So the thing about gialli (of which this is one) is that they’re typically a mix of like four elements. There’s the whodunnit mystery aspect of it, where you’re trying to figure out which of the characters in the movie is the serial killer (and why); there’s the suspense/horror aspect of it, where you’re watching tense stalkings and gory kills; there’s the eroticism, with usually at least some light nudity because Italy; and then there’s the travelogue part of it, because Italy.

And this one has all of them in spades. The mystery is actually really well done; there were parts of it I guessed right away, and parts I didn’t get until the end, but it felt fair the whole way. The horror part wasn’t too gory, but definitely did have some suspenseful and vicious kills. And the travelogue part is top-notch — it’s apparently set on the Amalfi coast, and it made me want to visit the town it’s set in (though of course, fifty years later, that town probably doesn’t even exist in the same way).

But the thing that made my wife and me both exclaim in shock multiple times is the erotic side of it, which isn’t hardcore porn, but gets closer to it than just about anything I’ve seen. Even in a genre that’s notable for its horniness, this was startlingly graphic.

This isn’t a particularly excellent example of the genre (I feel like by starting my giallo watching with Dario Argento’s peak movies, it’s been all downhill from there), but it’s enjoyable enough. Just, y’know, maybe don’t watch it with little kids? Which tbf, is probably good advice for any giallo.