Magnum 45

Finally, a so-called "giallo" that's working vs. the formula. Corinne Cléry makes it quite clear when the Commissario (Michele Placido) asks her for a dance: "Recite an Apollinaire poem for me." De facto, the shadow of the famous French proto-surrealist is lurking everywhere in Paolo Cavara's tongue-in-cheek, poptastic homage to Heinrich Hoffmann's gruesome cautionary tales, published as "Struwwelpeter" in 1845. At first sight the usual psycho killer rubbish, E Tanta Paura is brimming with bizarre surprises, as in the orgy flashback sequence in the Fauna Lovers Group Sex Club (including a porn cartoon by Italian animatore Gibba) or the acidly humorous slaughterhouse scene, and you won't get much better dialogue for your money ("She cheated on me with a white guy." "But you're white as well." "I'm Neapolitan, that's different"). The denouement might be a bit underwhelming, but Cavara's elegant direction, Franco di Giacomo's skillful cinematography, Daniele Patucchi's versatile soundtrack and the splendid cast – special jury prize for the sardonic John Steiner – add up to an intertextual fun(house) ride breaking it down light-handedly that "giallo" can be a whole lot more than those bland Argento bummers: in this case, a vitriolic grotesque bowing its serpent's head in reverence to the origins of the Grand Guignol.

'E Tanta Paura' provides a fairly good Italian crime plot, located in the mid-19-Seventies. Carrying all characteristics of its era, a slice of sleaze included.

Nevertheless, to boost up sales, the cover of my DVD adds that Corinne Clery features in this film. And yes, here we have a name that those around at the time may remember: the naked female lead from 'Histoire d'O' (= French for 'the story of O'). It must be said that Clery contributes well to 'E Tanta Paura'; clothed (90%) as well as naked (10%).

'E Tanta Paura' still reasonably entertains without being great. And shows a little dented by the passage of time.

A series of brutal and savage murders baffles police.Egocentric inspector Gaspare Lomenzo(Michele Placido)wants to catch elusive killer.The victims were the members of a bizarre sex club called The Fauna Lovers.The club is led by eccentric and filthy rich author Hoffman.The accidental death of a hooker Rosa may help to solve this tough criminal case...After making brilliant giallo "Black Belly of the Tarantula" Paolo Cavara made "Plot of Fear".The film is well-acted and very suspenseful with several surprising plot twists.The set designs are garish,the ladies are beautiful and there is a bit of sleaze.The murders are stylish and unrelenting for example one female victim is burned alive.The portrayal of wealthy decadence in "Plot of Fear" comes across as depressing and unforgiving.8 giallos out of 10.

This is how you make a film stand out in a crowded market, as we get a giallo with all the usual ingredients (black-gloved killer, loads of suspects/red herrings, nakes ladies, beautiful photography) mixed with tons of quirkiness, seventies technology, irony, social commentary and even animation.

The film starts of memorably enough with a kimono clad man waiting in anticipation in his floral, purple themed room (purple an recurring colour in this film). A lady hooker friend arrives and it seems our fella likes to get slapped about and get his hair pulled, but isn't into being strangled and murdered for some reason. A page from a child story book is left by the prostitute, with a different card being left at a murder that happens on a bus shortly afterwards.

This is where Inspector Lomenzo steps in. He sees that there's a killer on the loose, but can't quite figure out the connection between the two people, much to the annoyance of his boss, Tom Skerrit. At the same time, he's caught the eye of the young lady that lives up the stairs from his apartment that he shares with his hippy girlfriend. Further complicating the plot is Eli Wallach as the private investigator who uses modern technology to spy on his clients, his staff, and just about everybody else he encounters. A businessman approaches Eli and say that the police don't have a clue that the two victims were part of some Wildlife Friends Club, and that the murders have something to do with a party that happened at the 'Hoffman House'. Eli gives Lomenzo these little clues, but does he have a sinister motive?

This film seems to head in many directions at once as Lomenzo tries to juggle his love life with the murders (and the two become entwined). The murderer works his way through the cast, including burning to death the prostitute that killed the kinky guy at the start of the film, shooting a guy on live TV, and running over another guy. This is all standard giallo stuff but then you have the businessman's house secured with a futuristic alarm system, his mother's nurse having a chug in the toilets for no reason, and the Wildlife Friends Club watching an completely off-the-wall cartoon porno before taking part in some sort of 'blowjob roulette'. This strangeness runs throughout the entire film and keeps you on your toes.

Although Tom Skerrit appears, he doesn't do much and Eli Wallach only comes in to play mainly in the final part of the film. Neither of them dub there own voice. It's Michele Placido as Inspector Lomenzo who is the main focus of the film, running around trying to figure out what's going while his girlfriend runs off with another man, not that he's bothered it gives him a chance to get to know the young lady from upstairs. Gets to know her all night long.

Plenty of twists in the plot too. John Steiner redeems himself for his diabolical performance in Deported Women of the SS Special Section by being more subdued here, but no less sleazy.

Likable, if not particularly stylish or violent despite the many and varied killings. Lots going on with all manner of activity including wild animals and wild women. Some interesting play with the emerging European cinematic interest in mixed race activity. The lovely Corinne Clery looks good all the time, both clothed and unclothed and everything moves along beautifully, if more than a little confusedly! Still, what's new with giallo, although this edges more towards cop-thriller without any of the giallo style present in the same director's Black Belly of the Tarantula. The music is as bit below par too but the complicated police investigations are carried out with some flair and the liberal peppering of naughtiness ensures there is never a dull moment.