User ratings sometimes (I'd dare to say 'often') don't reflect the real quality of a movie... This is the case, in my opinion. "La vittima designata" is a remake of Hitchcock's "Strangers on a train" (that has a user rating of 8.3) and, call me blasphemous if you want, it is almost better. Here we have a rich, baroque photography, great atmosphere, and wonderful acting performances: Milian and Clementi interact perfectly adding to the whole story a soft sense of ambiguity that enriches it and could have lead to paths unknown to Hitchcock's movie. Venice and the palace of the nobleman Matteo Tiepolo stand perfectly as a metaphor of moral decadence and if you have seen 'La morte a Venezia' by Luchino Visconti (filmed that same year, 1971) you know what I'm talking about. Great soundtrack, too: the Gothic lullaby "My Shadow In The Dark" with its fatalistic refrain "to die, to sleep, maybe to dream" is sung by Milian himself. I don't think this is an easy title to find these days, but if you can, start the quest. To me this is one of the best Italian movies of the seventies. 8/10
15 Reviews
The Designated Victim:The Re-Edit Uncut Version
morrison-dylan-fan16 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Reading down the list of titles that DVD company Shameless have brought out,the first title which really got my attention was a complete re-edit of lost footage for a Viana set,near forgotten Giallo.
Finding out that this movie is meant to be a Giallo-riff on Patricia Highsmith's novel/Alfred Hitchcock's film Strangers On A Train,I decided to get the very first ticket for this exciting sounding Strangers On A Gondola!
The plot:
Feeling that he is stuck in an unworkable marriage,Stafano Argenti attempts to convince his wife Lusia that this is the perfect time for them to sell off the shares to their business which they both co- own.Unlucky for Stafano,Luisa stone walls his idea and refuses to get involved in the conversation.
Angry at his wife messing him around,Stafano secretly forges his wife's signature so that he can start the separating of their lives without her having any knowledge about it.Feeling that he needs some time to relax,Stafano decides to spend some time with his mistress :Fabienne Beranger.Hanging around the casinos and Celtic market stalls in Venice,Stafano finds himself weirdly constantly running into the same man.
Eventually striking up a convocation with the strange man,Stafano finds out that the man is an aristocrat called Count Matteo Tiepolo,who is being constantly tormented by his brother.Finding a strange bond in Tiepolo's suffering at the hands of his brother,and Stafano's own troubles of being stuck in a loveless marriage,Stafano starts to spend a lot of time around Tiepolo and begins to become a firm friend of his.
Deciding that he has developed a strong enough friendship with him, Tiepolo tells Stafano that he has come up with a plan which will cure his marriage troubles,and also put an end to the torment from Tiepolo' brother.Confident enough that Stafano will approve, Tiepolo tells him that his plan is for him to murder Stafano's wife,and for Stafano to murder his brother.
View on the film:
Presenting this fantastic movie fully uncut for the first ever time,the team at Shameless have gone into painstaking detail to get every previously cut moment from the film,which despite being a noticeable drop in quality to the rest of the movie due to how neglected the reels of film have been,the extra footage does really help to add a bit more flesh to the relationship between Stafano and Tiepolo.
Since having last seen Tomas Milian play a ruthless slime ball in Umberto Lenzi's brilliant 1974 Italian Crime film Almost Human,I was astonished by the restrain and delicately which Milian displays for his masterful performance as Stafano.Although Stafano is shown to be pretty keen on getting away from his wife,Milian gives the character a strong conflicted conscious,which takes him away from being someone who makes snap decisions,to instead being a character whose completely uncomfortable about either going forward or back with his relationships.
Fully embodying Patricia Highsmith characters such as Tom Ripley,Pierre Clementi gives a perfect shaman-like performance as Tiepolo,who Clementi shows goes from being a sweet and innocent looking guy,to someone hiding a horde a demons underneath his eyes.
For the screenplay of the film, (written by deep breath!:Maurizo Lucidi,Augusto Caminito,Leslie Daniels,Fulvio Gicca Pali,Antonio Troiso and Aldo Lado-who along with also being an assistant director here,would later do his own Venice based Giallo:Who Saw Her Die?)
the writers smartly make sure that the progression in Stafano and Tiepolo's relationship never feels like an abrupt change,but instead a natural progression for the characters,as Stafano is shown to be feeling a mix of interest and extreme uncomfortableness over his friends plan,whilst Tiepolo is shown fearing that Stafano might no longer want to be his friend,due to him having "crossed a line"
Soaking up the beautiful,dream-like misty Venice atmosphere,co- writer/director Maurizio Lucidi uses a number of elegantly done,side- ways shot tracking shoots to show the gradually strange direction that the two mens friendship is heading towards.Smartly building up the tension and atmosphere of this transfixing Giallo piece by piece,Lucido puts the clues for the ending of the movie quietly at the beginning, so that they can slowly start to unravel as Stafano begins to decide on if he should accept Tiepolo's offer.
Finding out that this movie is meant to be a Giallo-riff on Patricia Highsmith's novel/Alfred Hitchcock's film Strangers On A Train,I decided to get the very first ticket for this exciting sounding Strangers On A Gondola!
