Case of the Bloody Iris

Rating:
Summary: mmmmm, good giallo!
Review: Aldo Lado's 'Case of the Bloody Iris' is a fast paced mystery where the only doldrums are in the one obligatory love scene half way through. Whereas directors such as Argento and Fulci rely on bizarre camera angles to sometimes tell the demented parts of a tale through the vision of the killer, Lado's giallo's principal strength (a real rarity in Italian horror/giallo cinema) is a very witty script. The real pleasures here are not in the unsympathetic (the usual case in most of these movies) lead of Jennifer and Amando, but in the side characters who walk on and off the screen in mere seconds, but have the funniest lines, especially the chief inspector and his assistant. If you are looking for weird Bava lighting or strange angles of perspective through-out (there are a couple of creative camera moments), you will be disappointed. Another point of this movie is the raw, dehumanized attitude most of the characters take towards the women in this movie. Beneath the humorous banter of many of the characters, there's a pretty grim outlook pervading throughout that apartment and its tennants, which shows that like all good giallos and suspense stories, it's not about is, but what you thought might have been. As far as DVD specs go, the print is of good quality. I had no problem with the sound. The extras are pretty chincy on this disc; all you get is an alternate stabbing scene, which seemed more edited than alternate. Still, when all is said and done, it will have been money well spent.

Rating:
Summary: mmmmm, good giallo!
Review: Aldo Lado's 'Case of the Bloody Iris' is a fast paced mystery where the only doldrums are in the one obligatory love scene half way through. Whereas directors such as Argento and Fulci rely on bizarre camera angles to sometimes tell the demented parts of a tale through the vision of the killer, Lado's giallo's principal strength (a real rarity in Italian horror/giallo cinema) is a very witty script. The real pleasures here are not in the unsympathetic (the usual case in most of these movies) lead of Jennifer and Amando, but in the side characters who walk on and off the screen in mere seconds, but have the funniest lines, especially the chief inspector and his assistant. If you are looking for weird Bava lighting or strange angles of perspective through-out (there are a couple of creative camera moments), you will be disappointed. Another point of this movie is the raw, dehumanized attitude most of the characters take towards the women in this movie. Beneath the humorous banter of many of the characters, there's a pretty grim outlook pervading throughout that apartment and its tennants, which shows that like all good giallos and suspense stories, it's not about is, but what you thought might have been. As far as DVD specs go, the print is of good quality. I had no problem with the sound. The extras are pretty chincy on this disc; all you get is an alternate stabbing scene, which seemed more edited than alternate. Still, when all is said and done, it will have been money well spent.

Rating:
Summary: BLOODY GOOD
Review: I AM BASING THIS REVIEW ON AN ITALIAN ORIGINAL I HAVE.I WOULD REVIEW THE DVD EDITION,BUT AS IT IS NOT OUT YET I CANNOT.RIGHT,CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS IS RATHER A BAD MISNOMER.IT,S ITALIAN TITLE IS PERCHE QUELLE STRANO GOCCE DE SANGUE SUL CORPO DI JENNIFER/WHY THOSE STRANGE DROPS OF BLOOD ON JENNIFER,S BODY.AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THE GIALLO,A STRANGE SUB-GENRE OF THE HORROR FILM.GIALLO MEANS YELLOW IN ITALIAN AND THIS WAS BASED IN TURN ON PULP FICTION NOVELS PRODUCED IN ITALY DURING THE 30,S.THE DUST JACKETS WERE YELLOW.GIALLO,S ARE BASICALLY THRILLERS WITH ADDED VIOLENCE,GORE AND SEX.JUST THINK BASIC INSTINCT,THE ITALIANS WERE MAKING THESE FILMS BACK IN THE SEVENTIES WITH ADDED VIOLENCE AND FOR A FRACTION OF THE COST.SUFFICE TO SAY THIS FILM IS NO EXCEPTION.I WON,T ACTUALLY REVIEW THE FILM ITSELF,BUT THIS FILM IS A CLASSIC THRILLER WITH PLENTY OF TWISTS AND TURNS IN IT,S 100 MINUTES RUNNING TIME.BEG,STEAL OR BORROW THIS FILM WHEN IT IS ACTUALLY RELEASED.MY ATTEMPT TO REVIEW THE FILM CANNOT DO IT JUSTICE.ENJOY

Rating:
Summary: Edwige! Edwige!
Review: It was a beautiful day indeed when Anchor Bay released a box set of four classic Italian gialli films. Most fans of Italian horror films know all about these colorful murder mystery pictures-- thanks to Mario Bava, Lucio Fulci, and Dario Argento--but how many of us know about the lesser entries in the genre? "The Case of the Bloody Iris" contains all of the elements we know and love about the giallo picture. We've got the black clad killer, gruesome killings, red herrings, and very sexy European ladies willing to give it their all at the drop of a hat. "Iris" also gives us point of view shots from the killer's perspective, bizarre flashbacks, and style wafting off the screen in waves. "The Case of the Bloody Iris" is definitely a giallo film in every respect. In my opinion, it's nearly as good as the films made by the masters of the genre. This picture comes close to approaching the greatness of Argento's epic films "Deep Red" and "Tenebre," and close if not touching to Lucio Fulci's massively entertaining "Don't Torture a Duckling." Without a doubt, "The Case of the Bloody Iris" is one of the better discs in the box set. It's far superior to Aldo Lado's "Who Saw Her Die?"

