Bumpy Chip
It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
Mathilde the Guild
Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.
Staci Frederick
Blistering performances.
gridoon2018
Dario Argento's homage to Alfred Hitchcock, and more specifically to "Rear Window", "Strangers On A Train" and "Dial M For Murder", is a minor entry in his filmography, but quite watchable all the same. Argento still has some of his directorial flair, and he hasn't lost his eye for high-grade female beauty either, though the violence is more restrained than usual for him (probably because the film was made for TV). The script he co-wrote has a couple of twists, as well as film-buff references, though the opening sequence doesn't seem to have anything to do with the rest of the picture, and the English dialogue creates an awkward contrast with the Italian surroundings and written words. All in all, this film is somewhat better than its reputation. Good score by the veteran Pino Donaggio. **1/2 out of 4.
OJT
A boy cycling in the woods discovered a couple of women acting strange, and starts spying on them, until he is discovered. That's the start of this film by cult film director Dario Argento. A clear and present homage to the great director Alfred Hitchcock in absolutely all that is done on screen, and more so, even to the art of film.After the start we get to know a real film buff, working in a room full of movie posters. Is it the young boy at an older age? Yes, it is. He's Giulio, and a real Peeping Tom. Now he gets a chance to spy on a neighboring women undressing, just like the photographer in Hitchcocks "Rear window". I'm already sold... But the references go on. "Strangers on a train", "Psycho", "Dial M for murder", "Blackmail", "Family plot", "Vertigo"...The film refers to so many classics that it's a gem in itself, and the plot is well made up in this story as well. Filmed in the typical Argento style, with the occasional mystical lingering on nature, city scapes and artful Gothic sculptures, this manages to make the right tension. Add music highly inspired by Hichcock and 80'ies thrillers like "Dressed to kill" (DePalma) and all the other ingredients, even down to finger movements, and you're in for a treat. It's not splattery, except from in one scene. OK, but has so much going for it, that it's impossible to dislike, if you got the references on.This Italian/Spanish production is English spoken, dubbed probably due to to bad English, though filmed with Italian actors in Turin, Italy. Maybe some might feel it a bit forced and artificial due to this, and the perfect English voice-over which make our hero more recipient than actually possible. Never mind, it does only add to the fascination.The only disappointment here is that Argento doesn't have a cameo in this film, like sold Hitch did in his!
RainDogJr
"This young Italian guy is starting to worry me".Dario Argento gained the attention of one of the biggest influences, maybe the biggest, in his career: Alfred Hitchcock. In his homage to the master of suspense, he practically returns to the basic murder-mystery story that itself have always the influence of Hitchcock. The main character of the story is Giulio (Elio Germano), a film student who lives alone in an apartment and spends his time with his girlfriend (Cristina Brondo), watching films, especially of the German Expressionist (Caligari, Nosferatu, Golem, etc), and making studies about them. As a film lover I always like a lot when in a film there are references to Cinema itself and in this case we all must find familiar those images in the DVD store looking out fore some new and interesting titles. The fact that the main character is making his thesis about the German Expressionist is perfect to put some images of "Nosferatu" and "The Golem" and also I like a lot how film posters looks on the screen, some of them in the film are the ones of "Vertigo", "Metropolis" and "Nosferatu", and are only details but I really like them. Returning to the story, we have that Giulio has been always an observer so now in his apartment he begins to spy his sexy neighbor Sasha (Elisabetta Rocchetti) and he see the bad relation between Sasha and her mother (Milvia Marigliano). The giallo begins when Sasha's mother is mysteriously murdered inside her own apartment. Giulio's fear and paranoia makes that he begins to build his own theory about the murdered having the Hitchcock film "Strangers on a Train" in mind (Sasha previously rented the DVD of that film and also talked about it with Federica) believing that Federica was the murderer of Sasha's mother so now he believes that Sasha is going to kill somebody related with Federica, of course like in the Hitchcock movie.The film runtime is only 90 minutes and definitely is a really good and fast-paced murder mystery film without a lot tension and gore scenes but is amazingly entertaining and really well acted. Being a Hitchcock homage of course there are many references to him part of having the common environment of a suspense film. The most notorious are the ones to "Rear Window", "Marnie", "Psycho" and of course to "Strangers on a Train".Cast: as I write the film is pretty well acted. Germano is really good for the main role, looking always insecure and sometimes unable to solve the mystery. The support cast is also good, with the sexy Elisabetta Rocchetti, and for me the character of Giulio's girlfriend is a little weak.Conclusion: A basic murder story but I really enjoyed this Argento film that was made for TV. For me is not one of the finest films of Dario but still is recommendable and really good. Just be careful with the things you see.Region 4 DVD: I realize about the existence of this film through this site and after reading what was about, I had lots of desires to watch it. It was just a complete surprise to find the Region 4 DVD of this film since I never imagine a release. The DVD is just good with the English language only and the TV spot as the unique extra.
chaosrampant
I wonder what goes on in Argento's head sometimes. I'm a huge fan of his work, even his 90's stuff that is usually, and unfairly IMO, dismissed as sub par, but this one just pales in comparison. Not only is it the worst film in Argento's fodder by far, it's a BAD movie on all counts.Now the usual flaws levelled at his work are bad acting and poor scripts, but this one just takes the cake. Ridiculous English accents from people that are obviously supposed to be Italian, and even the establishing shots make it obvious the movie is set in Italy (Turin actually). I could accept it if it was merely the English dubbed version, but from the lips movements, it was pretty clear the actors were speaking English. Awkward dialogues. Poor script, that can't for the life of it masquerade its ineptness through Hitchcock homages to Rear Window or Strangers on a Train. The "twist" and resolution make little sense. There's close to no gore, which on one hand is understandable as this is a TV movie produced for RAI Uno. But on the other hand, there's no suspense, and as this movie was constructed as a homage to the master of suspense, ultimately it fails. Actually, there's one scene that tries hard to be suspenseful (when Guillio tries to get away on a scooter from somebody chasing him), but it's handled woefully bad. The character is supposedly in real danger, but we never feel it, and the scene drags for too long. The comedic bits are far from funny. So what's left? Now, like any Argento fan would do, I would be ready to forget and forgive all these, if his usual flair for visual perfection was on display. But we get none of it. No intriguing camera work, no cameras peering from impossible angles, no rich set pieces, no perverse black-gloved killer, no inventive killings, nothing. Kind of like Jennifer, it's just so pedestrian, it breaks my heart. Pino Donaggio's music was nice and that was about it. I can't believe such a formulaic, uneventful thriller came out from the same guy that gave us Profondo Rosso.For Argento completists only.
