Dario Argento’s directorial debut is a Hitchcockian thriller about an American writer who witnesses an attack, and becomes obsessed with tracking down the serial killer. This film was often seen as the entry point for people interested in Italian giallo, though now it’s been surpassed by Mario Bava’s Blood and Black Lace. I couldn’t find out how Argento got Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now) to shoot the film or how Ennio Morricone ended up as composer. This was Morricone’s first slasher and his first of five films for Argento. The film remains one of the best giallo, a stylish, compelling mystery that doles out twists and information at just the right pace. The opening attack, viewed through multiple windows is especially memorable.
Leave A Comment