The plot:
Feeling that he is stuck in an unworkable marriage,Stafano Argenti attempts to convince his wife Lusia that this is the perfect time for them to sell off the shares to their business which they both co- own.Unlucky for Stafano,Luisa stone walls his idea and refuses to get involved in the conversation.
Angry at his wife messing him around,Stafano secretly forges his wife's signature so that he can start the separating of their lives without her having any knowledge about it.Feeling that he needs some time to relax,Stafano decides to spend some time with his mistress :Fabienne Beranger.Hanging around the casinos and Celtic market stalls in Venice,Stafano finds himself weirdly constantly running into the same man.
Eventually striking up a convocation with the strange man,Stafano finds out that the man is an aristocrat called Count Matteo Tiepolo,who is being constantly tormented by his brother.Finding a strange bond in Tiepolo's suffering at the hands of his brother,and Stafano's own troubles of being stuck in a loveless marriage,Stafano starts to spend a lot of time around Tiepolo and begins to become a firm friend of his.
Deciding that he has developed a strong enough friendship with him, Tiepolo tells Stafano that he has come up with a plan which will cure his marriage troubles,and also put an end to the torment from Tiepolo' brother.Confident enough that Stafano will approve, Tiepolo tells him that his plan is for him to murder Stafano's wife,and for Stafano to murder his brother.
View on the film:
Presenting this fantastic movie fully uncut for the first ever time,the team at Shameless have gone into painstaking detail to get every previously cut moment from the film,which despite being a noticeable drop in quality to the rest of the movie due to how neglected the reels of film have been,the extra footage does really help to add a bit more flesh to the relationship between Stafano and Tiepolo.
Since having last seen Tomas Milian play a ruthless slime ball in Umberto Lenzi's brilliant 1974 Italian Crime film Almost Human,I was astonished by the restrain and delicately which Milian displays for his masterful performance as Stafano.Although Stafano is shown to be pretty keen on getting away from his wife,Milian gives the character a strong conflicted conscious,which takes him away from being someone who makes snap decisions,to instead being a character whose completely uncomfortable about either going forward or back with his relationships.
Fully embodying Patricia Highsmith characters such as Tom Ripley,Pierre Clementi gives a perfect shaman-like performance as Tiepolo,who Clementi shows goes from being a sweet and innocent looking guy,to someone hiding a horde a demons underneath his eyes.
For the screenplay of the film, (written by deep breath!:Maurizo Lucidi,Augusto Caminito,Leslie Daniels,Fulvio Gicca Pali,Antonio Troiso and Aldo Lado-who along with also being an assistant director here,would later do his own Venice based Giallo:Who Saw Her Die?)
the writers smartly make sure that the progression in Stafano and Tiepolo's relationship never feels like an abrupt change,but instead a natural progression for the characters,as Stafano is shown to be feeling a mix of interest and extreme uncomfortableness over his friends plan,whilst Tiepolo is shown fearing that Stafano might no longer want to be his friend,due to him having "crossed a line"
Soaking up the beautiful,dream-like misty Venice atmosphere,co- writer/director Maurizio Lucidi uses a number of elegantly done,side- ways shot tracking shoots to show the gradually strange direction that the two mens friendship is heading towards.Smartly building up the tension and atmosphere of this transfixing Giallo piece by piece,Lucido puts the clues for the ending of the movie quietly at the beginning, so that they can slowly start to unravel as Stafano begins to decide on if he should accept Tiepolo's offer.
Looks great.
parry_na25 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
One of the many reasons I have been drawn to the giallo genre over the last few years is the attention paid to locations. Beautiful, jaw-dropping scenery occasionally succeeds in distracting the viewer from a meandering plot, or plot details that sometimes make little sense. I also love that these productions are very 'of their time'. That is to say, at their peak in the early 70s, the look and atmosphere is defined by the style of those years.
This is very much the case with 'The Designated Victim', which Shameless DVDs have brought us from the brink of the abyss of 'lost films'. Carefully stitching the project back together, we should be grateful that this exists at all. It has the exotic looks of the early 70s 'turned up to 11'. The Venice locations are incredible, draped in chilly mist, which greatly enhances the enigmatic presence of fey Count Matteo Tiepolo (Pierre Clémenti, dubbed by an actor who seems to be channelling Michael Gough), all long curls and flowing, eccentric clothes. His relationship with weary playboy Stefano Augenti (Tomas Milian, also featured in the following year's 'Don't Torture a Duckling'; he also sings the end theme) more than verges on the homo-erotic and adds an extra element to the murderous deal they strike: they agree to kill each other's relatives. The two men are featured on most of the publicity, rather than the image of a nubile young woman as in other films of this type.
The exquisite music of Luis Enriquez Bacalov greatly compliments this stylish thriller. Shameless really have done an exceptional job restoring director Maurizio Lucidi's magnificent looking project. A reworking of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Strangers on a Train,' this is certainly leisurely paced and could contain more in the way of suspense - and yet to me, it looks so good, and the relationship between the leads is so weird, anything else is secondary.
