::ITALIAN GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS)::
THE GIST OF THE LIST: The "giallo" - Italian thrillers which share thematic and stylistic tropes, namely repressed memories, total insanity, nightmarish dreams, horrific murders, maddening mysteries, and stunning aesthetics.
See also HOLLYWOOD GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS) which lists mainstream films which have either influenced or have been inspired by the "giallo" genre.
[LISTED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER]
OTHER LISTS:
CAMMANDO (MEN-ON-A-MISSION) THRILLERS
CON THRILLERS
COURTROOM THRILLERS
CULT EUROPEAN SUPERHERO MOVIES
DARK COMEDIES WITH PESKY CORPSES, BOTCHED KIDNAPPINGS, MURDEROUS BLUNDERS & ACCIDENTAL DEATHS
DEALS WITH THE DEVIL
DINNER PARTIES FROM HELL
DON'T PERFORM THE AUTOPSY! I'M NOT DEAD!
GOTHIC HORROR
HEIST THRILLERS
HEROIC BLOODSHED + BULLET BALLET + GUN-FU
HOLLYWOOD GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS)
INNOCENT FUGITIVE ON-THE-RUN THRILLERS
ITALIAN GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS)
LOCKED ROOM MYSTERIES + IMPOSSIBLE CRIMES
LO-FI SCI-FI
ONE ROOM THRILLERS
PARALLEL UNIVERSES, ALTERNATE REALITIES, FEVERISH DREAMS
POLICE PROCEDURALS
PRISON ESCAPE THRILLERS
RURAL-COUNTRY THRILLERS
THEOLOGICAL FILMS
THRILLING SHORT FILMS
THRILLING TV EPISODES
THRILLING TV MOVIES
UNKNOWN + UNAVAILABLE THRILLERS
VANISHED PERSON THRILLERS
See also HOLLYWOOD GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS) which lists mainstream films which have either influenced or have been inspired by the "giallo" genre.
[LISTED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER]
OTHER LISTS:
CAMMANDO (MEN-ON-A-MISSION) THRILLERS
CON THRILLERS
COURTROOM THRILLERS
CULT EUROPEAN SUPERHERO MOVIES
DARK COMEDIES WITH PESKY CORPSES, BOTCHED KIDNAPPINGS, MURDEROUS BLUNDERS & ACCIDENTAL DEATHS
DEALS WITH THE DEVIL
DINNER PARTIES FROM HELL
DON'T PERFORM THE AUTOPSY! I'M NOT DEAD!
GOTHIC HORROR
HEIST THRILLERS
HEROIC BLOODSHED + BULLET BALLET + GUN-FU
HOLLYWOOD GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS)
INNOCENT FUGITIVE ON-THE-RUN THRILLERS
ITALIAN GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS)
LOCKED ROOM MYSTERIES + IMPOSSIBLE CRIMES
LO-FI SCI-FI
ONE ROOM THRILLERS
PARALLEL UNIVERSES, ALTERNATE REALITIES, FEVERISH DREAMS
POLICE PROCEDURALS
PRISON ESCAPE THRILLERS
RURAL-COUNTRY THRILLERS
THEOLOGICAL FILMS
THRILLING SHORT FILMS
THRILLING TV EPISODES
THRILLING TV MOVIES
UNKNOWN + UNAVAILABLE THRILLERS
VANISHED PERSON THRILLERS
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- DirectorLuis BuñuelStarsErnesto AlonsoMiroslavaRita MacedoThe delirious journey of a mentally disordered man, who is obsessed with committing the perfect crime.MY TWO CENTS: Luis Buñuel directed a giallo?! Close, but not quite. Many film critics and historians point to this Spanish production as being a forerunner of the genre, focusing on many of the tropes which giallo films would become obsessed over (psycho killers, mannequins, dream sequences, mirrors, and so on). Not categorically a giallo, but an ancestor for sure.
