Micitype Pretty Good

Glucedee It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Beulah Bram A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

GL84 While traveling to Greece on a train, the murder of a passenger in their compartment forces the group into the police's investigation of the incident, and when they zero in on a photographer he and his girlfriend race to clear his name and unmask the real killer continuing his spree.This was a serviceable enough giallo effort. What this one manages to do rather nicely is utilize an intriguing old-school feel for the main investigation which is carried out here. The opening onboard the train with the lights going out to allow the killer to strike in the darkness gives this a completely old-school feel, and with the majority of the film playing out with the investigating inspector going around trying to piece together the clues to the crime gives this a stellar murder-mystery setup that plays like traditional gialli did earlier in the genre's history. That provides the film ample opportunity for some stellar stalking scenes that get played out here, from the killer striking in an abandoned building while expecting someone else attempting to blackmail them, a stylish sequence of a victim encountering the killer in a darkened apartment where an open window creates a drafty environment replete with billowing curtains or a shocking follow-up where a victim is picked off in a bathroom that plays much like so many other scenes here. With the final taking place in the drawing-room style mysteries of gathering everybody together and exposing the killer through trickery, it has even more old-school flair that has some enjoyment here. As well, the only other piece of enjoyment to be had is the frequent nudity which is nicely supplied throughout here. Still, even with these fine points, there are some issues with the film. The main point holding it back is the rather dull and languid pace that really doesn't do this one much favor by being duller than reasonably necessary. This isn't an interesting group of characters who we're following around waiting for the next strike to occur and it just leaves this one feeling draining as this one goes around with either him in drag trying to clear his name or the airheaded girlfriend getting distracted with everything around her as they put a plan into motion to clear his name. That they're never believable as a couple with the way he seems exasperated with any of her comments regarding how they're supposed to go about matters doesn't do this section much help, and when it goes beyond them to the other passengers this one just feels endless with characters either getting a divorce or going through bland scenes in a nightclub. That relegates the killer to a few places and not being an important aspect makes it hard to remember the type of genre-piece this really is and really disappoints this one especially once it delves into the final half where very little of interest happens until the reveal. The comedy could also be problematic for some who aren't that interested in the affair since it's way too hit-or-miss to be effective, and overall lower this one significantly.Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Full Nudity, Language and sex scenes.

bensonmum2 As a train passes through a tunnel, a woman is murdered in a seating compartment. There are five other passengers in the compartment, so the police have several suspects. The police seem to be focusing on one man – a photographer named Luciano Morelli (Leonard Mann). It was his letter opener / bookmark used in the murder. To clear his name, he decides to try to unmask the killer. Also, the murderer dropped a pair of gloves on the train and one of the passengers decides to blackmail the killer. Not a wise move. As the gloves change hands, the body count goes up. Let's take Death Steps in the Dark and compare it with a standard giallo checklist: a black gloved killer – yes, straight razor – yes, nudity – yes, copious amounts of blood – yes, violent deaths – yes, someone other than the police doing most of the investigation – yes, close-ups of eyeballs – yes (what's up with all the eyeballs in these films), J&B – yes, European locations – yes, comedy – huh? Death Steps in the Dark is the only purposefully comedic giallo that I can remember seeing. From what I've read around the internet, I know the comedy elements put some people off. Initially, I thought I'd dislike it too, but, it started to grow on me. The scenes with the ditsy model, Ingrid, or the safe-cracking in the finale were very funny. For me, the contrast between the comedy and the brutal murders really made the movie that much more effective. I'm not saying that I want comedy in all my gialli, but it did make for an interesting change of pace. Other than the strange, but interesting, inclusion of comedy, the rest is what you'd expect from an above average giallo. The acting is good. Both Mann and American actor Robert Webber give solid performances. The film has a nice flow to it thanks in large part to director Maurizio Pradeaux. For me, Death Steps in the Dark is a much better, more enjoyable film than Pradeaux's better known Death Carries a Cane. The cinematography is quite nice, with everything from vibrant colors and to well shot night scenes. The deaths are as brutal as any you'll see in a giallo. The blood has that unrealistic bright red tone to it that I always associate with these films. Finally, the locations are gorgeous. Here, we're treated to Greece instead of the usual Italy. My biggest complaint is with the ending. Like a lot of gialli, it's rushed and doesn't really feel well thought out. If you're paying attention, it's not hard to spot the real killer among the five suspects. Hint: Focus on the one you learn the least about.

morrison-dylan-fan Taking a look at a mountain of gialli DVDs,I spotted a title which appeared to take the unusually step for the genre of setting the movie in Greece instead of the "traditional" Italy surroundings ,which led to me getting ready to step into the dark.The plot:Getting set to step off the Istanbul to Athens train,a passenger's pearl necklace breaks.Using a pen-knife as a bookmark, (what a typical bookmark!) journalist Luciano Morelli puts the bookmark aside,and starts helping his fellow passengers to gather up the pearls.Suddenly,the train enters a dark tunnel which covers the carriage in darkness.To their horror,the passengers find out that a mysterious stranger used the darkness to kill the women with Morelli's pen-knife.Seeing his face splashed across the papers as the lead suspect,Morelli decides that he must track down the murderer.As Morelli tries to clear his name, 2 fellow passengers keep a tight grip on a black glove that they found near the body,as they set their sights on blackmailing the killer.View on the film:Kicking off with a lava lamp title sequence backed by a tense jazzy score from Riz Ortolani,co-writer/(along with Arpad DeRiso)director Maurizio Pradeaux & cinematographer Aldo Ricci hit the movie with some groovy groves,as some surprisingly graphic sex scenes are overturned in favour for the killer to get revealed in a weird acid nightmare.Along with the Acid Jazz dashes,Pradeaux Pradeaux gives the outdoor on-location filming in Greece a rustic Film Noir appearance,which is given a rough edge by Pradeaux splashing the Giallo with vibrant blues & reds which gives the film a lively atmosphere that is lit up by each of Pradeaux's elegantly stylised set-piece killings.Starting in an Agatha Christie-style train,the screenplay by Pradeaux & Arpad DeRiso brilliantly use Comedy to give the title a delightfully off-beat, playful edge,as Morelli (played by a very good Leonard Mann,who shows Morelli really out of his comfort zone) and his friends trip up every time they get close to locating the killer.Along with the comedic notes,the writers also give the film an excellent dark, cynical twist,as 2 of the passengers decide to use their knowledge of the murderers identity to their financial advantage,as Morelli steps into the dark.

rundbauchdodo Maurizio Pradeauxs second Giallo has not only got a similar title (the first one is "Passi di Danza su una Lama di Rasoio"), but it also recycles many elements of his first one. As in his other genre outing, the killer murders his/her victims with a razor. The killings are quite nasty, but the special effects are unable to convince completely. The most interesting aspect of this film is its setting: The story takes place in the Greek capital Athens.Sadly, Pradeaux makes a big mistake: While his first Giallo focuses on suspense, this one boosts stupid gags and one-liners to "relax" tension and suspense. Even worse, the gags are often shamelessly sexist, leading to the impression that all female characters are at least slightly dumb. And it's mainly this fact that makes the whole movie a letdown.So, if one has to watch one of Pradeauxs two Gialli, "Passi di Danza su una Lama di Rasoio" is a better choice than "Passi di Morte Perduti nel Buio".