This is very much the case with 'The Designated Victim', which Shameless DVDs have brought us from the brink of the abyss of 'lost films'. Carefully stitching the project back together, we should be grateful that this exists at all. It has the exotic looks of the early 70s 'turned up to 11'. The Venice locations are incredible, draped in chilly mist, which greatly enhances the enigmatic presence of fey Count Matteo Tiepolo (Pierre Clémenti, dubbed by an actor who seems to be channelling Michael Gough), all long curls and flowing, eccentric clothes. His relationship with weary playboy Stefano Augenti (Tomas Milian, also featured in the following year's 'Don't Torture a Duckling'; he also sings the end theme) more than verges on the homo-erotic and adds an extra element to the murderous deal they strike: they agree to kill each other's relatives. The two men are featured on most of the publicity, rather than the image of a nubile young woman as in other films of this type.
The exquisite music of Luis Enriquez Bacalov greatly compliments this stylish thriller. Shameless really have done an exceptional job restoring director Maurizio Lucidi's magnificent looking project. A reworking of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Strangers on a Train,' this is certainly leisurely paced and could contain more in the way of suspense - and yet to me, it looks so good, and the relationship between the leads is so weird, anything else is secondary.
It's Milian's show all the way
Bezenby18 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This Venice-based remake of Strangers On A Train (thanks, back of the DVD cover!) involves Tomas Milian as a snidey, conniving advertising executive who is banging his top model and trying to sell all the shares his wife has in some company in order to get rid of her and marry his model wife. Strangely, his wife isn't too happy with this set up and is quite happy to continually torture Milian.
Milian therefore still goes ahead with the business deal, still bangs his mistress, and has now started to arrange to have Power of Attorney over his wife by trying to forge her signature. Things don't look too good until several 'chance' meeting with a certain Count Matteo move things in a more positive direction.
You see, Count Matteo is yet another one of these bored, turned on, rich types with barely any soul who have explored most of life's extremes and are pushing for more top sensations. He says to Milian, he says, if I kill your annoying wife, whom I have never met, then you can kill my abusive brother who abuses me and is a moron. Milian's all like 'Err...that's...yeah..'
Milian ain't interested in that and wants to bump his wife for the cash but then it soon becomes apparent that Matteo was being serious (the biggest clue being his wife getting murdered). Now the police are leaning on Milian as his many faults are revealed and he still has to hold up his side of the bargain for Matteo, who has various methods in place to make sure that happens.
Although a very slow moving, eventless giallo with no blood and only some opening credits boobs, this film is still worth a watch as it must be the only film that totally displays the full spectrum of Tomas Milian's considerable acting chops. He starts off like a snidey moron but then the look on his face when Matteo describes his murderous idea is priceless. Plus we also get his descent into desperation as it becomes apparent to him and the audience that things have not been weighed in his favour.
Still, not the most eventful film, but full of atmosphere and as it is mostly set in Venice everything is very good to look at. Probably worthwhile to Milian fans and that.
Milian therefore still goes ahead with the business deal, still bangs his mistress, and has now started to arrange to have Power of Attorney over his wife by trying to forge her signature. Things don't look too good until several 'chance' meeting with a certain Count Matteo move things in a more positive direction.
You see, Count Matteo is yet another one of these bored, turned on, rich types with barely any soul who have explored most of life's extremes and are pushing for more top sensations. He says to Milian, he says, if I kill your annoying wife, whom I have never met, then you can kill my abusive brother who abuses me and is a moron. Milian's all like 'Err...that's...yeah..'
Milian ain't interested in that and wants to bump his wife for the cash but then it soon becomes apparent that Matteo was being serious (the biggest clue being his wife getting murdered). Now the police are leaning on Milian as his many faults are revealed and he still has to hold up his side of the bargain for Matteo, who has various methods in place to make sure that happens.
Although a very slow moving, eventless giallo with no blood and only some opening credits boobs, this film is still worth a watch as it must be the only film that totally displays the full spectrum of Tomas Milian's considerable acting chops. He starts off like a snidey moron but then the look on his face when Matteo describes his murderous idea is priceless. Plus we also get his descent into desperation as it becomes apparent to him and the audience that things have not been weighed in his favour.
Still, not the most eventful film, but full of atmosphere and as it is mostly set in Venice everything is very good to look at. Probably worthwhile to Milian fans and that.
the potential that got away
verbumctf16 August 2012
Warning: Spoilers
This little known film is available on a DVD brought out by 'Shameless', who add a note to explain that the film was subjected to so many cuts upon its release that we can appreciate it only now that they've restored the missing bits.
These 'missing bits' make a difference; but the question remains is this the original, complete film we now see? There are, for example, a few moments from the deleted scenes (part of the DVD bonus) which 'flesh out' the count's character which I think the film needed.
My guess is that too many 'cooks' (writers, producers, directors, editors) were involved and there never was a satisfactorily resolved 'original version'.
