Zandra The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

MARIO GAUCI I first became aware of this Swedish thriller via Tim Lucas' Audio Commentary for Mario Bava's "Giallo" landmark (and, arguably, masterpiece) BLOOD AND BLACK LACE (1964); the latter was said to be somewhat reminiscent of it and, having now watched the earlier effort for myself, I can see where such an argument is coming from – as there are undeniable thematic and stylistic (more on these later) and even aural (meaning, the score) parallels…yet how deliberate imitations they were I cannot tell! Still, considering just how many films directly ripped off the Bava classic – without taking the edge off the prototype, I might add – one can make concessions for its having drawn a certain inspiration from somewhere, too!For the record, here we have a fashion-house setting (with the colour scheme – right from the opening credits sequence – being similarly given its due), blackmail (though the main reason behind the killing spree is actually the usual one of inheritance – thus also numbering males among the victims in this case!) and, while no specific aura is created around the figure of the assassin, the perpetrator does manage a few sensational slayings (in fact, twice are dead models discovered as having replaced a dummy – one is stabbed and arranged in a window display, and another is memorably hung way up in the air on a symbolic gallows). Incidentally, it seems that if Bava had indeed watched this, he would derive elements from it for at least two other movies of his: the presence of a dagger (or a set of them here) is also central to the Italian Maestro's THE WHIP AND THE BODY (1963), whereas that of the wheelchair-bound elderly owner of the establishment – to say nothing of the whole string of murders spun by the coveting of her legacy – looks forward to A BAY OF BLOOD (1971)!Otherwise, the protagonists are an icy blonde undercover model, her debonair investigator husband, his obligatory comic relief sidekick (he not only stutters but is, annoyingly, an automobile nut into the bargain!); the suspects, then, are likewise stock characters: ambitious shop manager, ne'er-do-well 'son', philandering/extravagant relatives, etc. However, there is also a middle-aged lady who repeatedly turns up and somehow comes into possession of the old woman's white cat following her demise – but, for the life of me, I could not fathom what her exact function within the narrative was supposed to be! The film, then, is quite handsome-looking and reasonably enjoyable, if a bit long at 106 minutes (when BLOOD AND BLACK LACE clocked in at a mere 85, which I would say is just about right for this sort of fare!)…while the twist ending was predictable enough (albeit, still effectively rendered). By the way, this was the second of 5 'vehicles' for the central sleuthing couple (and their klutzy assistants!) director Mattsson would helm; I do not own any of the others, but did manage to acquire copies of his ONE SUMMER OF HAPPINESS (1951) and THE DOLL (1962) over the years, though both remain unwatched up to now.

HumanoidOfFlesh After one of the models vanishes from the fashion house La Femme Kate Hillman starts her investigation along with Captain John Hillman.The chain of ghastly murders begins..."Mannequin in Red" is often cited as the main influence on Mario Bava's legendary giallo "Blood and Black Lace".It's a murder mystery that takes place in a fashion house.The film is gorgeously photographed by Hilding Bladh and offers some suspenseful moments.The killings are tame and completely bloodless and there are some irritating scenes that are supposed to be funny,but I wasn't amused.However if you want to see stylish giallo from Sweden check out "Mannequin in Red" before or after watching Bava's masterful "Blood and Black Lace".7 out of 10.

Mattias There are a few things that really impress me in this movie. First of all, this should be seen on a large screen where one can be impressed with the beautiful Eastmancolor. Arne Mattsson is known for using complicated camera movements There are two actresses that stand out. Anita Björk can portray subtle feelings with just a twitch of her mouth. And Lillebil Ibsen does the role of aunt Thyra wonderfully. It is positively impossible to hear a Norwegian accent, although she apparently was one of Norway's biggest stars. The plot itself can be a bit tricky to follow and one has to see the movie more than once to really comprehend all the innuendos and hints from the characters, to understand what role they play and why they act like they do.Of course, the director could have streamlined the movie much more, e.g. by removing the funny sidekick, Freddy, altogether. The movie is a bit too long with its 110 minutes and it could have been paced much quicker.

jangu This is not necessarily a good movie, with a creaky storyline (along with the old lady's wheelchair), some stiff and some overplayed performances and silly "funny" moments. Still, I am very fond of this. It has several suspenseful sequences, a few on-the-spot performances and, above all, a gorgeus photography. It predates all the giallos of the sixties and seventies in its appearance with at least 4-5 years and some chunks could have been lifted from this movie to "Blood and black lace", Mario Bavas tour-de-force in giallo and the start of a whole trend. These films also share its environment, a fashion-salon. The murders are not gruesome by todays standards of course, the atmosphere is right!! Two thumbs up!!