Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

Giallo in Venice Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 13, 2018

In perhaps one of the weirdest movie openings I’ve ever encountered, 1979’s “Giallo in Venice” commences with a brutal murder (a man getting stabbed in the stomach repeatedly with scissors), a reveal of two dead bodies, and the use of big band music to score the immediate nightmare. It’s the first sign that director Mario Landi isn’t exactly paying close attention to the mood of severe scenes, but there’s a certain loopy charm in the feature’s absurdity, at least until it reaches unimaginable acts of violence that not only sober the picture up, but puts it down a point of no return. “Giallo in Venice” is a lot of things, but tonally balanced is not one of them.

There’s not much of a plot, following Inspector De Pol (Jeff Blynn) as he investigates the murder of Flavia (Leonora Fani) and her boyfriend, Fabio (Gianni Dei). They were killed in a gruesome fashion and in the light of day, forcing De Pol to shake down suspects and potential witnesses to figure out who the killer is, uncovering a secret world of sexual perversion shared between the lovers.

“Giallo in Venice” is notable for its whodunit structure, introducing the wrath of a madman wearing mirrored sunglasses early on. However, his desire to destroy certain residents of Venice isn’t really the point of the feature, finding the screenplay after a bigger idea of guilt to help disrupt predictability. It’s ambitious in a way, but it doesn’t help the material to make much sense, while structure is bizarre, finding the tale stopping at points to detail Flavia and Fabio’s cursed union, filled with violence, aggressive kink play, and destructive psychological games. The sequences also provide Landi with an opportunity to stage semi-hardcore action, which is sandwiched between absolutely repulsive murder scenes, including one prostitute stabbed repeatedly in the vagina with a scissors, while another victim has her leg sawed off as slowly as possible. Yeah, the production isn’t exactly jazzed about female characters in the film, adding a thick coating of hatred to an already grotesque endeavor, which also includes the most revolting image imaginable: De Pol munching down on what becomes a never-ending supply of hard-boiled eggs while he goes about his detective work.

Giallo in Venice Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

In a rare move, the "Giallo in Venice" viewing experience (AVC encoded, 1.67:1 aspect ratio) begins with an apology, with Scorpion Releasing stating that the Blu-ray is built from the best elements available to the company. And there is a lot of wear on tear on display here, with speckling constant, scratches intermittent, and reel changes harsh, resulting in jumpy frames. However, while damage is there, "Giallo in Venice" isn't a pretty picture to begin with, with the roughness fitting for such an icky film, giving it the Grindhosue treatment. Of course, those hunting for an immaculate presentation won't find much to love here, requiring viewers to adjust their expectations and enjoy the raggedness. What's positive here is brightness, with a fresh look at the feature's nastiness, finding detail compelling, picking up on fibrous outfits and gore zone particulars, making it easy to spot fake limbs and iffy make- up. "Extensive color correction" is appealing, bringing out sharp primaries to accentuate period style, Venice locations, and deep red blood. Delineation is comfortable.

Giallo in Venice Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix doesn't allow for much dimension, dealing with pronounced dubbing and technical limitations. Extreme reactions blow out rather quickly, leaving highs harsh on the ears. Intelligibility isn't threatened, with most dialogue exchanges securing performances and exposition. Scoring isn't defined, offering a "wall of sound" approach that thickens orchestral and big band selections, emphasizing shock and volume over precision. Hiss is present throughout the listening event. Popping and crackling are common.

Giallo in Venice Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Fold-Out Poster is included.

• Commentary features film historian Troy Howarth.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included.

Giallo in Venice Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Landi doesn't have the style of his contemporaries, with his direction more of a blunt instrument, treasuring graphic events over cinematic ones. "Giallo in Venice" does lead to a somewhat unpredictable conclusion, which earns some points, but to get there means traveling through a scummy effort that's big on displaying pain and low on filmmaking finesse.