In fact, it's quite easy to follow the plot of "The Case of the Bloody Iris" despite its numerous major and minor characters. Andrea Barto (George Hilton) is the owner of an apartment with a lot of problems. When a young lady with an unusual wrestling job (watch and see) perishes in the apartment thanks to a black-gloved killer, Barto approaches models Jennifer Lansbury (Edwige Fenech) and her friend Marilyn (Paola Quattrini) with a heck of a deal. He offers them the spacious apartment for a song, a piece of luck the two attractive women can't believe is true. Of course, there's the murder to worry about, but its resolution is only a matter of time with Inspector Enci (Giampiero Albertini) on the case. Enci is an odd duck, a man given to shouting at his insubordinates while he roots through people's mail in search of new stamps to collect. Anyway, Barto makes the offer and the girls agree. They're so happy about the deal that Jennifer strikes up a torrid relationship with Andrea despite increasing suspicion that he might be involved in the murder. Too, Jennifer's jealous ex-husband Adam (Ben Carra) presents a formidable challenge; he's the leader of a free love type cult Lansbury left after she tired of starring as the main attraction on the activities roster. The title of the film refers to the flower Jennifer's husband uses in his free love ceremonies.

More bizarre characters march across the stage. One of the neighbors, Mrs. Moss (Liana Del Balzo), has a son stashed away in her apartment who personifies the word "weird" in a way that would make Ted Bundy proud. Throw in Sheila (Annabella Incontrera) as a nosy young female neighbor with a great interest in beautiful women, along with her violin playing college professor father, and you have all the makings of a great giallo. There are so many possible suspects in this film that to try and put together a possible scenario to identify the killer would give Columbo a nervous breakdown. All the while the murderer continues his activities. Jennifer wakes up one night convinced that the murderer entered the apartment to do her harm. Shortly after this incident, black glove strikes down Marilyn by stabbing her in public during the middle of the day. It's obvious Jennifer Lansbury's life is in serious danger. Immediately before the killer makes a play for the model, in a great scene involving the landing outside the apartment, I guessed the killer's identity and the reasons for the crime. But the movie doesn't give away its secrets easily.

Two very special words sum up "The Case of the Bloody Iris": Edwige Fenech. Here's a woman so incredibly beautiful that you're astonished to see her in a low budget film. Well, maybe not: Italian thrillers and gore films of the 1970s and 1980s always employed extremely attractive women to serve as cannon fodder, but Fenech is so incredibly stunning that she stands out even amongst the well known Eurobabes. Apparently of French and Tunisian extraction, she struts through every scene of the movie with her long black hair, beautiful face, and amazing figure. They could have placed a picture of her face on the movie poster, called this movie "Edwige Fenech," and it would have sold well, probably better. Take her away and what do you have? You still have a good movie in terms of plot and style, but Fenech definitely adds an important dimension to the film. My only concern about "The Case of the Bloody Iris" is the lack of sufficient gore. The movie lacks the sort of cringe inducing carnage that makes Argento and Fulci so memorable. The little bit of blood we do get here is so thick and bright that it looks like paint.

The DVD version of this film contains the least amount of extras of all four discs in the set. No interview with the director or cast members here--just a trailer, an alternate stabbing scene involving the Marilyn character, and a director's filmography round out the DVD. Still, thanks go to Anchor Bay for a job well done. If you told me five years ago that I would soon see movies like this restored with loving clarity and great audio, I would have laughed you out of the room. I'm hearing rumors that Anchor Bay will soon issue a Giallo Collection #2 with four more obscure Italian thrillers for our viewing pleasure. I can only applaud if this rumor is true, then immediately follow up with a request for more.



Rating:
Summary: Excellent Giallo
Review: This is a great all round movie and it has the stylish murders, curious mystery and nude sexiness you would expect from the giallo genre. Visually the movie is very nice to look at, with plenty of engaging camera work, but without getting overly artistic. The plot revolves around finding a murderer who is stalking attractive women living in an apartment building. Like many similar movies, there are plenty of curious suspects to choose from. The movie is also typically violent and in the first murder sequence, the killer stabs a woman in an elevator and then shows her the scalpel covered in her own blood before plunging it back into her. In another scene the murderer ties up an exotic dancer naked and leaves her to drown in her own bathtub while he watches. Director Giuliano Carnimeo doesn't seem to have made to many giallo movies, nevertheless this is a particularly enjoyable film. Lovers of giallo films should add this to their collection and I'd recommend buying it as part of the great four movie boxed set Anchor Bay have put out.

Rating:
Summary: Entertainment at a base level
Review: Unlike the other films in the Giallo Collection, Case of the Bloody Iris's worth rests solely on camp value and female nudity. Shot like 70s TV drama shows with flat, inexpressive lighting and banal camera work, it's barely competent, uninspired hack filmmaking. For Giallo fanatics only.

Rating:
Summary: Entertainment at a base level
Review: Unlike the other films in the Giallo Collection, Case of the Bloody Iris's worth rests solely on camp value and female nudity. Shot like 70s TV drama shows with flat, inexpressive lighting and banal camera work, it's barely competent, uninspired hack filmmaking. For Giallo fanatics only.