MY RATING: 8 - DirectorMario BavaStarsJohn SaxonLetícia RománValentina CorteseA mystery novel-loving American tourist witnesses a murder in Rome, and soon finds herself and her suitor caught up in a series of killings.MY TWO CENTS: The earliest of the giallo films. Atmospheric black and white photography, some startling imagery, but admittedly banal mystery plot (though the "premonition" element allows the film to pull off a neat trick).
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorMario BavaStarsCameron MitchellEva BartokThomas ReinerA masked, shadowy killer brutally murders the models of a scandalous fashion house in Rome.MY TWO CENTS: The first "quintessential" giallo film, introducing scantly clad women, the black gloved killer, the masked face, the stalk-and-slash sequences, the horrific deaths, and the myriad of red herrings. Still, plot and characters are relatively simplistic.
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorCosta-GavrasStarsCatherine AllégretJacques PerrinSimone SignoretThe witnesses of a train murder must take the investigation into their own hands if they want to survive.MY TWO CENTS: Costa-Gavras directed a giallo too?! Again, not quite. This French production is, in many ways, a prototypical Giallo, foreshadowing many of the motifs one would find in the classical examples of the genre in the 1970s (the black gloved killer, close-up of eyes, concealed identities, red herrings, etc.).
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorErnesto GastaldiVittorio SalernoStarsDominique BoscheroMara MarylGiancarlo GianniniA young man visits his ancestral home accompanied by his guardian and their respective wives, where he is plagued by the memories and influence of his murderous, psychosexual father.MY TWO CENTS: Gothic mystery that's more akin to "Hammer House Of Horror" rather than a "giallo" film, but it's clever mystery, sumptuous atmosphere, a terrific performance from Giancarlo Giannini, and a genuinely surprising twist makes this one of the best giallo films.
MY RATING: 8 - DirectorLuigi BazzoniFranco RosselliniStarsPeter BaldwinSalvo RandoneValentina CorteseWhile visiting his favorite resort town during the off-season, a novelist investigates the apparent suicide of a woman he was infatuated with.MY TWO CENTS: Artfully rendered giallo film with a dream-like ambiance but it admittedly lacks a strong narrative to compliment its beautiful aesthetics.
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorElio PetriStarsFranco NeroVanessa RedgraveGeorges GéretAfter moving into a dilapidated rural villa to reinvigorate his creative energies, a neurotic artist becomes obsessed with a beautiful countess who died there many years prior.MY TWO CENTS: Delirious, surreal, psychological drama cum horror film that pushes the boundaries of the "giallo" genre. This is an art film, first and foremost, and may alienate certain viewers. However, Academy Award winning director Elio Petri ("Investigation Of A Citizen Above Suspicion") does some of his best work here and this film demands a viewing.
MY RATING: 9 - DirectorGiulio QuestiStarsGina LollobrigidaJean-Louis TrintignantEwa AulinThe depraved manager of a high-tech poultry factory - which is genetically engineering boneless chickens - is pulled into a love triangle with his domineering wife and her sexually-liberated cousin, leading to double-crosses and murder.MY TWO CENTS: Head-scratching strangeness that less giallo and more art film, but lacks the intelligence or technical precision of Elio Petri's arty giallo "A Quiet Place in the Country." Still, this is a curiosity that's worth a viewing.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorDario ArgentoStarsTony MusanteSuzy KendallEnrico Maria SalernoAn American expatriate in Rome attempts to unmask a serial killer he witnessed in the act of an attempted murder - and is now hunting him and his girlfriend.MY TWO CENTS: The film that started the "giallo" craze of the 1970s and one of the most iconic films of this particular genre. This is the one which introduced the genre's obsession with paintings, childhood traumas, and films which feature animals in their titles! Not without its faults - the characters are rather shallow and some character decisions defy logic - but the virtuoso film-making and the knock-out twist ending make this a winner.
