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Paolo Cavara had already directed an earlier giallo by the time he made Plot of Fear. His previous effort - The Black Belly of the Tarantula - was pretty much a textbook example of the genre. By 1976 the sub-genre had ran its course and that may be why Plot of Fear tries to bring in a few different angles into the giallo template. For this reason it's a relatively distinctive effort. For my money it isn't as good as the classic-style Tarantula. It lacks the thrills of that one. Nevertheless, it remains a worthy effort.

Rather than a completely new take on the genre, it might be truer to say that Plot of Fear mixes typical giallo aspects with atypical ones. We have traditional giallo elements like a group of unsympathetic rich people being violently murdered one by one, a secret sex club, dark secrets from the past informing the present and each murder being signatured with a page from a sinister sounding children's story book (in this case a book called 'Shock-Headed Peter). As you could also gather the plot-line is typically convoluted too. Where things deviate from the norm is the inclusion of paranoid thriller material, no doubt influenced by the Watergate fallout that shaped many other films of the time. This is in reference to the whole wire-tapping/tapes thread and the morality of the private investigators whose services can be bought. The film overall does seem to have at least some social and political conscious, which is very far removed from most gialli. Its mystery is also wrapped up in a somewhat unorthodox manner that is significantly different to others in the genre.

The casting is a little unusual too for a giallo. While John Steiner was a regular at playing shady characters in these types of movies, the same cannot be said for the American actors Eli Wallach or Tom Skerrit. The latter has a very minor role indeed, almost irrelevant; you almost wonder why they didn't just hire one of their stock bit player actors for his role. As a film, this is a pretty decent effort. It isn't as formulaic as most in the genre. While it's central mystery is intriguing enough and builds up interest by way use of some interesting flashbacks. One of which shows the rich and decadent clique relaxing while watching a pornographic cartoon. I really would like to know what it is, as it looked like a bit of a riot. Answers on a postcard for that one.

Overall, Plot of Fear isn't among the best in the giallo genre. But it is probably among that grouping of titles that straddle other genres and are somewhat less predictable. Not essential stuff by any means but fans of Italian genre pictures will surely find something to enjoy in it.

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.

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.

this is not a typical giallo as it mixes elements of Agatha Christie type of who- done-it (Sherlock Holmes is referenced by a character), and cop thrillers with the regular giallo ingredients. the plot becomes a tad too convoluted by the end, and the final revelation is somewhat lacking in impact, but otherwise this is a fine little thriller that might even prompt multiple viewings. then there's that cast: Corrine Clery, beautiful as ever (especially sans clothes, though her jeans are eye-catching), and Eli Wallach in a pivotal role that he delves into admirably. the big question is, what the hell was Tom Skerritt doing in there? his part is negligible at best. Fans of animation should check out the brief clips of a pornographic, bondage-themed cartoon shown at a party. speaking of which, does anyone know the title of that cartoon film?

The reviews on this site so overpraise this movie that I wondered if they were posted as a joke. "Plot of Fear" holds the attention, has a good lead performance from Michele Placido, a good supporting turn from Eli Wallach (Tom Skeritt shows up for about two minutes), but the plot is warmed-over Argento and lacks that director's style and pacing (in his best films, that is). If you can actually figure out the ending good for you! This is not a film for gore geeks, as it's relatively bloodless, but it could have used a little more excitement and flair in its very few murder sequences. How one writer can claim that Argento's films are "bland" and then over-praise this picture as if Paolo Cavara was in his league is just ludicrous. This is only borderline giallo and not very good giallo in any case. Some good scenes but it just falls apart.

I've seen a lot of giallos and have got pretty good at unraveling convoluted storylines, but I admit defeat with Plot of Fear, which left me more than a tad confused, primarily about the identity of the killer and their modus operandi. I got the gist of the plot - someone is killing off members of a hedonistic club, revenge for the death of a young prostitute during one of their wild parties - but who that person is and why they leave pages from creepy kids book Struwwelpeter (Italian title: Pierino Porcospino) on the victims is something I couldn't grasp.

However, despite being somewhat baffled by the plot (maybe a rewatch is in order when I am less tired), I still had a reasonably good time with the film, largely thanks to the frequent nudity and a couple of nasty deaths: several attractive ladies strip for the camera, with stunning Corinne Cléry (Hitch-hike) getting nekkid for the film's gratuitous sex scene, while the most brutal murders see a woman burnt alive and a guy hung from a meathook, the point emerging from his throat. Also adding to the fun is an amusing excerpt from a pornographic cartoon shown during one of the club's gatherings. Also look out for a pre-Alien Tom Skerritt as one of the cops investigating the case.

There is nothing new of interesting here. This is a third rate effort all around. From the music to the story to the killer to the "mystery." Some of the actors did the best they could with the material, but it just wasn't enough. Plus, most egregiously, they missed a perfectly good opportunity to have someone be eaten by a tiger. Def dropped the ball on this one.

