Arrow Video has allowed fans of the giallo genre the chance
to finally see movies that most of us never had the chance to when they were
initially released. Sure major cities might have offered these films at the
time but widespread release across the county was unheard of. The invention of
home video changed that and DVD has increased the offerings. But few companies
have taken the genre to the levels that Arrow Video has. This shows once more
with their release of THE CASE OF THE SCORPION’S TAIL.
In London Lisa Baumer (Ida Galli) is an unfaithful wife
meeting with her lover whose wealthy husband Kurt dies in an exploding plane on
his way to Japan. She becomes the sole beneficiary of his insurance policy of
$1 million dollars and problems begin. They start with an ex-love and junkie
who blackmails her with the threat of exposing her to the insurance company for
wishing her husband dead. Meeting him later to pay him off she finds him
murdered.
Heading to Greece to avoid problems she followed by Peter
Lynch (George Hilton), an investigator for the insurance company following up
any loose ends on the case. While thinking she left behind her problems in
London it isn’t long before Lisa finds more in Greece. They begin with Lara
Florakis (Janine Reynaud), a woman who claims to be Kurt’s mistress who he
planned on leaving Lisa for. She demands that Lisa split to money with her or
she’ll contest his will. To help convince Lisa she has a stiletto carrying
“lawyer” named Sharif on hand. Lisa escapes with the help of Peter who was
following her.
Attempting to avoid any more confrontations Lisa asks for
the settlement in cash and then books a flight to Tokyo. Before she can fly out
a mysterious masked killer complete with trademark giallo black gloves enters
her hotel room, kills her and takes the money. Enter Police Inspector Stavros (Luigi
Pistilli) and Interpol agent John Stanley (Alberto De Mendoza) who’d been
watching Lisa since her arrival. As they begin to investigate her murder their
main suspect is Peter.
Covering the story of the murder is reporter Cléo Dupont
(Anita Strindberg). Meeting with Peter she tries to find out what he knows and
it isn’t long before the pair fall into bed together and become lovers. But
more bodies begin to turn up. First off is Lara who is attacked by the same
gloved figure that killed Lisa. Her “lawyer” also falls to the hands of the
killer. As the bodies begin to pile up suspicion remains on Peter in spite of
the fact there could be others behind it all. And an attack on Cléo seems to
clear Peter. What of the boyfriend Lisa
had in London? Or could her husband have faked his own death?
What makes this movie work so well is less the typical
giallo staples like the gloved hand, the knife wielding killer or the murderous
intent of seemingly everyone involved. It works well as a mystery first and
foremost with clues provided throughout to direct the viewer to the films
conclusion. Each is meticulously placed in a well written screenplay that
doesn’t get caught up in pop culture like some in the genre tend to, instead
sticking with story.
For once the acting on display loses nothing in translation.
All involved perform for the camera and for the written word they were
provided. No flamboyant gestures or wasted words here, everything in its place
and adhered to. Each one makes their character believable and no one attempts
taking over the screen are seen here.
The cinematography is also well done with beautiful
locations shots coupled with well-lit interiors and street shots throughout.
The composition of shot also works well and shows that director Sergio Martino
and cinematographer Giorgio Bertolini worked well together to focus on the
story visually as well as through the written word provided by Eduardo
Manzanos, Ernesto Gastaldi and Sauro Scavolini.
As I said at the start, Arrow has been bringing a number of
these well know and not so well known giallo films to blu-ray and every time a
new one is announced I find myself waiting with anticipation. It’s not just the
fact that they’re becoming available but that Arrow is the one bringing them
out. They continue to offer the films with not just the best looking versions
of them found but with plenty of extras on hand that add to the film rather
than interfere with it. I’m not one to watch a lot of extras finding most to be
little more than promotional pieces put together by corporate entities that
want to increase sales by adding the standard Q&A with the stars. Arrow
goes far beyond that making their extras as interesting to watch as the film
itself.
So let’s look at what they’re offering here. To begin with
the disc is a new 4k restoration of the film from the original camera negative.
This provides viewers with that exceptional look that I discussed earlier.
Extras abound with the following: an audio commentary track with writer Ernesto
Gastaldi moderated by filmmaker Federico Caddeo in Italian with English
subtitles, a new interview with George Hilton, a new interview with director Sergio
Martino, a new analysis of the Sergio Martino’s films by Mikel J. Koven who
wrote “La Dolce Morte: Vernacular Cinema and the Italian Giallo Film”, a new
video essay by Troy Howarth the author of “So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of
Italian Giallo Films”, the theatrical trailer, a reversible sleeve featuring
original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon and for the first
pressing only an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the
film by Rachael Nisbet and Howard Hughes and a biography of star Anita
Strindberg by Peter Jilmstad. As I said, Arrow continues to give more than
expected.
Some might think that the only people who would find this
film worth watching are fans of European films and giallo films in particular.
They’d be completely wrong. The movie works on so many levels and those who
love a good mystery would be well served by seeing this one. Martino is hailed
as one of the masters of the giallo genre and it’s easy to see why. For those
unexposed to the genre they couldn’t pick a better place to start and this
Arrow version is the best way to do so.
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