MY RATING: 8 - DirectorElio PetriStarsGian Maria VolontèFlorinda BolkanGianni SantuccioA chief of detectives, homicide section, kills his mistress and deliberately leaves clues to prove his own responsibility for the crime.MY TWO CENTS: A giallo won the Oscar for "Best Foreign Language Film"?! Not quite, but this strange police procedural from Elio Petri ("A Quite Place In The Country") flirts with some of the motifs from the giallo, shares an actress (Florinda Bolkan) and composer (Ennio Morricone) famous for that genre, and dabbles in the same social commentary some these films explore. That said, this is certainly an outlier as it's a bizarre mashup of crime thriller, comedic satire, surreal conspiracy mystery, and political expose.
MY RATING: 8 - DirectorLuciano ErcoliStarsDagmar LassanderPier Paolo CapponiSimón AndreuThe wife of a struggling businessman is blackmailed by a mysterious man into having a sadistic affair with him, or he will leak evidence implicating her husband of murder.MY TWO CENTS: One of the more routine examples of this specialized genre, but its interesting twists and surprisingly restrained direction makes this outing better than others... though admittedly it pales in comparison to most on this list.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorPaolo CavaraStarsGiancarlo GianniniClaudine AugerBarbara BouchetA series of victims are paralyzed while having their bellies ripped open, much in the same way tarantulas are killed by the black wasp. The victims all seem to have a connection with a spa.MY TWO CENTS: Plot is nothing more than a series of red herrings until the least likely suspect is revealed to be the killer (as always) but the performances and direction make this interesting nevertheless.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorSergio MartinoStarsGeorge HiltonEdwige FenechConchita AiroldiAn ambassador's wife discovers that one of the men in her life - either her husband, an ex-lover or her current lover - may be a vicious serial killer.MY TWO CENTS: It's bizarre music and equally bizarre dream sequences gives this film a hallucinatory atmosphere, but some of its sleaze dulls its artistry and its mystery plods quite a bit for most of its run-time... that is, until it's knock-out quadruple-twist ending saves the whole film and makes this as memorable as the best of the giallo films.
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorDuccio TessariStarsHelmut BergerGiancarlo SbragiaIda GalliA popular television presenter is accused of killing a teenage girl in a park, who happens to be his daughter's best friend.MY TWO CENTS: More interested in its plot and characters than most giallo films making it one of the more respectable efforts within the genre.
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorSergio MartinoStarsGeorge HiltonAnita StrindbergAlberto de MendozaAn insurance investigator tries to determine any irregularities in the policy of a heiress' dead husband, but soon finds himself suspected of her murder.MY TWO CENTS: Sergio Martino tries to replicate some of the success of "The Strange Vice Of Mrs. Wardh" and while it's certainly entertaining with a few interesting twists, it lacks the former's knock-out ending.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorDario ArgentoStarsJames FranciscusKarl MaldenCatherine SpaakTwo journalists try to solve a series of murders connected to a pharmaceutical company's secret experiments, becoming targets of the killer themselves.MY TWO CENTS: Dario Argento's follow up to "The Bird With The Crystal Plumage" lacks the complicated mystery and convincing performances of the former film, but it does feature some great moments of suspense (the poisoned milk sequence is pure Hitchcock).
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorLuciano ErcoliStarsFrank WolffNieves NavarroSimón AndreuAfter a French stripper is harassed by a man who wants a cache of diamonds stolen by her late father, she flees to England in the company of a doctor, but danger follows.MY TWO CENTS: Entertaining thriller with a multitude of red herrings and logic-defying surprises... it doesn't hold up at all under scrutiny but it's diverting all the same.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorLuigi BazzoniStarsFranco NeroSilvia MontiWolfgang PreissA maverick, heavy-drinking journalist pursues a killer who is targeting acquaintances of his, prompting the police to brand him a suspect in their investigation.MY TWO CENTS: Stunningly beautiful cinematography makes this film feel much more effective than it has any right to be given it's rather simplistic mystery.
