La morte non ha sesso

"A Black Veil for Lisa" is a decent mystery/thriller with a lot of mysterious murders and combining the elements of intrigue with drama , shocking scenes , jealousy , plot twists and a pretty unexpected, unpredictable conclusion . Atmospheric and oddball Giallo with chilling frames , twisted scenes , taking place cruel killing s , and confusion around a really jealous hubby . This is pretty entertaining stuff deals with a commissioner , Inspector Franz Bulon (John Mills) , a tough narcotics detective who's attempting to find out a series of grisly murders , while bring down a major drug syndicate in Hamburgo town . But Bulon results to be also a possessive husband who hires a murderer (Robert Hoffmann) to kill his unfaithful wife Lisa (Luciana Paluzzi) , but the hunter and the hunted soon begin an affair . However, every time Bulon gets close to a potential informant , the said person has a nasty knack of turning up dead . Bulon's superiors are concerned that his mind doesn't seem to be on the job due to he is being thwarted at every turn . And to a high degree they're alright , that's why Bulon is so preoccupied with keeping tabs on his spouse that he isn't keeping on top of the rest of his work . He also believes that she is having an affair , and is plagued by thoughts of her with other men . He also suspects his spouse Lisa of sabotaging a big narcotics case he's working on . White veils for angels...

An attractive Giallo that focuses on police procedure with usual investigation over the usual murder-mystery antics as well as the dramatic events about a jealous husband . A mystery/thriller in which the starring leading to the edge of sanity and extreme violence , resulting in unpredictable consequences , including spine-tingling intrigue , thrilling events with plenty of shocks , deliciously twisted happenings and brief touches of erotism with brief nudism . Suspenseful and interesting screenplay with mysterious events written by Giuseppe Belli , Vittoriano Petrilli and Massimo Dallamano himself . Although there are various incidents that defy belief , filmmaker Dallamano does a competent work of keeping pace and tension cranked up . Makes for some pretty intriguing and suspenseful moments that somewhat make up for the weak climax . Good film with Giallli overtones and surprising intrigue being well proceeded here and there , along with an unbearably tense in charge of the three adequate protagonists giving top-notch interpretations . Stars the veteran John Mills who gives a terrific acting as the obsessed , abussive usband , the handsome Robert Hoffmann as a tough hit-man , he also starred another good Giallo : Naked Girl Murdered in the Park (1972) and the extremely gorgeous Luzziana Paluzzi of Thunderball. Being an Italy/West Germany co-production shows up secondary actors from both countries , such as Renata Kashe , Carlo Hintermann , Tullio Altamura , Enzo Fiermonte , Jimmy il Fenomeno , among others .

It contains an atmospheric and evocative musical score in the Sixties style from Giovanni Fusco , Richard Markowitz , Gianfranco Reverberi , adding the catching song Melodie de Lisa Words and music by Alan Gordon and Gary Bonner . Here stands out the colorful and brilliant cinematography by Angelo Lotti with a well remastered copy .The motion picture was competently written and directed by Massimo Dallamano or ¨Max Dillman¨ who previously photographed ¨Fistful of dollars¨and ¨For a fistful dollars more. Dallamano managed to make a fluid , witty and agreeable Giallo . He also proved his experience in thriller and other Giallo movies , such as : "What Have You Done to Solange?" , "The Cursed Medallion" ,¨Portrait of Dorian Gray ¨ ,"Colt 38 Special Squad" , "Mafia Junction" , "What Have They Done to Your Daughters?" or "The Coed Murders" , among others . Rating 6.5/10. Well worth watching . The flick will appeal to Gialli fans.

German-Italian Giallo with Luciana Paluzzi and Robert Hoffmann

Inspector Franz Bülow (John Mills, 1908-2005, who was often cast as the husband of much younger women in those years) investigates a mysterious series of murders in his native Hamburg, in which a killer with black gloves is up to mischief. He is played by Robert Hoffmann, who was born in Salzburg in 1939 and got his start in the Roman film industry after the West German shocker "Again the Ringer".

But back to the plot of the film: In his private life, the aging inspector is a real lucky guy. He has recently been married to the beautiful Lisa (Luciana Paluzzi / who was born in Rome in 1937 and remains the most beautiful Bond villain since "Thunderball"), who is also a lot younger than her husband. He is driven by jealousy and mistrust. He constantly controls his wife - out of fear that she might cheat on him. Paranoia taken to the extreme leads to an unforeseen discharge...

Death knows no gender, according to the original Italian title, is a masterful game of confusion by Massimo Dallamano, which was released in cinemas by Titanus. Beautiful images of Hamburg in the late 1960s are contrasted with black gloves and yellow tulips.

The effects of hashish consumption are also translated into images and blur the boundaries between delusion and reality.

Elements of the crime film, the giallo and the relationship drama are mixed together. Great filmmaking and excellent actors make this film an enigmatic pleasure.

Builds up to a predictable finale.

First, this film lacks important giallo qualities. Most importantly, there is no mystery about who the killer is. It's a relatively bloodless film with little cat-and-mouse/stalking shenanigans to speak of.

On the plus side, there are some good characters here. They are well-written and well-acted. However, after the build up of suspense around tulips and around the police report in the envelope, there is no payoff. Things play out to their natural conclusion. There are no surprises to be had here.

Not the wildest of gialli, if indeed, it really does qualify as one, but a most competent and engaging mystery. John Mills is surprisingly good as the ageing husband to the flirty Bond girl, Luciana Paluzzi and although the bad boy seems far too glamorous for the role, Robert Hoffman does well. Decent script, which always helps and what starts simply enough becomes far more involved as we progress. Indeed we quickly learn who the killer is but not why or just how many are involved. That Mills plays as an Englishman gives this a certain slant that helps make the film different from others of the time and though the music is somewhat flat, seems fitting enough for the drab location. I don't know where this was shot but it doesn't look like Italy so is perhaps Germany or even Austria. No stunning set pieces and the flashes of nudity seem added and likely to not be Paluzzi.

So few Euro directors have done more to exile themselves from the arthouse pantheon than Massimo Dallamano. His work is slick, trashy and stylish in the manner of a fashion supplement in one of the cheaper Sunday newspapers. Yet at least three of his films are compelling studies in morbid sexuality and erotic obsession. A Black Veil for Lisa is nowhere near as famous as Venus in Furs or Dorian Gray, but it's still an intriguing brew. Imagine a giallo version of Proust's La Prisonniere with sex, drugs and serial killings thrown into the mix.

Like the other two films, it has a protagonist whose physical beauty and sexual magnetism leave her immune to the qualms of everyday good behaviour. Lisa is played by Luciana Paluzzi - a voluptuous, flame-haired tigress who's best remembered as the bad girl in Thunderball. Like almost every Bond girl since Ursula Andress, she somehow failed to become a great star. Bitterly unjust, as Paluzzi in this film is a femme fatale to rival Rita Hayworth in Gilda. We can well understand the anxieties of her drab and dreary husband (John Mills) who obsessively polices her every move.

The mystery, of course, is why Lisa married this old dolt in the first place. Suspecting his wife of sleeping around, Mills commits a grave breach of professional ethics (he's a police inspector, no less) and blackmails a hunky hitman (Robert Hoffmann) to kill her. Naturally, Lisa and said hitman fall in love...and there are plenty more twists where that came from. A Black Veil for Lisa could never be mistaken for Art. Still, it's a potent reminder that Trash is often more fun!