Few Italian police drama of the 70's reach to the level of intrigue as e tanta paura. A brilliant cast lead by Michele Placido - Cornine Clery also stars. Along with Tom Skerrit and Eli Wallach. Reminiscent of the French Connection. High production value and gritty realistic treatment. A group of wealthy men & women are being murdered one by one. No motives or clues can be found. Inspector Lomenzo (Placido) attempts to find a connection between the victims. A mysterious fashion model (Clery) becomes his informant and leads him to the connection he needs. She had been to a decadent weekend party at an estate where all the victims where gathered along with several other escorts brought for the weekend. The story of that fateful weekend is told through ingenious flashbacks. At this the druged out sex party one of the young girls was "accidently" killed during a gruesome practical joke. It seems that someone at this party is killing the others, but who and why? The film opens with two shocking murder scenes that rival any in an Argento flick. E Tanta Paura really succeeds because it has it all: Sex, Murder, Sleaze, Horror, Intrigue, Mafia and of course Corine Clery Nude. The set design and Production value are also brilliant - Far better than the average italian 70's police drama. The chase scenes & cinematography really remind me of the french connection. Michele Placido carries the film.

'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.

While the usual fashion models are present all of the main characters are men, which is unusual for giallos despite their somewhat misguided stereotype of misogyny. E tanta paura has a creative and twisty plot but it never quite pulled me in or dazzled me. It's a decent little Italian 70s mystery, but not one I'd go out of my way to watch again.

The brightest spot for me was Eli Wallach who just a year later played a similarly cynical "bad cop" in American cult horror The Sentinel. I absolutely had to watch this film in Italian because the English dubbed version is too obviously NOT Wallach's long familiar voice.

Paolo Cavara may not be the most famous horror director of Italy, but he certainly deserves the endless respect of true genre fans for the movies he made in the Mondo Cane-series and …his TWO genuine Gialli masterpieces! "The Black Belly of the Tarantula" is generally considered to be a classic in the genre, but this "Plot of Fear" is rather difficult to obtain and therefore still sadly underrated. This is an almost indescribably stylish Giallo-cocktail, properly blending together all the fundamental ingredients and many more. The plot is extremely convoluted, like it should be, and covers multiple themes including secret sex-networks, diamond smuggling and of course a bizarre series of grisly murders. The witty police Lieutenant slash playboy Lomenzo investigates several murders that are unquestionably connected, as the killer left behind drawings of a famous children's book on the victims' mutilated bodies. With the help of his ravishing new French girlfriend Jeanne, Lomenzo discovers that the murdered people were all members of a wealthy clique that secretly gathered to play kinky sex games. During one of these decadent gatherings, a young prostitute named Rosa accidentally (?) died and it looks as if someone is avenging her by eliminating all members one by one. I admit this brief description sounds like the repetitive premise of any regular textbook thriller, but I also assure you that the actual elaboration of the plot is much more twisted and engaging. Paolo Cavara maintains a constant level of high suspense and always adds new and misleading plot twists at the exact right times. The murders, although not specifically gory or shocking, are diverse and original! And they're definitely unpredictable, as one victims is even shot live on TV during an interview. "Plot of Fear" is also one of the most beautifully made Gialli I've ever encountered. Words can hardly describe how stylish Franco Di Giacomo's cinematography is and Daniele Patucchi's moody soundtrack also contributes a great deal to the overall tense atmosphere of the film. Lieutenant Lomenzo surely is one of the most humorist characters to ever appear in a Giallo film. His remarks against beautiful women and his rather awkward interpretation of police work often results is very comical sequences that help you to digest the confusing subject matter a little easier. There's a fair portion of sleaze and female nudity to enjoy, but it always remains tasteless, with the extended and clearly passionate love-making session between Jeanne and Lomenzo as an absolute highlight. The cast features several prominent and awesomely talented names, which makes it all the more difficult to comprehend why this Italian gem is still so obscure! "Plot of Fear" stars Euro-horror regulars John Steiner and Jacques Herlin and – most of all – features curious supportive roles of no less than Tom Skerritt (looking like a true Italian, but poorly dubbed) and Spaghetti Western legend Eli Wallach. 9 out of 10; I would have loved to reward it with an impeccable score, but the finale is slightly too grotesque to refer to "Plot of Fear" as entirely perfect.

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.

In a Milanese night, a masochistic man, Mattia Grandi, is strangled with the hands of a female prostitute in his house, and a middle-aged woman, Laura Falconieri, is killed with a spanner in the empty bus. In each case, the killer leaves a meaningful illustration of the children's book titled PIERINO-PORCOSPINO. And then the Naples-born Lieutenant Lomenzo, who is in charge of these cases, meets an informative model named Jeanne who tells him that there was an accidental sudden-death of a prostitute named Roza Catena at the meeting of a club named WILDLIFE'S FRIENDS in which the two victims participated... I think the whole story of this film is one of the most unique ones of the Gialli in the 1970s'. Indeed the concludingness of its serial murders seems to be too unique even for the serious Giallo lovers to gladly accept. But it is not unexpected one because most of the murders in this film are a little too large-scale to be conventionally concluded. And it should be add that the cool beautifulness of Corinne Clery, who superbly plays the enigmatic model, is highly appropriate for the very mystery this film has. Unfortunately, as a post-TORSO giallo, this film has something problematic; not only Daniele Patucchi's music but also Giovanni Capelli's special effects are definitely weak and almost minimalistic (except for the only one murder sequence which has unusually energetic music. Strangely enough, although most of the murder sequences of this film are disappointingly light, the same one is exceptionally gory, too.) Incidentally, this film has at least two prints. For instance, in the shorter print (and this not-Italian-but-English-speaking one seems to be so-called International Version), the murder sequence of Laura Falconieri is heavily cut, and therefore one can hardly understand what is precisely going on in the problematic bus. Indeed, in the problematic print, the victim is simply murdered without giving notice, and therefore it is no longer a murder sequence; it is rather a murder scene.