It's interesting how the film veers away from Highsmith's novel and Hitchcock's film. Count Matteo (Pierre Clementi), like his counterparts in Highsmith and Hitchcock, comes from a privileged background, free from the demands of having to earn his living and a place in society. The unhappy husband Stefano was a two cent designer his wife lifted from total social insignificance--now that he's rich (thanks to her) he thinks like a businessman; his wife prefers him as he was and doesn't love him any more, she says.
The counts confides that his brother harasses him to the point of making his life unlivable. We never encounter this 'brother' in the film, nor any one else from the count's family (not even a photo. of any family). He indicates to Stefano how by 'trading murders' they can eliminate each man's obstacle to fulfillment.
The count tells Stefano that Stefano is his real brother now. He tracks Stefano's every move , seems to know him inside out, and plots with the inescapable logic of a mastermind the events that culminate in the two projected murders. (Here again he differs from the Highmith/Hitchcock character.) Another thing Stefano's wife can't bear about her husband now: he's so irresolute everything ends up some mishmash compromise (like his pretending(?) he was going to put a portion of the money he stole from his wife into her account). At one point the count takes Stefano by the scruff of the neck, makes him look at himself in the glass and says: 'What I'm proposing is what you really want to do.' As if the count is the ideal Stefanno the real one hasn't the courage to be. Guess who's the 'brother' Stefano kills? The film misses becoming truly haunting and profound because some of the filmmaking team didn't understand the potential of their material and treated it like a run of the mill Giallo. The acting and dialogue are above average (in Italian!, the English version sounds like a translation). Given a more sensitive restoration, this could be a minor masterpiece with themes of universal resonance (e.g. don't we all know a 'Stefano': the 'wanabe' who only exasperates us with his pathetic half measures?). All the same, this DVD version should interest those of us who like psychological thrillers.
These 'missing bits' make a difference; but the question remains is this the original, complete film we now see? There are, for example, a few moments from the deleted scenes (part of the DVD bonus) which 'flesh out' the count's character which I think the film needed.
My guess is that too many 'cooks' (writers, producers, directors, editors) were involved and there never was a satisfactorily resolved 'original version'.
It's interesting how the film veers away from Highsmith's novel and Hitchcock's film. Count Matteo (Pierre Clementi), like his counterparts in Highsmith and Hitchcock, comes from a privileged background, free from the demands of having to earn his living and a place in society. The unhappy husband Stefano was a two cent designer his wife lifted from total social insignificance--now that he's rich (thanks to her) he thinks like a businessman; his wife prefers him as he was and doesn't love him any more, she says.
The counts confides that his brother harasses him to the point of making his life unlivable. We never encounter this 'brother' in the film, nor any one else from the count's family (not even a photo. of any family). He indicates to Stefano how by 'trading murders' they can eliminate each man's obstacle to fulfillment.
The count tells Stefano that Stefano is his real brother now. He tracks Stefano's every move , seems to know him inside out, and plots with the inescapable logic of a mastermind the events that culminate in the two projected murders. (Here again he differs from the Highmith/Hitchcock character.) Another thing Stefano's wife can't bear about her husband now: he's so irresolute everything ends up some mishmash compromise (like his pretending(?) he was going to put a portion of the money he stole from his wife into her account). At one point the count takes Stefano by the scruff of the neck, makes him look at himself in the glass and says: 'What I'm proposing is what you really want to do.' As if the count is the ideal Stefanno the real one hasn't the courage to be. Guess who's the 'brother' Stefano kills? The film misses becoming truly haunting and profound because some of the filmmaking team didn't understand the potential of their material and treated it like a run of the mill Giallo. The acting and dialogue are above average (in Italian!, the English version sounds like a translation). Given a more sensitive restoration, this could be a minor masterpiece with themes of universal resonance (e.g. don't we all know a 'Stefano': the 'wanabe' who only exasperates us with his pathetic half measures?). All the same, this DVD version should interest those of us who like psychological thrillers.
Interesting thriller, but a bit too high brow for it's own good
The_Void27 August 2009
The influence for this film is clear; it's basically an Italian twist on the Hitchcock classic Strangers on a Train. Being a big fan of that film, I was of course intrigued to see how this was going to turn out. I wont say I was too disappointed overall, but it's nowhere near as good as the original and certainly could have been a lot better. The main problem with it is that director Maurizio Lucidi has aimed too high; it's clear he wanted this to be a high quality thriller rather than a slice of Italian exploitation - and personally I'd rather it have been the latter. The basics of the plot will be familiar to most fans of thrillers, and in this film we focus on Stefano Argenti, an advertising executive who is at odds with his wife over the sale of a joint business. He wants rid of it so he can live a life of luxury with his mistress; but his wife wont agree the sale. Stefano meets Count Mateo Tiepolo, who it transpires, is at odds with his violent brother. Mateo suggests a plan in which each man murder the other's vice; though Stefano is reluctant. But then Mateo kills Stefano's wife, and demands that the favour is returned.