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorDario ArgentoStarsMichael BrandonMimsy FarmerJean-Pierre MarielleA musician is stalked by an unknown homicidal maniac, who blackmails him for the accidental killing of another stalker.MY TWO CENTS: Entertaining giallo thriller from Dario Argento that still lacks the punch of his first film but improves upon his second.
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorLucio FulciStarsFlorinda BolkanStanley BakerJean SorelThe potentially unhinged daughter of a British politician is accused of killing her hedonistic neighbor after she witnesses the murder in a dream.MY TWO CENTS: Surreal, dream-like film with a haunting score from Ennio Morricone that is rife with Freudian subtext and some interesting comments on the relationship between art and violence... it even has a fascinating plot with a surprise twist in the end! Too bad it's sleazy nature dulls its impact quite a bit - this could have been a real winner if it showed some more restraint... or maybe the sleaze was to enhance that Freudian subtext, hmmm?
MY RATING: 8 - DirectorPhilippe LabroStarsJean-Louis TrintignantDominique SandaSacha DistelA strange series of murders are being committed in Nice on the French riviera. The commissionaire Carella is in charge and tries desperately to find a missing link between all of these murders.MY TWO CENTS: More police thriller than giallo (and also French and not Italian), but it still shares some elements (the black gloved killer, for example). Featuring a terrific score from Ennio Morricone, a solid performance from Jean-Louis Trintignant, and some memorable sequences (the chase across the ports) makes this worthy of a view.
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorAldo LadoStarsIngrid ThulinJean SorelMario AdorfAn American journalist temporarily stationed in Central Europe searches for his new girlfriend, who has suddenly disappeared.MY TWO CENTS: The premise is immediately gripping, generating a strong sense of mystery that keeps you hooked even when it seems the plot is moving quite slow... the ending, however, is certainly worth the wait.
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorSergio MartinoStarsGeorge HiltonEdwige FenechIvan RassimovA woman recovering from a car accident in which she lost her unborn child finds herself pursued by a coven of devil worshipers.MY TWO CENTS: Dream, hallucinatory giallo that is a wee bit too campy to be as effective as "The Perfume of the Lady in Black" (which this film resembles somewhat) but its undeniably entertaining.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorGiuliano CarnimeoStarsEdwige FenechGeorge HiltonPaola QuattriniHaving recently escaped the clutches of a hippie sex cult, a beautiful model is pursued by a serial killer whose previous victims include former occupants of her new apartment.MY TWO CENTS: Again, one of those giallos which amounts to nothing more than a series of red herrings with a random killer chosen at the end... but the direction makes this wholly entertaining. This one is famous for Brian DePalma lifting its elevator murder sequence for his own "giallo" inspired thriller "Dressed To Kill".
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorLuciano ErcoliStarsNieves NavarroSimón AndreuPeter MartellDuring a drug-fuelled photoshoot, a model witnesses a brutal murder in the apartment opposite hers, and is forced to become an amateur sleuth to unravel the mystery.MY TWO CENTS: A strange mashup of action-thriller and giallo mystery concerning a woman seeing a murder from her apartment's "rear window" (get it?). The killer uses a spike glove (?!) and our heroine uses experimental drugs (?!) and climaxes with a fist fight on a roof top (?!). Entertaining but quite silly.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorLucio FulciStarsFlorinda BolkanBarbara BouchetTomas MilianWhen a southern Italian town is rocked by a string of child murders, the police and two urban outcasts search for the culprit amid scapegoating within the superstitious community.MY TWO CENTS: This one seems to be highly esteemed in some circles but I just don't see its appeal; yes, it does make more social commentary than most giallo films but the mystery is simplistic and lacks suspense.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorEmilio MiragliaStarsBarbara BouchetUgo PagliaiMarina MalfattiTwo sisters inherit their family castle, which is said to be haunted by their ancestor, a dark-haired, red-robed woman who is said to take seven lives every hundred years.MY TWO CENTS: Its gothic atmosphere, dream-like moments, and absurd twists makes this one interesting even when all-said-and-done there wasn't much to it.