The term ‘Giallo’ tends to evoke images of black gloves, much darkness, and a de-emphasis on the plot in favour of lurid colours. A viewer could be forgiven, therefore, for their surprise when coming across a film labeled Giallo that features jaunty music, comedy pratfalls and gymnastics, and an engagement […]
italy
The Working Class Goes to Heaven (1971): Work is Hell (Review)
A new year brings a new Blu-ray distributor in the shape of Radiance Films whose first slate of releases includes The Working Class Goes to Heaven, Elio Petri’s brilliant 1971 polemic on totalitarian capitalism and the post-war Italian ‘Economic Miracle’, released January 2nd. The film reunites Petri with Gian Maria […]
Gothic Fantastico: Four Italian Tales of Terror (1963/66)(Blu-Ray Review)
Identification of a Woman (1982): Antonioni enters the ’80s, as provocative as ever (Review)
If there’s anyone out there who still doubts that Michelangelo Antonioni was a genius, consider this: he made the British overcome their prurience. On its 1966 release, his classic Blow-Up was a substantial hit in the UK among audiences who were not primarily interested in watching the latest film from […]
The Weapon The Hour The Motive (1972) A left turn too many for this rare Giallo (Blu-Ray Review)
Umberto D (1952) I’m Not Crying OK? It’s Just Something In My Eye (Review)
Released to Criterion this week is Umberto D., Vittorio De Sica’s classic film about a pensioner who struggles to make ends meet in an economically-ravaged Italy in the post-war years. A retired civil servant, the ageing Umberto is determined to keep his dignity as he navigates a series of challenges […]