Paranoia

The engaging, jet-set jazzy thriller, 'A Quiet Place to Kill' (1970) aka 'Paranoia' is another visually resplendent, sinfully stylish Giallo from the playful master of sexual intrigue, Umberto 'Eyeball' Lenzi. Many Gialli fans share the opinion that this murderously Machiavellian Mediterranean outing is markedly inferior to his iconic, highly regarded, Martini-cool Giallo masterclass, 'Orgasmo' (1969), but maestro Lenzi's fizzy, cocktail-fuelled psychodrama, 'A Quiet Place to Kill' distils a no less intoxicating plot, as our emotionally fragile heroine, Helen (Carroll Baker) recuperates from a car accident, she fatefully reunites with her dashingly duplicitous ex-husband Maurice (Jean Sorel), and before you can say 'lashings of J&B-laced jiggery-pokery', increasingly fell deeds turn Helen's louche, seaside convalescence into a memorably murderous ménages à trois!

With its luxurious lounge-core soundtrack, ubiquitously labyrinthine plotting, glamorous vistas, sublime fashions, and a nuenced performance from one of the most delectably diminutive divas of Gialli, the golden-haired, sinfully skittish, glitteringly glamorous screen goddess, Carroll Baker. Sadly, poor Helen suffers greatly at the manicured hands of her scheming, beguilingly suave, cocksure paramour Maurice. This preternaturally gorgeous male, disingenuously clad in benign, pastel-hued v-neck sweaters, slyly harbours hateful plots against his significant others! Incredibly, Sorel's perverse preference for Val Donican's Christmas wardrobe does little to mute his sleekly manipulative portrait of a callous, languidly libidinous playboy on the make, thereby making the appealingly sin-dappled, breezily-paced, 'A Quiet Place to Kill' a scintillating, must-see Giallo for all Lenzi-Baker Gialli fans!

When you think of Carroll Baker, you most likely remember her roles in Elia Kazan's "Baby Doll" or George Stevens's "Giant", or something of that nature. What you might not know is that she spent a few years in Italy starring in giallo movies. Among her most notable outings in this genre were Umberto Lenzi's movies. She started with his "Orgasmo"* (called "Paranoia" in the US), playing a rich woman from the US who has a bizarre experience with some young people in Italy. Another entry in this genre was Lenzi's "Paranoia" (called "A Quiet Place to Kill" in the US, to avoid confusion with the other movie).

My interpretation of this movie is clouded by the poor copy that I watched; the DVD kept skipping over damaged areas, so I don't know how much of the movie I saw. What I saw was tolerable, if less than stellar.

Whatever the case, these movies are good for a watch. And seriously, was Carroll Baker a babe or what? Okay, if nothing else.

*I learned of Baker from this movie. It turned out that I'd already seen her in some movies, but she hadn't registered in my mind previously.

Titled on my Blu ray as Paranoia, this is also known as A Quite Place to Kill which might be the better option as there is another Lenzi film made the previous year and also known as Paranoia. Thankfully, Umberto Lenzi himself is on hand on the disc to clarify the similarities and differences as well as how this ridiculous situation came about. Anyway the previous year's film, also with Carroll Baker is fine but this is probably even better. More original and more exciting, this is a crazy, colourful and involving gialloesque mystery involving fantastic clothing and furnishings, cars and telephones and lots of Carroll baker. She was nearly 40 when she made this but still strips down to order and looks great. Jean Sorell is as reliable as ever and always seems to give that look and twinkle those eyes as if to indicate love and hate at the same time. Marina Coffa appears around the halfway mark and really stirs things up. Apparently back in the day audiences would stand and applause, so stunned and delighted at the final denouement although she did very little after this for whatever reason. Very much of the period this has the music, fads, colours and morals of the time.

Watched this on Tubi TV in March 2021. This is a great thriller with a beautiful looking cast, stunning scenery and a crisp transfer. The plot centers around two women who conspire to kill a man who has been a lover to both of them and then things go haywire. Great little thriller and the scenery and beautiful cast make this film definitely worth the watch.

I was somewhat confused as it appears that Italian director Umberto Lenzi, who will always be known in my book for his notorious cannibal flicks, has two movies that share the same alternative title, and they were only made one year apart. Even on the disc extra he seems a little confused himself when talking about it! Anyway, this Paranoia is not a horror movie, Furthermore there is no unknown killer, we know who the killer is, but the police don't. So I'd be hard pressed to call this a genuine Giallo, though it certainly has some traits of that sub-genre. As is so typical of Italian movies from this time Paranoia is stunningly beautiful, every scene is like a piece of art. Accompanied by beautiful naked women, fast cars, bottles of J&B whiskey and a jazzy soundtrack this is a very cool movie, with some great plot twists and turns One of the highlights is a fast car ride along a winding road with sharp hair pin turns and sheer drops into the sea. It actually made my palms sweat! Great movie.