Plot: What’s it about?
A reporter named Gregory Moore (Jean Sorel) has been discovered dead in a plaza in Prague, as a result of some strange chain of events. Of course, the corpse is examined and then carted off to the morgue, where it will handled for the last time before burial. But the corpse of Moore is not the usual stiff, as Moore is still conscious inside his deceased vessel, able to see what happens, hear what is said, and process the data in his mind, but his body is of no other use, he cannot speak or move to impact upon the events he witnesses. So he uses this time to remember how he wound up in this situation, which takes him back to the disappearance of his girlfriend Mira (Barbara Bach), which was under very mysterious circumstances. But even though he has some of the answers to the situation, others escape him and leave him with a sense of dread. With time already expired on his mortal life, can Moore put together the remaining pieces of the puzzle before he is taken in total from the realm of the living?
This little seen giallo thriller from director Aldo Lado (who directed Who Saw Her Die?, available in this collection) should find a wider audience now, as it is a superb example of the genre, with a lot of tension and suspense. The premise is downright unsettling to be honest, but it plays out well and is an innovative piece of filmmaking, though few have tried to follow in its footsteps. I know some people have complained that giallo pictures tend to be a lot alike, but with Short Night of Glass Dolls, you’re given a unique, often startling approach. So no, this is not the typical giallo film, but it does have elements we associate with the genre, so if you’re into these kind of movies, then don’t shy away because of the offbeat premise. Lado creates some effective atmosphere here, complete with memorable visuals and a top notch musical score from Ennio Morricone himself. I will admit it takes some time to adjust to how Short Night of Glass Dolls unfolds, but after a few minutes, you’ll be glued to the screen. This is a solid, memorable giallo picture and of course, when available in a giallo collection like this, its a lock to grab the entire set.
Franco (George Lazenby) is a sculptor in Venice and when his young daughter comes to visit, he is overjoyed and cannot wait to spend time with her. But his plans and his entire life are thrown into chaos when she is murdered, found dead on the scene. Of course, he hopes the police can turn up the killer soon to ensure justice is served, but after some time, it is obvious the authorities haven’t put all of their resources into the case. But Franco is not going to allow their failures to end his search for the truth, as he takes matters into his own hands and begins his own investigations, determined to find out who killed his child. Driven by his grief and anger over the event, he pushes his way through any information he can uncover, but soon he discovers he is in over his head, as evidence points to a complicated, high level conspiracy. As Franco continues his search, some of the contacts wind up dead and unless he can crack the case & expose the truth soon, Franco could become the next victim himself.
I had seen Who Saw Her Die? some time back on a substandard VHS edition, but seeing this new remastered widescreen version, it was quite a change. The visuals have been opened up here, thanks to a clean print and accurate black levels, the latter of which is very vital here, as this is a rather dark picture. This plays like a more mature giallo film, one in which atmosphere and storyline take the reins, as opposed to blood soaked murders and ample naked women. You’ll see those elements present here, but never to the gratuitous levels seen in other giallos, which could be good or bad, depending on the viewer. I found it to be a good, solid movie in most respects, with some terrific music and visuals, which enhanced the experience, of course. The score is from the legendary Ennio Morricone and is a real treat, to be sure, while the cinematography is lush and always a pleasure to soak in. A solid murder mystery with some upper level elements, Who Saw Her Die? is a good investment and with this four disc Giallo Collection from Anchor Bay, there’s no reason to not add it to your collection.
Stefano (Lino Capolicchio) has taken some time off from college to return to his hometown, where he plans to spend some time with his brother, Don (Craig Hill), who has now become a Catholic priest. As he rides the rails toward home, he meets and befriends a woman named Stefania (Sandra Sellini), who happens to be going to the same location. Once he arrives back home, Stefano meets up with Don and learns of some bad news, as some locals have become involved with a woman who conducts seances. Don knows her services are fakes, but he senses something sinister about the woman and as such, has made some efforts to end her seances. But when his efforts failed, he found himself taunted by those who attend the rituals, most of whom are the area’s undesirables. Soon after, Don begins having horrific visions of murder and death, but when he goes to them, he discovers no evidence. What evil lurks in this small town and even with their combined forces, can the brothers put an end to the madness?
I found The Bloodstained Shadow to be a more than solid example of giallo, but it doesn’t measure up to the big leagues in the genre. It takes elements from the films of Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci, then tries to put new spins on the topics and while some work well, others leave the audience scratching their heads. The main issue here is the writing, which often asks us to ignore plot holes left & right, which is expected in most giallos, but in this case, we’re sometimes asked to accept too much, as the events lack any kind of logic or reason. But The Bloodstained Shadow does have a tense atmosphere and that keeps us interested, as do some good plot twists that keep us on the edge at times. Another positive this movie has is an excellent score from Goblin, which enhances the experience a lot, without question. So in the end, I think The Bloodstained Shadow has more good than bad traits, but still never moves up into the upper ranks of the genre. But it is worth a look for giallo fans, especially as part of this terrific collection.
