L'assassino è ancora tra noi

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.

Along with "Giallo a Venezia"(1979,Mario Landi)and "The New York Ripper"(1982,Lucio Fulci)this is possibly the nastiest Italian giallo ever made.It is based on the still unsolved series of murders in Florence and that lack of closure makes its over-the-top sexual violence all the more unsettling.A criminology student named Christina Marelli decides to write her thesis about a mysterious serial killer terrorizing couples in lover's lane.As she starts searching around she gets obscene phone calls.Is the killer her boyfriend Alex or maybe someone else?This forgotten Italian giallo is truly shocking.The scenes of sexual violence and mutilations are extremely well-done(brilliant special effects by Roberto Pace)and disturbing.A young couple is murdered in a tent.The boy has his throat cut open,while the girl is shot several times.The killer then slowly slices off her right nipple and cuts apart her vagina in close-up.This sequence is so graphic and sick that I almost threw up during it.The film is also suspenseful and bizarre in some scenes(check out the Devil's Bar moments)."The Killer Is Still Among Us" is certainly not for everybody,but if you like extreme cinema give this one a look.Highly recommended.

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.

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.

#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.