Massimo Dallamano's first feature, What Have They Done to Solange, is one of the real heavyweights of the Giallo sub-genre. By combining a sleazy atmosphere with an intricate and exciting plot; Dallamano managed to create something really special with that film. With this follow up, the director has managed to capture that same atmosphere; but the story this time round isn't nearly as engaging, and that has a massive effect on the film on the whole. Don't get me wrong, this certainly isn't a bad movie; we've got a lot of the genre's staples, including a great score, some brutal killings and lots of style, so Giallo fans will no doubt find something to like; but if you're going into this film expecting something on par with Solange, you will come out of it disappointed. The plot is very Giallo-friendly, and it follows a policeman as he probes into the murder of a girl that the police force found dead, apparently a suicide. However, after digging deeper into the murders; it becomes apparent that this was more than just an isolated case of a troubled teen.
The murders in the film aren't as grand as some of the ones orchestrated by the masters of the genre, such as the great Dario Argento, but there's some good gory stuff on display, including a severed head rolling out of a bag, someone being butchered with a butcher's knife, among other highlights. Because the story handles 'innocent' teenage girls, it's always going to be sleazy; but Dallamano has seen fit to make sure that he capitalises on this atmosphere as much as possible, as he also throws in pregnancies, loss of innocence and some very sick men into the equation. The film's main problem where the plot is concerned is that it moves too slowly; and there's far too much talking when there should be more time spent on building tension and gory murder sequences. The Italian thriller style is rampant throughout the movie, and the director has very much succeeded in capturing the style of the book that this movie is based on. On the whole, while this isn't as great as it's predecessor; it still represents a worthwhile viewing for the Giallo fan.
The murders in the film aren't as grand as some of the ones orchestrated by the masters of the genre, such as the great Dario Argento, but there's some good gory stuff on display, including a severed head rolling out of a bag, someone being butchered with a butcher's knife, among other highlights. Because the story handles 'innocent' teenage girls, it's always going to be sleazy; but Dallamano has seen fit to make sure that he capitalises on this atmosphere as much as possible, as he also throws in pregnancies, loss of innocence and some very sick men into the equation. The film's main problem where the plot is concerned is that it moves too slowly; and there's far too much talking when there should be more time spent on building tension and gory murder sequences. The Italian thriller style is rampant throughout the movie, and the director has very much succeeded in capturing the style of the book that this movie is based on. On the whole, while this isn't as great as it's predecessor; it still represents a worthwhile viewing for the Giallo fan.