Das Antlitz des Todes

This is not a giallo. I want to get this out of the way immediately b/c it has effected some reviewers opinions of the film. There are no slashings and no body count here. There is no shadowy killer dressed in black stalking victims. There is no chase sequence. None of that.

Now for what this movie is. This is the movie Umberto Lenzi always wanted to make but never quite achieved. It's the wealthy woman in a dangerous world where a lover manipulates her, and you're not sure who to trust, but you're pretty sure everyone is motivated by money. The acting is great all around. But what makes this one stand out is a script that blessedly actually makes sense and a wonderful soundtrack by Piero Piccioni!

Go into it knowing this one is a slow burn psychological thriller, and you'll have a much better time :)

A woman leaves her husband and immediately takes up with another man . But her new beau has a strange friend that he knew from the "war", he and also seems to have some kind of relationship with the beautiful bisexual woman next door. Meanwhile her estranged husband is still lurking around, and someone seems to be trying to kill her.

This rather odd giallo came out after Dari Argento had set the template for the genre with "Bird with Crystal Plumage". Strangely though, it seems to be a throw-back to the earlier Umberto Lenzi/Carroll Baker gialli like "Paranoia" or "A Quiet Place to Kill". The beginning is almost unforgivably slow with romantic longueurs of very beautiful idle rich people frolicking on the beautiful Cote de Azure beach while 60's Europop tunes play on the soundtrack (the movie often resembles a more staid French thriller like "La Piscine" than a Spanish/Italian gialli) . The plot, when it finally kicks in, is actually pretty good, but this movie is not as deleriously stylized nor is it anywhere near as violent as your typical giallo of that era. And it's tame even compared to the earlier gialli as far as sex goes--there's a long, ridiculous scene where the lead actress goes topless but the view is always obstructed by something (which resembles a running gag in "Austin Powers" more than anything else). It's hard to believe that three years later this same Spanish director would do the uber-sleazy "Beyond Erotica".

Still, tame does not necessarily translate to bad. This film has some good twists to it and is pretty entertaining when it get's going.

Despite being made in 1971, the big year for the classic-style violent murder-mystery gialli, this Spanish giallo is a throwback to the late 60's type which was less concerned with bloody mayhem and more with dangerous love triangles and deadly melodramas. Its story focuses on a woman who heads off to a seaside villa with her new lover who she has left her husband for; while there a series of dangerous incidents occur leading her to believe that someone is trying to kill her.

This one opens with a cracking credit sequence full of colour and beautiful drawings. It sure gets you in the mood for another slice of top quality giallo mayhem. Unfortunately, this one doesn't really live up to this promise and pans out as a fairly run-of-the-mill psychological thriller. It's not a bad film or anything, as it has some nice photography, a lush score from Piero Piccioni and benefits from its early 70's vibes. But its story just never engages as much as it needs to and it reveals its hand quite early on so for the last half of the film there isn't even a mystery to propel events. I think the story needed to be stronger as it is pretty minimalistic stuff in terms of characters. There are only really five of any consequence, including a couple of enigmatic individuals in the periphery - a male friend from 'the war' and a female seductress. In terms of suspense, we have a car hurtling down a mountain road with faulty brakes and an incident with a scuba tank with no air. Fairly slim pickings on this front in truth and there is no real violence to speak of either but there is admittedly a fair bit of sex and nudity thrown in to keep things more interesting. I think it may be other less plot-driven details which might be the most memorable though, such as any scenes involving the swan and all the underwater sequences. In summary, this is a nice looking yet slightly underwhelming example of a giallo, still well worth seeking out if you are an enthusiast of the genre though.

The polyvalent Spanish director José Maria Forqué tries to show in this Italian coproduction that he could also make for his part a giallo. He uses the codes of the style, notably taking inspiration from Lenzi's works, and convenes great giallo actors alongside famous Argentinian actresses. The film itself opens on credits including smart drawings combining Art Nouveau and pop style, upon a mixed theme of Leda and Swan Lake.

The swan girl in question is Ruth (Analia Gadé, Murder Mansion / Quando Marta urlo dalla tomba), a very wealthy woman who wants to divorce from her husband Michel (Tony Kendall, La Jena di Londra), because she is in love with the handsome playboy Paul (Jean Sorel, Paranoia). They thus leave together for a splendid area on the sea coast to live their perfect love. Here they meet Roland (Maurizio Bonuglia, Giornata nera per l'Ariete), a Paul's friend and former comrade-in-arms, who acts to serve their idyll, and Danielle (Rosanna Yanni, Cross Current / Un Omicidio perfetto a termine di legge), a strange girl who seems to watch them. In a spleen moment Ruth reminds herself that she has always been frightened "to have to grow old alone", but Paul comforts her saying: "you won't get old". And accidents are not long to start happening.