Jennifer (Edwige Fenech) is a beautiful young model who has just moved into a new apartment, but the place has a rather gruesome past. An exotic dancer was murdered in the apartment just days before Jennifer moved in, after the dancer found a mutilated body in the building’s elevator. But even with these unusual events, Jennifer and a her friend Marilyn (Paola Quattrini) move into the apartment, which architect Andrea (George Hilton) designed. Andrea is a strange person however, as he seems to behave in odd fashions and has a fear of blood, one which leaves him paralyzed at times. As it turns out, Andrea is also the prime suspect in the murders, but police have not gathered enough evidence to make a move on him. But even so, Jennifer finds herself drawn to him and they begin an affair, which spins in some new problems. Her former lover learns of her new man and takes offense to the notion, when at the same time, Jennifer begins to discover how weird some of her neighbors are. As she is surrounded by potential suspects, can Jennifer somehow uncover the truth and survive to see justice done?
This is the final film in this Giallo Collection and is the best of the foursome, in addition to being exclusive to this four disc collection. Yes, you can purchase the other three films as standalone releases, but at this time, The Case of the Bloody Iris is only available via this special collection. This might upset some folks, but it is good business sense by Anchor Bay, as a lot of people will want this single title enough to splurge on the entire set, no doubt about it. In truth, you could use this film as the mold for giallo pictures, as it has all the needed elements and works very well, though I will say some superior genre efforts are out there. Better known as What Are Those Strange Drops of Blood Doing on Jennifer’s Body, this film has excellent atmosphere, style to burn, some beautiful women on showcase, and of course, some horrific and sadistic murders. This includes a memorable scene in which the killer stalks his victim in broad daylight, very cool stuff indeed. I recommend this to anyone interested in giallo cinema and since Anchor Bay has included it in this great collection, that makes it a simple decision to nab all four discs in one motion.
Video: How does it look?
Short Night of Glass Dolls is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. A nice, solid looking transfer is found here, in which the visuals are well represented throughout. I did see some moderate debris and grain on the print, but nothing too serious and the image isn’t too soft, so detail remains high at all times. The black levels are acceptable, but not as refined as I would like, while colors have a bright, natural look to them. It sounds like I am being harsh on this transfer, but it looks much better than I had expected, so rest assured, Anchor Bay has worked their usual magic on this, and the other releases in this collection.
Who Saw Her Die? is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Although time has taken its toll on the materials, this is still a solid looking visual effort in most respects. If you’ve seen the same miserable VHS version I have, you’ll pleased to know the contrast is fixed and now looks accurate, which opens so much up here. The black levels aren’t razor sharp, but they look good and never become murky, so no real complaints. The colors have faded somewhat, but still come across in bright, acceptable form, while flesh tones seem natural also. The print used has moderate grain and is worn at times, but all things considered, I think it looks fine. I do wish it was cleaner, but come on, I think most will pleased to no end with this visual presentation.
The Bloodstained Shadow is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I wasn’t expecting much from this transfer, but Anchor Bay has tracked down a terrific print, very clean and impressive. I did see some grain throughout, some instances heavier than others, but aside from that, this print looks tremendous. The image is sharper than I expected, with great detail levels that open up the image more than ever before. I was stunned at how refined and truly black the contrast is here, as most of the time, the movies from this era (let alone low profile ones like this) suffer from overly bright black levels, but not in this case. No problems with colors or flesh tones either, this is a terrific looking visual effort in all respects.
The Case of the Bloody Iris is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. A few rough spots aside, this transfer is terrific and shows little in terms of serious issues. You’ll notice some grain and minor print wear, but given the material involved, I am pleased it looks as good as it does here. I did see a few scenes that had rather thick grain, but these aren’t frequent and while the image is a tad soft, it never hampers the visuals. The colors look bright, but not that vivid, while black levels remain accurate throughout. I didn’t expect this film to look this good, but Anchor Bay has done some great work with this one.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio on all four films is mono and unremarkable, but the material is well covered and I have no serious complaints. I do wish an Italian option was included, but synch issues are minimal and the tracks sound good in most respects. As I mentioned, you won’t be raving over the audio in these films, but the tension is enhanced through music & sound effects, both of which are well represented in these audio tracks. The limits of mono are obvious, but for what these tracks are, I think the main elements come through well enough. The dialogue is clean and well balanced, which means you won’t miss a single word in the pictures. Aside from the lack of Italian language options, I have no complaints to lodge with the audio in this collection.
Supplements: What are the extras?
These discs don’t have a lot of extras, but some nice supplements are included and for the price, there’s some solid value here. Short Night of Glass Dolls’ disc sports a filmography of director Aldo Lado, an interview with Lado, and the film’s theatrical trailer. Who Saw Her Die? has a brief interview with director Aldo Lado, a bio on the director, and the film’s theatrical trailer. On The Bloodstained Shadow’s disc, you can view a talent file on director Antonio Bido, an eleven minute interview with Bido, and the film’s theatrical trailer. On The Case of the Bloody Iris, you’ll find a talent bio on director Anthony Ascott, an alternate stabbing scene, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