The lead roles are taken by Tomas Milian and Pierre Clémenti, and both perform well and share an intriguing (almost homo-erotic) bond on screen together. The plot itself is rather slowly paced and it has to be said there's not a great deal of excitement; I was never on the edge of my seat waiting to see what's going to happen, and that's unfortunate since the film is supposed to be a thriller. It's all very well orchestrated, however, and the film has themes that go deeper than merely what we're seeing on screen. Director Maurizio Lucidi obviously wanted to keep the film clean, and therefore we don't see any murders actually happen, which is a bit of a disappointment. The locations are all very beautiful and well shot, and this brilliantly offsets the dark themes of the film. The soundtrack is rather interesting also and not merely the norm for Giallo. The film deviates from Hitchcock's original with the ending, which features a clever twist; though I have to say I prefer how the original turned out. Overall, I would definitely say that this film is worth a look; however, I'd have preferred some more of the classic Giallo style.
The lead roles are taken by Tomas Milian and Pierre Clémenti, and both perform well and share an intriguing (almost homo-erotic) bond on screen together. The plot itself is rather slowly paced and it has to be said there's not a great deal of excitement; I was never on the edge of my seat waiting to see what's going to happen, and that's unfortunate since the film is supposed to be a thriller. It's all very well orchestrated, however, and the film has themes that go deeper than merely what we're seeing on screen. Director Maurizio Lucidi obviously wanted to keep the film clean, and therefore we don't see any murders actually happen, which is a bit of a disappointment. The locations are all very beautiful and well shot, and this brilliantly offsets the dark themes of the film. The soundtrack is rather interesting also and not merely the norm for Giallo. The film deviates from Hitchcock's original with the ending, which features a clever twist; though I have to say I prefer how the original turned out. Overall, I would definitely say that this film is worth a look; however, I'd have preferred some more of the classic Giallo style.
Tense/suspense/mystery abounds in this Italian Giallo/thriller from Hitchcock wake
ma-cortes7 December 2021
This ¨Designated Victim¨(1971) results to be a good Hitch style film about an advert executive who becomes involved with a psychopath in exchange for killing . It deals with Stefano (Tomas Milian) in Venice where meets a stranger Count , Matteo Tiepolo (Pierre Clémenti) , who offers a diabolic scheme to exchange murders . The latter's a wealthy Count who leads to an ominous plan and a nail-biting race against time where both will do each other a murderous favor to free them from the people who ail them . Along the way , a cunning Police Inspector (Luigi Casellato) starts investigating the bizarre deeds . Just how perfect is your plan? . It was the perfect crime... but who was the victim? .How two complete strangers can get away with murder...a theory that he plans to implement . Strangers who kill for each other! . A perfect plan - a horrific result!
This rarely watched Giallo turns out to be a passable thriller in which a chance meeting leading to the edge of sanity , resulting in unpredictable consequences with thrilling events , deliciously twisted happenings and brief touches of erotism . Thriller with baroque giallo overtones and surprising intrigue being well proceeded here and there , along with an unbearably tension in charge of the two adequate protagonists . It is a real high point in 70s Italian Giallo/Poliziesco cinema that is wrongly underrated , obscure , extremely unknown and a hidden psychological gem . Main and support cast are pretty well . Tomas Milian is nice as an advertising executive trapped in an unhappy marriage , as he needs to sort out his troublesome wife who is seriously spoiling his future schemes , and the strange Pierre Clementi is fine as a resourceful sociopathic who proposes him an amazing plan , while the gorgeous Katia Christine provides the essential erotic touches and beauty enough . A decent mystery/thriller with a lot of twists , turns and combining the elements of intrigue with drama and action . Suspenseful and interesting screenplay inspired by Patricia Highsmith novel , ¨Strangers on a train¨ , and co-scripted by Fulvio Gicca Palli , Augusto Caminito , Aldo Lado and Mauricio Luzidi himself , all of them regular writers/directors of Eurotrash movies. There's also a motley group of Italian actors usual in the typical genres of the Sixties and Seventies such as : Luigi Casellato as Commissario Finzi , Carla Mancini and cameo by Maurizio Lucidi himself as a Deputy Commissioner.
La vittima designata (1971) contains atmospheric and moving musical score by Luis Enrique Bacalov in Ennio Morricone style , he subsequently won Academy Award for ¨The Postman and Pablo Neruda¨ . Adding a song : My Shadow in the Dark sung by Tomas Milian and Concerto Grosso No. 1 (allegro - adagio - cadenza) , Grand Concert for New Trolls written by Luis Bacalov with the participation of New Trolls . Evocative and adequate cinematography by Aldo Tonti shot in several locations , especially at a mist-wreathed Venice , such as : Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Veneto, Lainate, Milan, Lombardia, Moltrasio, Como, Lombardia, Venice, Veneto, Italy . The motion picture was professionally directed by Maurizio Lucidi , though it has some flaws , and gaps , but being an acceptable thriller flick . This inspired remake of Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train well made by director Maurizio Lucidi is able to carry out the concept of the original movie into something far more including nudism , violence and grisly killings . Maurizio Lucidi was born in 1932 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy and died in 2005 , Rome . He was a director , writer and editor , known for ¨The Man from the Organization or The sicilian cross or Los ejecutores¨ (1976) and he made more thrillers as ¨The last chance¨ with Elli Wallach , Fabio Testi and Ursula Andress . And he directed three Spaghetti Westerns as ¨Halleluja for Django¨(1967) with Hunt Powers , ¨Saddle tramps¨ with Bud Spencer and ¨Pecos¨ with Robert Woods . And furthermore , a wartime movie titled Probabilità zero (1969) and this La víttima designata (1971) at his best , among others . Rating : 6/10. Acceptable and passable.
