Neuf invités pour un crime

This has a very good and unusual beginning but unfortunately not only do we not understand the brutal killing we have just witnessed, it is not really explained until some way into the film. Consequently as we are introduced to the nine family members visiting a deserted island we lack an initial interest and as the lovely dresses slip on and off we are further distracted.

This is aggravated by everybody sliding off with everyone else and we find it almost impossible to keep track of just who is who and who they are supposed to be with. Then when the main string of killings takes place we are left lacking any real involvement. Still, it is a very good looking film, the cast are very good, that is the men's acting is of a high standard and the ladies look super. I guess this just about slips into the giallo category but it is very marginal.

NINE GUESTS FOR A CRIME (1977, original title Nove ospiti per un delitto) is essentially the giallo version of Agatha Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. We begin with a mysterious and brutal beach murder before cutting forward 20 years when a yacht load of family members arrive on a beautiful island for some boozing, hunting and lots of extra-marital affairs. Before long, bodies start piling up... This is a film more mystery than giallo and it takes half the running time for things to really get going. However, there are a handful of brutal moments which really work, including a very nasty trap that had me wincing. The characters tend towards the unlikeable but the cast is pretty good, including Hammer's John Richardson (SHE), THE LIVING DEAD AT THE MANCHESTER MORGUE's Arthur Kennedy, LAST CANNIBAL WORLD's Massimo Foschi, and that teleporting priest guy from CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD. Overall, I'd say that this is never the best nor the worst of the genre.

While vacationing on a remote Mediterranean Island a group of nine guests from bourgeois family are stalked and killed one by one by a mysterious killer."Nine Guests for a Crime" is an overlooked 70's Italian giallo with plenty of graphic nudity and some gory killings.The film is obviously inspired by Agatha Christie's stories including "Ten Little Indians".The appearances of zombie-like figures are pretty creepy as is wet-suited and black-gloved killer.The male cast is excellent and recognizable for fans of Eurohorror with Arthur Kennedy playing the patriarch and Massimo Foschi,Venantino Venantini and John Richardson.If you liked "Hatchet for the Honeymoon" or "Antropophagus the Beast" give this one a look.7 out of 10.

'Nine Guests for a Crime' is a fun Giallo murder mystery thriller with an interesting narrative structure that takes full advantage of the whodunit aspect of the story. The movie is briskly paced with some genuinely tense moments. The island location is visually stunning with gorgeous scenery which gives this an eerie atmosphere and sets the tone perfectly for the murderous mayhem.

The plot - A group of family members sail a yacht to a deserted Mediterranean island for a holiday at the island's villa, only to be killed off one by one by a mysterious killer which may or may not be linked to a past murder that happened there many years ago.

The movie is a very standard 70's trashy thriller that boasts a strong cast with plenty of entertaining moments, but what lets this down is the poorly executed death scenes that needed better gore effect & therefore very lacking and while the film is nice to look at, the tense moments are poorly staged, despite a decent set-up with the opening flashback really setting the tone, but the direction largely feels like someone going through the motions instead of doing something that could have really elevated this flick.

Overall 'Nine Guests for a Crime' is entertaining enough Giallo fodder, but doesn't quite rise to the classic levels of the genre and could have done with a bit more energy.

Mixed bag of a giallo

Pros: The acting is well done - especially in the second half as the danger increases and the characters are under pressure.

It's a beautiful island location.

Even though the twist was predictable, it was well done. It's a pretty classic twist if you've seen a number of giallos.

Cons: The first half is very slow and filled with gratuitous melodrama and gratuitous nudity. Many of the cast members look similar and without establishing distinct visual clues to who is who - it's easy to confuse who is who. I wish the script and make-up/wardrobe spent more time making these characters more distinct.

I did not like the soundtrack.