Caramelle da uno sconosciuto

The Italian Giallo had lost a lot of its power and appeal in the 1980s. There were less titles, and almost none of them became an actual classic, like several of their counterparts back in the 1970s. And yet, if you're a true fan of the sub-genre - like I am - and take the effort to deep-dive into the obscure catalogue, you'll find there are multiple worthwhile 80s Gialli. "Tenebrae", "A Blade in the Dark", "Stagefright", "The Killer is Still Among Us", "Nothing Underneath", "Midnight Ripper", "Off Balance", "Too Beautiful to Die", "Opera", "Delirium", "The Monster of Florence", ... These are all examples of fine 80s Gialli, and today I would like to add "Sweets from a Strangers" to the list.

This (unjustly) forgotten thriller from writer/director Franco Ferrini (acolyte and frequent collaborator of none other than Dario Argento) has a simple yet very clever and effective plot. There's a serial killer active on the streets of a non-specifically mentioned city, and he/she is exclusively targeting prostitutes. Since the police is not exactly motivated to search for the killer intensely, the wisest and most senior prostitutes call together a "council" and agree to look after each other, defend themselves, and subtly hunt for the killer. This, of course, leads to paranoia and innocent victims, while the real culprit carelessly continues to spread terror.

The idea sounds so obvious, and yet it's quite a breakthrough and turnaround for Giallo-cinema! Prostitutes very frequently appear in these films, but they only serve as defenseless victims that provide the Giallo with nudity and sleaze before they get barbarically slaughtered. Here, they're also still victims, but the protagonists are prostitutes as well; - and even eloquent, intelligent, and forceful ones. The opposite goes for the police. The big hero of the story is often a rough and robust cop, whereas in "Sweets from a Stranger" the only noteworthy police officer only appears halfway into the story, and he's a bozo only interested in dating the elite escort girl.

Of course, what you fear the most in a plot like this is also true. "Sweets from a Stranger" rapidly turns into a melodrama and a social satire, with heart-breaking background stories of women who never received any fair chances or got pushed into prostitution, the daily struggles of elderly & faded street flowers, drugs or alcohol addictions, lack of empathy from the neighborhood, etc. Ferrini luckily also remembers that his effort is primarily a Giallo and ensures that all the trademarks are there. The killer wears black gloves and uses a razor, the actual murders are messy but violent, and the soundtrack is very good. But, most importantly, the finale (the revelation of the killer's identity and motives) is sublime! Honestly, for me, the end-twist is so great that I'm awarding "Sweets from a Stranger" with a 7/10 instead of the 6/10 that I had in mind until a couple of minutes before the ending.

This hidden gem turns the giallo tropes on their head. A black gloved killer is stalking and murdering prostitutes. In response, the prostitutes unionize and stand up for each other. It's a fresh and empowering take on the genre!

The cast is great: Barbara De Rossi, Anna Galiena, Sabrina Ferilli, and Laura Betti all do fine work. The soundtrack is better than average.

The weakest part of the film is actually the slasher part. The stalking scenes were pretty basic. And the actual violence/special effects were lackluster.

At the end of the day, this is a fresh take on a classic genre, but it will not satisfy gorehounds.

A black gloved killer is murdering Italian prostitutes with a razor and a captive bolt gun deathblow.The police in Rome is unable to solve the case,so the prostitutes decide to find the killer themselves.Any stranger could be the killer.Unfortunately Franco Ferrini's "Sweets from a Stranger" pretty much lacks stalk and slash thrills and there are only two razor killings shown.The script focuses more on the lives of prostitutes and there is a little bit of sleaze and nudity.Very nice cameo role of Mario Bava's regular Laura Betti,who plays older independent prostitute and is killed by unknown slasher."Sweets from a Stranger" is quite likable film,but I expected more gore and sleaze.6 razor blades out of 10.

A killer is targeting the prostitutes in an Italian city. Anxiety and anguish among them. To face this threat they unite themselves to elaborate a protection strategy and also to find out who the killer is.

"Caramelle da uno sconosciuto" (Sweets from a Stranger) has a different and interesting story. Usually in the gialli the prostitutes are just very secondary characters – women you see in the night in lonely places (roads, parks etc..) standing by the fire to get warm. Sometimes one of them gets killed, but that's part of their business (!) In "Caramelle da uno sconosciuto" the prostitutes are the protagonists of the film. But those expecting a pure thriller will be surely disappointed. "Caramelle da uno sconosciuto" mixes stylishly-filmed murder scenes with comedy, social commentary, bits of drama and even romanticism. There's a good soundtrack and a beautiful song underlines some scenes of the film. The film is uneven - what links everything together is the humanity and warmth present in the film. The acting and the film's scenes feel spontaneous.

"Caramelle da uno sconosciuto" is a strange film that it's hard to label. It has many giallo elements, but it's also quite funny (and sometimes moving). A song, a video clip, and a message (?). Anyway the film is a real "stravaganza".

Recommended for those looking for something different.

This Giallo by Argento collaborator Franco Ferrini (he co-wrote the screenplay for "Non ho sonno" for example) tells a story typical for the genre: A hooded killer slays prostitutes with a razor. But the film is still quite unique: It puts the prostitutes in the center of the story. The women huddle together and decide to investigate on their own because they don't trust the police. The identity of the killer is quite a surprise and one of the film's highlights.

Problem is that "Caramelle da uno sconosciuto" is overtly talky and sometimes almost becomes rather a social drama than a straightforward thriller with social issues. There are also some humorous moments, which are quite funny, but don't really fit into the film. The soundtrack has its moments, though, and there are a bunch of really stylish scenes in good old Giallo tradition.

To wrap it up, one could say that with a tighter script and more concentration on the thriller plot, this Giallo could have been a sleeper of its genre. But as it is, it's just a mediocre picture. Rating: 5 out of 10.