This rarely watched Giallo turns out to be a passable thriller in which a chance meeting leading to the edge of sanity , resulting in unpredictable consequences with thrilling events , deliciously twisted happenings and brief touches of erotism . Thriller with baroque giallo overtones and surprising intrigue being well proceeded here and there , along with an unbearably tension in charge of the two adequate protagonists . It is a real high point in 70s Italian Giallo/Poliziesco cinema that is wrongly underrated , obscure , extremely unknown and a hidden psychological gem . Main and support cast are pretty well . Tomas Milian is nice as an advertising executive trapped in an unhappy marriage , as he needs to sort out his troublesome wife who is seriously spoiling his future schemes , and the strange Pierre Clementi is fine as a resourceful sociopathic who proposes him an amazing plan , while the gorgeous Katia Christine provides the essential erotic touches and beauty enough . A decent mystery/thriller with a lot of twists , turns and combining the elements of intrigue with drama and action . Suspenseful and interesting screenplay inspired by Patricia Highsmith novel , ¨Strangers on a train¨ , and co-scripted by Fulvio Gicca Palli , Augusto Caminito , Aldo Lado and Mauricio Luzidi himself , all of them regular writers/directors of Eurotrash movies. There's also a motley group of Italian actors usual in the typical genres of the Sixties and Seventies such as : Luigi Casellato as Commissario Finzi , Carla Mancini and cameo by Maurizio Lucidi himself as a Deputy Commissioner.
La vittima designata (1971) contains atmospheric and moving musical score by Luis Enrique Bacalov in Ennio Morricone style , he subsequently won Academy Award for ¨The Postman and Pablo Neruda¨ . Adding a song : My Shadow in the Dark sung by Tomas Milian and Concerto Grosso No. 1 (allegro - adagio - cadenza) , Grand Concert for New Trolls written by Luis Bacalov with the participation of New Trolls . Evocative and adequate cinematography by Aldo Tonti shot in several locations , especially at a mist-wreathed Venice , such as : Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Veneto, Lainate, Milan, Lombardia, Moltrasio, Como, Lombardia, Venice, Veneto, Italy . The motion picture was professionally directed by Maurizio Lucidi , though it has some flaws , and gaps , but being an acceptable thriller flick . This inspired remake of Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train well made by director Maurizio Lucidi is able to carry out the concept of the original movie into something far more including nudism , violence and grisly killings . Maurizio Lucidi was born in 1932 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy and died in 2005 , Rome . He was a director , writer and editor , known for ¨The Man from the Organization or The sicilian cross or Los ejecutores¨ (1976) and he made more thrillers as ¨The last chance¨ with Elli Wallach , Fabio Testi and Ursula Andress . And he directed three Spaghetti Westerns as ¨Halleluja for Django¨(1967) with Hunt Powers , ¨Saddle tramps¨ with Bud Spencer and ¨Pecos¨ with Robert Woods . And furthermore , a wartime movie titled Probabilità zero (1969) and this La víttima designata (1971) at his best , among others . Rating : 6/10. Acceptable and passable.
taking a twist of Hitchcock's
christopher-underwood17 February 2023
Not the most obviously giallo although the Shameless DVD says it is one and also Troy Howarth in his splendid book, 'So Deadly, So Perverse' makes the point Patricia Highsmith's books are much in tune with the gialli, so who am I to disagree? The film taking a twist of Hitchcock's, Strangers on a Train (1951) and is in Italy. There are amazing shots in Milan and Moltrasio on Lake Como, of course in Venice and even up high in the Santa Maria Della Salute someone with a rifle. Tomas Milian at his best and Pierre Clementi, almost as well-known such as The Leopard (1963), Belle De Jour (1967) and The Conformist (1970). A great story and a different take especially with these wonderful locations and Milian and Clementi both together. Splendid!
Routine Hitchcock reworking
Leofwine_draca18 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
THE DESIGNATED VICTIM is a giallo/crime hybrid with an off-form Tomas Milian playing before he became attached to the polizia genre. It turns out to be a straight remake of the Hitchcock classic STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, albeit with a much less interesting scenario and a rather static backdrop. The direction is strictly pedestrian and fails to build much kind of suspense at all, with the end result that this is slow-moving and stilted at times. Milian's dullish character meets a flamboyant, Freddie Mercury-lookalike count and the two agree on mutual murders, but things become complicated when he can't go through with his end of it. A police procedural sub-plot only serves to slow things down further. On the plus side, it's a classy production and the Venice locations are typically picturesque, but you're just left wanting a bit more.