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorAldo LadoStarsGeorge LazenbyAnita StrindbergAdolfo CeliBetween a four-year gap in the murder of a young girl, the daughter of a well-known sculptor is discovered dead, and her parents conduct an investigation, only to discover they are much out of their depth.MY TWO CENTS: One of the best scores ever by Ennio Morricone - seriously. The mystery is admittedly simple as some giallo films are - a series of red herrings and nothing more - but the atmosphere and the music (that music!) makes this one worthy of a view.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorDuccio TessariStarsSenta BergerLuc MerendaUmberto OrsiniAn amnesiac man and his estranged wife restart their romance, only to find themselves hounded by unscrupulous figures from his past life.MY TWO CENTS: Amnesiac thriller, giallo style. Terrific setup but an underwhelming payoff.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorFrancesco BarilliStarsMimsy FarmerMaurizio BonugliaMario ScacciaSylvia, an industrial scientist, is troubled by strange hallucinations related to the tragic suicide of her mother.MY TWO CENTS: Taking its cues from Roman Polanski, this psychological giallo film depicts a woman spiraling down into insanity ala Polanski's "The Tenant"... or is she a victim of some cult? Walks that wonderful thin line of ambiguity where you are never quite sure if its insanity or something more sinister is afoot. Also, it's surreal atmosphere makes this one more artfully rendered than most.
MY RATING: 8 - DirectorDario ArgentoStarsDavid HemmingsDaria NicolodiGabriele LaviaA jazz pianist and a wisecracking journalist are pulled into a complex web of mystery after the former witnesses the brutal murder of a psychic.MY TWO CENTS: THE DEFINITIVE GIALLO. This is the pinnacle of the genre. If you were to watch only one let it be this!
MY RATING: 9 - DirectorHenri VerneuilStarsJean-Paul BelmondoCharles DennerAdalberto Maria MerliCommissaire Letellier and Inspector Moissac are tracking Minos, a serial killer whose victims are women.MY TWO CENTS: Another film which lies just on the outskirts of the "giallo" genre, this French (as opposed to Italian) production seems to combine the tropes of both "poliziottesco" and the "giallo" together in a surprisingly successful manner, if slightly over-the-top.
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorLuigi BazzoniMario FanelliStarsFlorinda BolkanPeter McEneryNicoletta ElmiAfter being tormented by dreams about astronauts on the moon, a translator visits a deserted seaside town whose inhabitants know her, although she does not know them.MY TWO CENTS: Strange, surreal psychological mystery that is a little too ambiguous for its own good, but its artfully rendered and wonderfully performed by Florinda Bolkan, and some may even appreciate its complete lack of explanation (I often do enjoy these open-ended finales but here it just seemed they were setting you up for something which never arrives).
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorPupi AvatiStarsLino CapolicchioFrancesca MarcianoGianni CavinaStefano, a young restorer, is commissioned to save a controversial mural located in the church of a small, isolated village.MY TWO CENTS: This giallo may have the most mesmerizing mystery of the whole entire genre with a jaw-dropper of a twist ending that will have you reeling, thereby making it one of the prime examples of this particular genre. Hampered only by some budget constraints which rears its ugly head only occasionally; its knock-out mystery more than compensates for this.
MY RATING: 8 - DirectorDino RisiStarsVittorio GassmanCatherine DeneuveDanilo MatteiBizarre events keep occurring in an old mansion in Venezia, and it's soon obvious that something mysterious is up in the attic.MY TWO CENTS: From Dino Risi (The Scent of a Woman), this Gothic mystery keeps you interested throughout and features strong performances from big names actors (Vittorio Gassman and Catherine Deneuve). However, the film becomes all build up with little payoff as the final revelations are underwhelming.
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorLucio FulciStarsJennifer O'NeillGabriele FerzettiMarc PorelA clairvoyant woman discovers a skeleton in a wall in her husband's house, and seeks to find the truth about what happened to the victim.MY TWO CENTS: Another knock-out of a mystery with a long series of twists and turns which surprise without sacrificing logic; one of the best of the genre.
