As you can probably work out from the title, Terror and Black Lace is Mexico's answer to Italy's popular Giallo export, and it's a damn good answer too! As this film is head and shoulders above many of the (many) Giallo's I've seen, and even stands up among the best of the films to come out of Italy; and that is high praise indeed coming from someone who loves Giallo as much as I do! The film doesn't adhere to all the Giallo standards, and indeed it is closer to the dramatic side of the genre than it is to the horror; but this is sexy and sleazy, and director Luis Alcoriza tells a damn good story! The plot focuses on Isabella; a bored housewife who is tired of the way her husband is treating her and the fact that he wants her to stay at home all the time. While out one day (against her husband's wishes), she bumps into a handsome stranger who takes an interest in her. Meanwhile, there's plenty going on at her apartment block: the pretty maid is poking her nose where it isn't (and is) wanted, there's a party going on in the apartment downstairs. Oh, and there's a maniac with a hair fetish living there too!
Most of the film is build up to the last twenty minutes, and while this might not sound like much fun; it is because the build up is interesting and the director paints an interesting portrait of all the leading characters, which pays off when we finally do get to the end. Unlike the proper (Italian) Giallo's, there is no score in this film; which feels rather odd as the music is such a big feature of the Giallo. The only music in the film comes out of the stereo in the party apartment; and unfortunately it's all eighties trash! There isn't much violence in this film, and the focus is never on the horror. Rather, Luis Alcoriza puts the focus on the storyline and it paid off if you asked me. The director also clearly has an eye for beauty, and the buxom leading lady is always a pleasure to see (especially when she's wearing that black lace!) It's true that the film does drag at times, but the slow build up of the storyline really allows the viewer to get on board with it all, and the way that everything is wrapped up at the end is good. There are a few things in the film that don't make a lot of sense (the pivotal scene involving the maid and the maniac in particular), but I didn't worry about those things and found this be a highly entertaining thriller. Very much recommended!
Most of the film is build up to the last twenty minutes, and while this might not sound like much fun; it is because the build up is interesting and the director paints an interesting portrait of all the leading characters, which pays off when we finally do get to the end. Unlike the proper (Italian) Giallo's, there is no score in this film; which feels rather odd as the music is such a big feature of the Giallo. The only music in the film comes out of the stereo in the party apartment; and unfortunately it's all eighties trash! There isn't much violence in this film, and the focus is never on the horror. Rather, Luis Alcoriza puts the focus on the storyline and it paid off if you asked me. The director also clearly has an eye for beauty, and the buxom leading lady is always a pleasure to see (especially when she's wearing that black lace!) It's true that the film does drag at times, but the slow build up of the storyline really allows the viewer to get on board with it all, and the way that everything is wrapped up at the end is good. There are a few things in the film that don't make a lot of sense (the pivotal scene involving the maid and the maniac in particular), but I didn't worry about those things and found this be a highly entertaining thriller. Very much recommended!