Review of Blood and Black Lace (1964) by Jeremy N — 27 Jan 2008

Italian horror maestro Mario Bava.

Establishes the common motifs of the Giallo genre in this landmark film, often argued as single-handedly creating that said genre (I would argue "The Girl Who Knew Too Much" did, but either way it's still Mario Bava as the author and inventor).

From a historical standpoint, this film is very important to film scholars and genre enthusiasts - we see a new genre in the making.

However, if we remove the film from the historical context that surrounds it, the film is admittedly rather shallow as Bava certainly prefers style over substance.

Indeed, the plot's major flaw is that it lacks any protagonist (or any character in general) for the viewer to identify with, thus causing a lack of focus - we are shown a multitude of characters with no real connection to one another, thus no wholeness is established.

However, the visuals are staggering with rooms bathed in bright florescent lighting, costumes given bold hues, sets and props made of singular colors (the red mannequin), and smoothly executed camera shots. It is this visual bravure that elevates the film beyond it's rather exploitative plot to the realm of aestheticism.

The film is at its most enjoyable when viewed within its historical context, but those who are unfamiliar with the giallo genre may be underwhelmed by it's rudimentary plot, but even then the visuals should still keep the viewer engaged.

Essential viewing for giallo aficionados but those who are unfamiliar with the genre should watch a more well-rounded film like "Deep Red" as an entry point.