Giallo Film: The Fifth Cord

Hey gang! Look, I really would love to hear your input on how the reviews are going. Again you can reach me at rottenreelzreviews@gmail.com or leave a message on Rotten Reelz Reviews so I know I am actually tickling your funny bone and/or informing you on film, TV and games. Let me know if there are some specific titles you want me to look at.

I thought I would look at a Giallo movie today. For those that are unaware of this, a giallo movie is a murder mystery with a fair degree of gore inspired by yellow paperbacks translated for Italy the mystery novels of both British and American writers and primarily devised by director Mario Bava.

Today's giallo is straight up murder as a raspy, excited voice over anticipates murder. Deciding the pros and cons of weapons versus hands on and with such glee you think he was opening Christmas presents instead of arteries. This is The Fifth Cord.

What do you mean you cannot do Eggs Benedict??!!!

With a fish eye lens our killer speaks of stalking his prey at a New Year's get together with too much thrill in his voice. John Lubbock (Maurizio Bonuglia of The Troops Get Married, Ludwig, The Perfume of the Lady in Black and The Kiss of Death) was the killer's first victim but he bungles it and leaves him alive and by that I mean he survives the clumsy attack. Finding out this man injured but alive fellow partygoer and journalist Andrea Bild (Franco Nero of Django, Force 10 from Navarone, The Salamander, Enter the Ninja, The Last Days of Pompeii, Django Strikes Again, Die Hard 2: Die Harder and Django Unchained) decides he better investigate into this attack. A second attendee of the party a invalid doctor's wife Sophia (Rossella Falk of 8 1/2, Modesty Blaise, Black Belly of the Tarantula and Sleepless) is gacked rather easily in her own home and even Andrea's crotchety elder editor has been found dead in the park.

Ew, make out scenes with Edmund Purdom.

 

Both bodies leave a calling card, a black glove with each with a finger cut off. Next thing Andreas finds himself as a potential suspect being an often outspoken alcoholic, this lead police to start to put things into perspective. Who is next? Why is this happening? Will Andreas be convicted via lazy cops?

The atmosphere in the film drags us across many lives from what lurks behind closed doors to what is out in the open for all to see. It dares you to look away but has the feel of a crime caper rather than a typical gialli and even gives a strong role to a woman rather than treating her like eye candy or a prop to be moved from set to set. Helene played by Silvia Monti (The Brain, Blackie the Pirate, A Lizard in a Woman's Skin and While There's War There's Hope) brings a sharp mind, a cool head under pressure and insight to a grim scenario.

Our director Luigi Bazzoni (Pride and Vengeance, The Possessed, Footprints on the Moon and Blu Gang e visseror per sempre felici e ammazzati) brought his "A" game telling a dark and morbid tale along with acquiring the astounding cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and Apocalypse Now) giving shape to blackmail, bizarre sex parties and astrology intertwined with a murder mystery. That being said, the gore fans will be a tad disappointed as the gore isn't shown in gushing fashion. This is rather stylish and while a bit restrained, this film is completely worth watching for its complex story and excellent characters.

Wait...am I still the ninja??

Franco Nero : Street Law

Hey folks! I know that Enter the Ninja was pure Franco Nero goodness and I decided to take a peek some of his earlier works and found a Italian action thriller. Brought to us by Italian action/sci-fi exploitation Enzo G. Castellari (A Few Dollars for Django, Eagles Over London, The Shark Hunter, The Last Shark, 1990: The Bronx Warriors, Warriors of the Wasteland, Escape from the Bronx, Hamerhead, Sinbad of the Seven Seas and The Return of Sandokan) so expect some crazy ideas. This is Street Law.

Telly Savalas??!!!

Hard working and clinical scientist Carlo (Franco Nero of Django, Force 10 from Navarone, The Shark Hunter, The Salamander, Enter the Ninja, The Last Days of Pompeii, Django Strikes Again, Die Hard 2: Die Harder, Crimson Dawn, Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 and Django Unchained) is accosted and kidnapped during a vicious bank heist and the hoods end up kicking the crap out Carlo dragging him through a crazed car chase leaving him scarred on a psychological level. Working with the inspector (Renzo Palmer of Danger: Diabolik, White Fang To the Rescue, The Big Racket and The Family), Carlo feels the police are moving too slow on this and appearing ineffectual, Carlo decides to take the law in his own hands Charles Bronson style.

So this isn't doing anything for you huh?

Carlo is begged by his stunning girlfriend Barbara (Barbara Bach of The Spy Who Loved Me, Force 10 of Navarone, The Great Alligator, Screamers, The Humanoid, Jaguar Lives!, The Unseen and Caveman) to not get involved chasing after the men that humilated and beat him but his revenge is the only thing that matters...FOCUS DUDE!!! YOU GOT A BOND GIRL!!! Anyway, Carlo slaps around and blackmailed a street thug name of Tommy (Giancarlo Prete of Confessions of a Police Captain, Street Law, The Last Shark, Space:1999, Midnight Blue, Warriors of the Wasteland, The Last Blood and Ladyhawke) getting his feet wet in the underworld, trying to find these men and exact his vengeance. Will Carlo take these monsters down? Will his relationship with Tommy get them both killed? Will Barbara give up on Carlo and chase after Ringo Starr?

Well we have some amazing camera work, stunts are pretty sound and fight scenes aren't too shabby. Poor me I had to gaze at Barbara Bach. The music score by Guido and Maurizio De Angelis (Trinity Is STILL My Name!, Man of the East, Charleston, Zorro, Scandal in the Family, Violent City) brings a gritty film a more menancing theme. Franco Nero did almost all his own stunts with a few exceptions by famed stuntman Rocco Lerro (Man Who Cried for Revenge, Watch Out, We're Mad, Street Law, High Rollers, The Inglorious Bastards, The Shark Hunter and Hercules) as a stunt double.

The cinematography of Carlo Carlini (I Vitelloni, General Della Rovere, Death Rides a Horse and The Big Gundown) is spellbinding, giving an edge to the violence depicted on the streets and the back alleys out of sight of the city. Shot in 35mm through Techniscope (Italian Technicolor using half the film stock, same running time, less negatives to develop and technical superior lenses).

While this was no Death Wish which came out the exact same year, it still brings a lot of action and suspense to the table. With an audacious use of violence and eluding to sexual perversions this is pure seventies that was gutsy and giving fresh and harsh vision. So if you enjoy a rough and tumble action thriller, give it the once over.

So you gonna read my palm or not?