MY RATING: 8 - DirectorAntonio BidoStarsLino CapolicchioStefania CasiniCraig HillThe body of a schoolgirl is found in a meadow. The murderer is never caught, and years later, a young man named Stefano returns to the island and is reunited with his brother, the local priest.MY TWO CENTS: The characters are more defined than usual, but the plot is unfortunately still straightforward and borrows liberally from other giallo films. Still, a cut above.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorDario ArgentoStarsAnthony FranciosaGiuliano GemmaJohn SaxonAn American novelist visiting Rome to promote his latest book is stalked and harassed by an obsessed fan who is committing a string of murders that appear to be tributes to his work.MY TWO CENTS: Another winner from Dario Argento, stuffing the film with more subtext than any other giallo (with the exception of perhaps "A Quiet Place In The Country" which, granted, was entirely about subtext and never about plot). This is one of the more intelligent and thought-out thrillers of the genre, with an outstanding mystery accompanying its exploration of the relationship between art and violence.
MY RATING: 8 - DirectorDario ArgentoStarsJennifer ConnellyDonald PleasenceDaria NicolodiA young girl who has an amazing ability to communicate with insects is transferred to an exclusive Swiss boarding school, where her unusual capability might help solve a string of murders.MY TWO CENTS: Argento borrows liberally from himself - namely "Deep Red" and "Suspiria" - but it's unfortunately not as effective as either. Regardless, this is an entertaining riff on Argento's themes.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorDario ArgentoStarsCristina MarsillachIan CharlesonUrbano BarberiniA young opera singer is stalked by a deranged fan bent on killing the people associated with her to claim her for himself.MY TWO CENTS: Argento again stuffs his film with delightful subtext to replicate the success he had with the intelligence of "Tenebre" - and he comes close, but its plot is simply too straight-forward with no real surprises. That said, it's staggeringly beautiful and features some of Argento's most audacious sequences (the scene with the peephole within the door, for example).
MY RATING: 7 - DirectorDario ArgentoStarsMax von SydowStefano DionisiChiara CaselliA retired police detective and a young amateur sleuth team up to find a serial killer who's resumed a killing spree in Turin, Italy after a 17-year period.MY TWO CENTS: The last solid giallo Argento has produced. Admittedly, this is nothing more than a repeat of earlier ideas, but its executed in an entertaining fashion. Sadly, this may the master's last interesting film as all his following works were either forgettable or downright abysmal.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorEros PuglielliStarsLuigi Lo CascioLucía JiménezJosé Ángel EgidoWhile hunting a cultured, intelligent and vicious psychopath, Inspector Amaldi comes face to face with the physical and moral decay of his city as well as the ghosts of his own past.MY TWO CENTS: Stylish direction compensates for a rather routine plot (as most giallo films do).
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorPupi AvatiStarsLaura MoranteRita TushinghamBurt Young"The Hideout" is a mystery-thriller about an Italian woman who moves to Davenport to open a restaurant. After her husband commits suicide, she spends fifteen years recovering at a Minnesota mental hospital. When she builds herself up enough to begin another restaurant, she discovers that a murder took place there fifty years earlier. She decides to investigate and finds a secret plot.MY TWO CENTS: From Pupi Avati, the director of "The House Of Laughing Windows" returns once again to the realm of Gothic mysteries and this one is sadly not as effective as his prior film, despite the fact that a lot of the film mimics his earlier one. That said, the final revelation is both surprising and delightfully creepy.
MY RATING: 6 - DirectorDonato CarrisiStarsDustin HoffmanToni ServilloValentina BellèSamantha, a young girl who was kidnapped, resurfaces in shock after being imprisoned and hospitalized.
- DirectorDonato CarrisiStarsToni ServilloAlessio BoniLorenzo RichelmySpecial agent Vogel is sent to an isolated town in a remote mountain valley to investigate the case of a sixteen years old's disappearance.