L'assassino è ancora tra noi

Complete with "warnings for young people" and gory scenes of partial dismemberment, L'assassino e ancora tra noi is a passable but underwhelming installment into the late period of giallo films, and seems more like an American slasher with some minor differences. The music is absolutely terrible, but the main character is an intelligent woman who takes on the role of detective as a graduate student working on a dissertation for criminology. I like that most of the film is seen through her eyes and that she's never compromised or truly objectified at any point.

I can see real-world influences from the cases of the Zodiac and Ted Bundy in The Killer is Still Among Us. However, I also see a little of Friday the 13th but hardly any classic Italian elements beyond some nice scenery here and there. The cinematography and costumes are nothing to write home about, and the killer wears surgical gloves made of latex or nitrile instead of the predictable black ones. Maybe some people consider this film a great sign of evolution in the sub-genre, but I feel that it's nothing special.

Very effective, brutal, gory and sexy thriller in the giallo mould. Mariangela D'Abbraccio is lovely as the leading lady as a criminal student getting involved in an ongoing and terrible series of sex killings of young couples making out in the backs of cars (and one tent).

Not quite as creepy as it might be but not short on sleaze and as for the bar where voyeurs hang out before setting off to spy on such young lovers - unbelievable! Some great moments and some of the most extreme sequences of sexual violence I have seen.

I prefer the alternative title, 'The Killer Is still Among Us' which is much more fitting when it comes to the astonishing cinema ending.

It's notoriously difficult to get your hands on an English language version of this late Giallo, and while I did manage to get one; my copy is very dark which did perhaps mean I didn't get the best out of this film as a lot of it takes place at night. Even so, it's clear that The Killer Is Still Among Us is not among the best of the genre. Its reputation suggests it to be nasty, which it is; but despite a promising beginning and the odd interesting moment, this is a sadly misguided and lacklustre effort. The film begins with a scene that sees a couple in a car butchered by an unseen assailant. The action then switches to a girl named Cristina who is studying criminology. With all these murders going on right under her nose, she naturally decides to use them for her thesis and begins looking into the murders by way of the victims. This soon turns out to be a big mistake as Cristina begins receiving threatening phone calls and then her acquaintances begin getting picked off by the same killer she is investigating.

The film often gets compared to the likes of The New York Ripper and Giallo a Venezia as it's along the same lines in terms of nastiness. This film is probably more violent than the latter two titles; but it's not done with as much style and while the violence is good (if you like that sort of thing), it's not enough to lift the film sufficiently. It's clear that director Camillo Teti was not the most sensitive man to ever live, as an interesting fact about this film is that there actually was a killer on the loose around the Florentine area at the time this was made! The story is really not all that interesting; the first half flows well and lead me to believe that it might develop into something noteworthy but unfortunately it never does; which is quite surprising considering that the screenplay was written by Giallo luminary Ernesto Gastaldi. It all boils down to a very odd conclusion that takes place in a cinema and doesn't make a whole lot of sense, though it does lead to the film's most shocking sequence. Overall, The Killer is Still Among Us is not of the Giallo greats and is actually one of the worst that I've seen.

#260 The Killer is Still Among Us (AKA: L'assassino è ancora tra noi) - 1986 (This Film Rates a C ) This Italian horror film tells the story of a serial killer targeting young couples in the midst of intimate moments. The murders follow a ritualistic pattern, with the killer mutilating the female victims' bodies. Criminology student Christina becomes increasingly obsessed with the case, despite her boyfriend Alex's disapproval. As Christina digs deeper, she receives strange phone calls and uncovers a connection to a previous murder from 1974. As the killer's brutality escalates, Christina's suspicions turn to Alex, leaving the audience questioning his true identity. The film's climax is somewhat effective in its twist, living up to its title. While the gore and special effects are limited, they are well-built up to, and the film features some graphic content. This includes nipple cutting, genital and throat slicing plus lots of gun shots. However, the film's dialogue falls flat, making some scenes feel overly long. The setting and cinematography are authentic, but the soundtrack is subpar. The inclusion of nudity adds an element of exploitation. Ultimately, the film's shortcomings outweigh its few redeeming qualities, making it a mediocre giallo slasher.

"L'assassino è ancora tra noi" (The killer is still among us) is a suspenseful but not conventional giallo. It is based on the true story of a killer that terrorized Florence for some decades – the victims were couples in cars, tents etc… that used the nearby Florentine hills for their rendezvous. He was known as "the Monster of Florence".

The main character is Cristiana (Mariangela D'Abbraccio), a student of criminology that is writing a thesis for her degree – she chose the "Monster of Florence" as the subject of her thesis. It seems to her that it will be an easy task – she knows an important criminologist and also the detective inspector in charge of the case, so it isn't difficult for her to investigate on her own. But some people near her try to convince her to change the subject of her thesis and Cristiana herself is not prepared for the nastiness of the crimes. She starts receiving threatening telephone calls. She decides to investigate more – her investigation leads her to the voyeurs (well-organized and informed), they like to meet in the Devil's Tavern… but as she gets to know more, Cristiana becomes afraid and mistrusts even those that are nearer her. Suddenly fear. Will the killer attack her? Who is he or she?

The film is atmospheric and there are good moments of suspense. No one has a clue who the killer might be, uncertainty prevails. "The killer is still among us" is not like the usual blockbusters where the bad is easy to recognize and the good will prevail. It could be defined as a thriller with psychological undertones, and in spite of being inspired by true events, the film is of course fantasy (there's even a bizarre element thrown into the story that left me wondering), and the story follows the honored giallo tradition - lots of red herrings or puzzling evidences (and if you let yourself be led astray by them your mind will boggle), and bits of nastiness and sex.

If you like films in which the story is told in a non-conventional way (far away from the Hollywood blockbusters), then this film is for you. I would also like to recommend a similar-themed film called the "The Monster of Florence" (Il mostro di Firenze) – it was made about the same time – the 80s -, but it's a different film – a giallo about a writer and a puzzle (the monster of Florence), and as he goes on shadows and sun mix themselves and run and run. Where?