Forgotten Gialli: Volume Six

One of the favorite tropes of the giallo genre was and is the presence of "amateur detectives;" wherein members of the public take on the challenge of solving a spate of mysterious murders. Presented here are a trio of films, all of which rely on this cherished device, and representing three distinct periods in the genre.

DEATH CARRIES A CANE

While enjoying an otherwise leisurely day, Kitty, a professional photographer, happens to witness the murder of a nude woman, via a sightseeing telescope. While she is unable to make out the black trench coat-wearing killer’s face, it’s not long before this mystery assailant begins stalking and gorily bumping off all potential witnesses to the crime. Fearing that she might become the killer’s next target, Kitty enlists the help of her boyfriend, Alberto, as the two launch their own investigation into the murders…

A sensationally trashy and fun giallo from the genre’s early 70s golden age, Maurizio Pradeaux’ DEATH CARRIES A CANE (aka Passi di danza su una lama di rasoio) offers a non-stop barrage of sex and violence, all within the confines of a clever whodunit. Starring Nieves Navarro (Death Walks on High Heels), Robert Hoffmann (Spasmo), Simón Andreu (Open Season), and Rosita Torosh (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage), Vinegar Syndrome is delighted to present the world Blu-ray debut of this deliriously sleazy hidden gem from a new, 4K restoration of its 35mm camera negative, in both its original Italian and English language dubs.

NAKED YOU DIE

Following the arrival of a mysterious trunk to an all-girls boarding school, a series of strange disappearances and murders begin to plague the institution. To appease the panic-stricken students and staff, Inspector Durand begins searching the school grounds in a bid to unmask the culprit. However, student and amateur sleuth, Jill, decides to solve the mystery on her own, unwittingly putting herself into the sights of a bloodthirsty killer!

A transitional giallo which bridges the “style over substance” and gothic-inspired thrillers of the mid-60s with the grimier and sleazier efforts of the 1970s and beyond, Antonio Margheriti’s (Cannibal Apocalypse) debut giallo, the perfunctorily-titled NAKED YOU DIE (aka Nude... si muore; The Young, the Evil and the Savage) stars Mark Damon (The Devil’s Wedding Night), Eleonora Brown (Two Women), and Michael Rennie (The Day the Earth Stood Still). Featuring striking scope photography from Fausto Zuccoli (Zombie Holocaust) and a memorable score by Carlo Savina (The House of Exorcism), Vinegar Syndrome presents the English-friendly Blu-ray debut of NAKED YOU DIE, including the original Italian cut and English export version, both restored in 4K from its original 35mm camera negative.

THE BLOODSTAINED SHADOW

In the 1950s, the body of a teenage girl was found strangled near a small village. Decades later, with the murder remaining unsolved, a young man named Stefano, who grew up in the area, returns home to visit his older brother, Paulo, who has become the local priest. Shortly after his arrival, more mysterious murders begin to plague the community, with the victims being members of a strange local sect. But when Paulo begins receiving menacing warnings from an unknown source, Stefano, with the help of his girlfriend Sandra, begins looking into the seemingly ordinary town’s sinister past...

A late 70s standout in the giallo genre, director Antonio Bido’s sophomore feature, THE BLOODSTAINED SHADOW (aka Solamente nero), subverts expectations by offering a complex and serious-in-tone mystery set against the beauty and majesty of Venice. Starring American expat, Craig Hill (A Taste for Killing), Alfredo Zammi (Convoy Busters), and Italian genre film legend, Stefania Casini (Suspiria, Blood for Dracula), Vinegar Syndrome brings this this highly acclaimed thriller to Blu-ray, sourced from a new, director-approved 4K restoration and featuring a vast array of interviews with its cast and crew.