A somewhat lacklustre affair I'm afraid
Red-Barracuda4 June 2012
This Italian re-working of Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train has Tomas Milian star as an immoral advertising executive who is frustrated with his wife's refusal to sell their business. Angry that he won't be cashing in any time soon, he goes on a trip to Venice where he has a chance meeting with a foppish aristocrat who looks like a cross between Russell Brand and Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen. The two of them make a pact where Brand-Llewellyn-Bowen will kill Milian's wife in return for the latter murdering the former's brother.
In its early stages The Designated Victim looks quite promising. The scenes in off-season Venice where Milian meets the Count and his mysterious lady friend are quite unusual and atmospheric. Unfortunately, the odd lady friend vanishes from the scene leaving Milian and the fop to lead the picture. You will sort of know roughly where the story is going if you are even vaguely familiar with the Hitchcock original. But it's not predictability that's the problem here; it's more the fact that there is a serious lack of suspense and thrills. The film drags for the most part and the dynamic between the two central characters isn't as interesting as it should be. I couldn't really wholeheartedly recommend this one. When you consider the other Italian thrillers on offer in the 70's, this one pales quite a bit by comparison.
In its early stages The Designated Victim looks quite promising. The scenes in off-season Venice where Milian meets the Count and his mysterious lady friend are quite unusual and atmospheric. Unfortunately, the odd lady friend vanishes from the scene leaving Milian and the fop to lead the picture. You will sort of know roughly where the story is going if you are even vaguely familiar with the Hitchcock original. But it's not predictability that's the problem here; it's more the fact that there is a serious lack of suspense and thrills. The film drags for the most part and the dynamic between the two central characters isn't as interesting as it should be. I couldn't really wholeheartedly recommend this one. When you consider the other Italian thrillers on offer in the 70's, this one pales quite a bit by comparison.
Strangers
BandSAboutMovies8 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Maurizio Lucidi is probably better known for his westerns like My Name Is Pecos than any other movies he made. After watching this giallo, I wish he had done more in the genre.
Stefano Augenti disillusioned advertising executive (Tomas Milan) gets all Strangers On a Train with the unsavory Count Matteo Tiepolo (Pierre Clémenti) and come up with a plan to take out one another's problem relatives. Stefano agrees to kill the count's brother, who is in the way of his rightful inheritance, whole Tiepolo will kill the ad man's wife who refuses to cash out of his business.
Matteo starts playing with Stefano and informs his supposed partner's wife about the plan before she's strangled. He has the evidence that will keep the police off Stefano, but will only send it if his brother is murdered as agreed upon.
Milan even contributed the lyrics and vocals to a song in this movie, "My Shadow in the Dark," which was performed by the New Trolls.
Co-writer Aldo Lado would go on to make some real genre heavy hitters like Who Saw Her Die?, Short Night of Glass Dolls and Last Stop on the Night Train.
Stefano Augenti disillusioned advertising executive (Tomas Milan) gets all Strangers On a Train with the unsavory Count Matteo Tiepolo (Pierre Clémenti) and come up with a plan to take out one another's problem relatives. Stefano agrees to kill the count's brother, who is in the way of his rightful inheritance, whole Tiepolo will kill the ad man's wife who refuses to cash out of his business.
Matteo starts playing with Stefano and informs his supposed partner's wife about the plan before she's strangled. He has the evidence that will keep the police off Stefano, but will only send it if his brother is murdered as agreed upon.
Milan even contributed the lyrics and vocals to a song in this movie, "My Shadow in the Dark," which was performed by the New Trolls.
Co-writer Aldo Lado would go on to make some real genre heavy hitters like Who Saw Her Die?, Short Night of Glass Dolls and Last Stop on the Night Train.
Hitchcock goes Giallo: Strangers in Venice
Coventry31 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The Italian film industry loves Alfred Hitchcock, that's a commonly known fact, and many directors (for example Dario Argento) borrowed style as well as substance elements from Hitch' rich oeuvre to use in their own gialli. The four (!) scriptwriters of "The Designated Victim" even take their admiration for the Master of Suspense even further, as this is basically a giallo-remake of one of Hitchcock's most iconic thrillers; - "Strangers on a Train". Tomas Milian, in between his Spaghetti Western and Poliziotesschi period, depicts successful advertisement executive Stefano Augenti who wishes to sell all his shares for 220 million (Lire) and emigrate to Venezuela with his hot mistress Fabienne. Minor problem, however, is that Stefano's shares belong to his wife Luisa and she refuses to sell or even grant Stefano a divorce. Whilst in Venice with Fabienne, Stefano meets the eccentric young Count Tiepolo and he comes with a peculiar preposition. He offers to kill Stefano's wife, if Stefano agrees to kill his brother. Although Stefano never really agrees to the plan, Tiepolo already goes ahead with his part and kills the wife anyway. Stefano now depends of the count for his alibi and the latter increases the pressure to complete his part of the bargain. "The Designated Victim" is very much a hit & miss thriller. Tomas Milian and Pierre Clémenti are stellar, the filming locations - most notably Venice - are breathtaking and the plot knows a few remarkably tense moments, but the pacing is overall too slow, and the lack of action is rather frustrating. Director Maurizio Lucidi doesn't have the same flair and craftmanship of some of his contemporary colleagues, resulting in an often dull film to look at. The end-twist is predictable and, in my humble opinion, doesn't solve anything for Stefano and only pushes him deeper into misery.
