by Nieves Navarro a.k.a. Susan Scott ('Death Walks at Midnight') in the role of Minou's best friend, 'The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion' is a trippy giallo delight that brings together the talents of many of the genre's leading lights on both sides of the camera.
Up Next in Giallo
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The Fifth Cord
The success of Dario Argento's 'The Bird with the Crystal Plumage' ushered in a host of imitators, seeking to capitalise on this new, modern take on the giallo thriller. Many were highly derivative, but a number nonetheless rose above the crowd thanks to skilful execution and a willingness to exp...
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The Pyjama Girl Case
1977 • Italy • Directed by Flavio Mogherini
Throughout the late 1960s and into the 70s, the Italian giallo movement transported viewers to the far corners of the globe, from swinging San Francisco to the Soviet-occupied Prague. Only one, however, brought the genre's unique brand of bloody mayhem...
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The Red Queen Kills Seven Times
1972 • Italy • Directed by Emilio P. Miraglia
An age-old family curse hits sisters Kitty and Franziska following the death of their grandfather Tobias. Every hundred years, so the legend goes, the bloodthirsty Red Queen returns and claims seven fresh victims. Was Tobias just the first... and are...