For giallo followers, the trick is rather simple, and logically the director chooses to reveal it for the middle of his film. But the main issue thus remaining is: how our swan girl will try to react to the plot? How will she handle the inquiry of the local commissioner (Julio Peña, Tre Notti Violente)? Will she manage to be sufficiently clever to get through the knots woven all around her? Or should a "third lion" be even smarter to snatch the bet? This giallo made in the classic way won't quite shake up the standards of the style. (Viewed in Italian 1h40 version.)

It deals with a married couple called Ruth (Analia Gade) and Michel (Tony Kendall) , but they separate due to Ruth finds another man , Paul (Jean Sorel) . Later on , Ruth and his new lover Paul taking a fun vacation at a beach location. As they go to her sunny , idyllic beach side villa to spend summer in Playa de Haro , Costa Brava , Gerona . They are having a great time together , and then weird things begin happening . Enjoying the vacation with her beloved boyfriend , Ruth suffers suddenly serious accidents . Throught the road she is surprisingly stressed when the brakes of the car fail , and Ruth narrowly escapes death . After that , the driving equipment goes faulty , and Ruth almost drowns . Then Ruth will stop at nothing to discover the truth and at whatever cost . Her life being extremely exhausted , physically tired, and morally disturbed due to the successive attempts .Ruth suspects Michel of being the person behind the mechanical faults of the car and the diving equipment , but Paul dismisses such a possibility , as he does suggest her to rest and forget . While other characters (Rosanna Yanni and Maurizio Bonuglia) shine in rather opaque roles . Along the way , a stubborn police inspector (Julio Peña) is investigating the rare events . As the main question of the movie is to guess who's attempting to murder Ruth.

A peculiar Spanish film posing like an Italian production, but it is more a Spanish film than an Italian , in fact on the credit titles show up various names of Spanish actors as well as technician team . Here stands out the attractive credit titles with charming drawings from Macián studios . Umberto Lenzi's early genre works "Orgasmo" , ¨Spasmo¨and "Paranoia" were undoubtedly the main examples of this Gialli narrative structure, but that doesn't change the high quality of Forqué's work , because it remains exciting and intriguing enough . It is set in Costa Brava , Gerona Spain , dealing with the wife well played by Analia Gadé alongside her two male co-stars , the Italians Jean Sorel and and Tony Kendall . Concerning the usual themes in the Giallo films such as an undercover killer , red herrings , various suspicious people , brief nudism , sinister appearances and anything else. Stars the Argentinean Analia Gade who had a successful career along with two Italian gallants : Jean Sorel who starred some Giallos and Tony Kendall who performed various films in all kinds of Eurotrash genres . They are well accompanied by a fine support cast, such as Rosanna Yanni , Maurizio Bonuglia , Julio Peña , among others.

Musician Piero Piccioni adds a gorgeous musical background which also captures the mood of the "holidays" and stimulates dreams, adding exciting and thrilling moments . It contains an appropriate and sunny cinematography by expert cameraman Alejandro Ulloa who photographed several International co-productions , such as The House on Garibaldi Street , Tarots , Pancho Villa , Compañeros! , Karate , colt and impostor, Eagles Over London and Horror Express . Being shot on various locations in Playa de Aro, Costa Brava, Gerona, Catalonia, Madrid , Spain and Puglia, Italy . The motion picture with interesting script by prestigious Rafael Azcona was professionally directed by Jose Maria Forque and he was winner Sant Jordi Award 1960, Best Spanish Director. Jose Maria Forque was a craftsman who directed all kinds of genres as Comedy : Un Millon en la Basura, La vil seduccion, Bring a Little loving, Vacaciones para Ivette . Softcore : Beyond Erotica, La Mujer de la Tierra Caliente . Giallo and thrillers : Tarot , In the Eye of the Hurricane, La Legion del Silencio, A devil under the pillow. His greatest succeses were : Embajadores en el Infierno, Amanecer de la Puerta Oscura and the clasic comedy : Atraco a las 3. And he also made important TV series as Miguel Servet and Ramon y Cajal. This In the eye of the hurricane (1971) is without hesitation , definitely one of the most underrated Gialli that unfortunately has not yet been able to make a triumphant breakthrough , being an acceptable and interesting entry in this popular genre developed in the Seventies . Rating : 6.5/10 . Acceptable film , specially appointed for Giallo enthusiasts.