Italian Giallo Thriller with Tomas MILIAN
ZeddaZogenau24 January 2024
Wonderfully morbid exceptional giallo in which Tomas MILIAN as a Milanese businessman meets a strangely fascinating Pierre CLEMENTI as Count Matteo in Venice. He proposes a very strange pact that will soon have fatal consequences...
It's wonderful how modern Milan (Pirelli skyscraper) is confronted with the morbid charm of Venice (Santa Maria della Salute). The Italian writer Luigi MALERBA (1927-2008), who wrote novels such as "LE MASCHERE / The Naked Masks" and "FANTASMI ROMANI / Roman Ghosts", was involved in the award-winning script. By the way, the song "My Shadows in the Dark" is sung by Tomas MILIAN himself.
Highly recommended!
It's wonderful how modern Milan (Pirelli skyscraper) is confronted with the morbid charm of Venice (Santa Maria della Salute). The Italian writer Luigi MALERBA (1927-2008), who wrote novels such as "LE MASCHERE / The Naked Masks" and "FANTASMI ROMANI / Roman Ghosts", was involved in the award-winning script. By the way, the song "My Shadows in the Dark" is sung by Tomas MILIAN himself.
Highly recommended!
Strangers in Venice.
BA_Harrison18 April 2020
Strangers on a Train is given the giallo treatment in The Designated Victim, which is sadly nowhere near as good as Hitchcock's classic, nor is it one of the better Italian murder mysteries to hail from the '70s.
Tomas Milian plays successful advertising executive Stefano Augenti, who tries unsuccessfully to get his wife Luisa (Marisa Bartoli) to sell her half of the company, which would free up funds for Stefano to leg it to Venezuela with his sexy mistress, French model Fabienne (Katia Christine). While on a dirty weekend with Fabienne in Venice, Stefano encounters the foppish Count Matteo Tiepolo (Pierre Clémenti, who looks like Russell Brand crossed with Freddie Mercury) who comes up with a scheme that would benefit them both: Matteo would kill Luisa, and, in return, Stefano would murder Matteo's bully of a brother. Stefano brushes the idea off as morbid chit-chat, but Matteo goes through with his part of the plan regardless, strangling Luisa with a stocking. When the police investigate, they discover all about Stefano's affair and his intention to leave the country, which makes him the prime suspect.
What follows is a rather mundane thriller as Stefano tries to prove his innocence, with Matteo always one step ahead. Director Maurizio Lucidi fails to wring any tension from the set-up, and, barring some brief T&A from Christine during the opening credits, the film is totally devoid of the genre staples - gratuitous nudity and creative killings, making it a pretty pedestrian affair all round. A daft ending that requires Stefano to be an Olympic standard rifleman really takes the biscuit.
4.5/10, rounded up to 5 for IMDb.
Tomas Milian plays successful advertising executive Stefano Augenti, who tries unsuccessfully to get his wife Luisa (Marisa Bartoli) to sell her half of the company, which would free up funds for Stefano to leg it to Venezuela with his sexy mistress, French model Fabienne (Katia Christine). While on a dirty weekend with Fabienne in Venice, Stefano encounters the foppish Count Matteo Tiepolo (Pierre Clémenti, who looks like Russell Brand crossed with Freddie Mercury) who comes up with a scheme that would benefit them both: Matteo would kill Luisa, and, in return, Stefano would murder Matteo's bully of a brother. Stefano brushes the idea off as morbid chit-chat, but Matteo goes through with his part of the plan regardless, strangling Luisa with a stocking. When the police investigate, they discover all about Stefano's affair and his intention to leave the country, which makes him the prime suspect.
What follows is a rather mundane thriller as Stefano tries to prove his innocence, with Matteo always one step ahead. Director Maurizio Lucidi fails to wring any tension from the set-up, and, barring some brief T&A from Christine during the opening credits, the film is totally devoid of the genre staples - gratuitous nudity and creative killings, making it a pretty pedestrian affair all round. A daft ending that requires Stefano to be an Olympic standard rifleman really takes the biscuit.
4.5/10, rounded up to 5 for IMDb.
Remake of "Strangers On a Train"
cengelm14 September 2001
Not a tennis player this time but a business man who has a matrimonial conflict with his wife and also a mistress. Noble friend Mateo Tiepolo offers him the "perfect crime" - i.e. he will murder Milian's wife and Milian is supposed to kill his evil brother. After doing his job Mateo expects the compensation. This more stylish version with a good score can be recommended to Milian fans. Considering that I didn't even like the original very much I'll give this one
5 / 10.
5 / 10.
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