The Giallo style may have been losing some of its popularity by 1976, but that didn't stop Paolo Cavara from delivering this excellent little Giallo! Paolo Cavara is best known for his brilliant 'Black Belly of the Tarantula', and while this film is not as good as the earlier one; Plot of Fear delivers most of the Giallo trademarks (murders, mystery, sleaze etc) with style and it has to be said that Plot of Fear is another success for the director (who sadly only made two films in this genre). The Italian title 'E Tanta Paura' roughly translates into English as 'Too Much Fear', and while that may sound like a bad title; it actually does have some relevance later on. Like many of the best Giallo's, this one begins with a murder. We see a middle aged man killed by a transvestite prostitute, and from there director Paolo Cavara shows he isn't going to be doing too much waiting around as he quickly delivers another murder. The police soon catch on to this, and quickly work out that it's the work of the same killer. Pictures from a fairytale book by a man called Hoffman are found at both scenes; and it all seems to tie to an animal friendly organisation...

The plot portrayed in Plot of Fear is, like many Giallo plots, very convoluted; but director Paolo Cavara does a good job of making sure that it comes off as coherently as possible and despite the many different angles, the film never becomes overly confusing. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that the director manages to keep a high level of suspense up throughout the film, and this ensures that Plot of Fear is always thrilling. It would seem that sleaze was the main intention with this film, and while it's not as raunchy as some other genre films, there's certainly no shortage of sleaze here, which of course is a good thing. The film is well acted by a somewhat experienced cast, which sees Michele Placido taking the lead role and always keeping the audience engaged in his performance. The murders are fairly brutal though most aren't overly gory. Director Paolo Cavara succeeds in giving the film a dark and macabre atmosphere which always benefits the film. The ending is a bit of a mess, but it doesn't spoil what went before it, and overall, Plot of Fear is a very good Giallo that is worthy of more attention!

Paolo Cavara is doubtlessly best known as one of the directors of the Exploitation/Documentary cult-classic "Mondo Cane" (1962). The man doubtlessly also deserves credit, however, for his two fantastic contributions to the Giallo-genre, "La Tarantola Dal Ventre Nero" ("The Black Belly of the Tarantula" (1971) and "...E Tanta Paura" aka. "Too Much Fear" of 1976. "...E Tanta Paura" is an undeservedly little known, but excellent and stunning Giallo that delivers all the elements we love about the genre: A convoluted puzzle, stunning suspense, sadistic murders, sleaze, beautiful women, a wonderful cinematography, a brilliantly mesmerizing score,... even a great cast! "...E Tanta Paura" has a great premise - a murder series based on the stories in the somewhat creepy 19th century German children's book "Der Struwwelpeter" ("Shock-Headed Peter"). As a kid, I was fascinated by the macabre "Shock-Headed Peter" stories, which were originally meant to be educative but seem very morbid today. When I first read about this film, I thought that the stories must make fantastic, creepy Giallo-material; and they definitely do.

Michele Palacido stars as Inspector Gaspare Lomenzo, who must one of the most likable film-detectives ever, and who has to investigate the 'Shock-Headed Peter Murders'. I do not want to give too much of the story away, but fellow Giallo-fans can look forward to a convoluted and compelling puzzle full of genre-typical yet original elements, such as hushed-up past crimes, and decadent orgies of the rich and immoral. Stylish and beautifully filmed, and accompanied by a brilliant and unforgettable score "...E Tanta Paura" is yet another proof that the Italian Giallo is the most elegant and compelling sub-genre that Horror has ever brought forth (along with old-fashioned Gothic tales). The film is full of wonderful 70s sleaze, the murders are sadistic, freakish and extravagant. Leading man Palacido is great in his role, and cult-siren Corinne Clery ("Histoire D'O", "Autostop Rosso Sangue",...) is likable and absolutely ravishing in the female lead. In good Giallo-tradition, the film's female cast includes several beauties, but Miss Clery is the most stunning one. The film's cast includes several Italian genre-cinema greats, such as the always-sinister John Steiner, as well as two international stars: the great Eli Wallach, and Tom Skerrit, who plays a small role. My only regret with this film was that Eli Wallach, who has been one of my favorite actors ever since I saw first him in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" (doubtlessly one of the greatest films of all-time) as a kid.

As it is the case with most great Gialli, this film is so full of red herrings and convoluted details that I do not want to give a long plot description, as I don't wanna spoil any of the fun. I can say, however, that this gem delivers in all aspects, and that true Giallo fans can definitely not afford to miss it.