Post by professorbleak on Apr 22, 2009 2:09:54 GMT -5
I'm up late/early because I have a bad tooth ache. I'm having a root canal on thursday right before I start my vacation. Fortunately, my dentist prescribed some strong hydrocodone (Loratabs) until then to help me through. Normally I would be out cold, but the pain is just that bad. To try and take my mind off of the pain, I finaly put in my copy of "FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET" and thought I would continue to try and take my mind from the pain by writing a review.
I have always been a huge fan of Argento and his early Giallo's. I am one of those folks that prefers "DEEP RED" over "SUSPIRIA" so I had high hopes for FFOGV. Well, while it has its merits, it did not live up to my hopes.
I'm not going to go deep into the plot, mainly because it makes very little since, but mostly because Argento's films are more about style than substance anyway. I'll just say that the story concerns a musician, Roberto, who is tricked into murdering a man and then is harassed for the deed. Note that I didn't say 'blackmailed'. There are the obligatory twists here and there that make sense only in the world of the Giallo and extended explanation that makes as much sense as getting drunk and playing naked twister alone.
What the film does have is the trade mark camerawork that made early Argento so stylish. There is a very creepy mask that the killer wears early on that reminded me of BIG BOY from Shoney's. There is also a great Gay Detective character that Roberto hires to help him with his situation. When I say gay, I mean he refers to himself as a "Fairy" and is such a stereotype that I can't wait for one of my horror loving friends, who happens to be gay, to watch the film to see if it is offensive to him. I doubt he will be offended because it is such a funny character. He may be one of the most interesting portrayals in all of Argento's body of work.
There is very little blood and a lot more humor than most of Argento's films. In fact, at one point Roberto goes to visit God. God lives in a shanty underneath an over pass and eats raw fish he catches in the polluted creek nearby. God tells Roberto to hire the Professor, a tie and top hat wearing bum, to watch his house for the killer/blackmailer/psycho. If you watch it this will make more a little more sense.
If your familiar with Gialllo's then the reveal will not be that big of a shock. Mainly because they seldom make much logical sense anyway and you will be used to it. The final scene, comes quick and out of nowhere, and if you are a fan like me, will already know what to expect from having read about this "lost" film for s many years. It is an ending that did not live up to the expectations.
Perhaps the best thing about the film is the great score by Ennio Morricone. It is very jazzy and has that great 70's sound that makes me want to hunt down an old copy on vinyl.
If you enjoy Argento's early Giallo's I would recommend you give it a watch just for the sake of some of the great Camera work and the fantastic score by Ennio Morricone. If you could care less about early Argento, then I doubt you will give it a try anyway.
For Argento fans I give it a three out of five.
For everyone else, I give it one and a half.
Now, after downing a couple of beers during the movie and another while hacking this out, I think the painkillers have kicked in.
I have always been a huge fan of Argento and his early Giallo's. I am one of those folks that prefers "DEEP RED" over "SUSPIRIA" so I had high hopes for FFOGV. Well, while it has its merits, it did not live up to my hopes.
I'm not going to go deep into the plot, mainly because it makes very little since, but mostly because Argento's films are more about style than substance anyway. I'll just say that the story concerns a musician, Roberto, who is tricked into murdering a man and then is harassed for the deed. Note that I didn't say 'blackmailed'. There are the obligatory twists here and there that make sense only in the world of the Giallo and extended explanation that makes as much sense as getting drunk and playing naked twister alone.
What the film does have is the trade mark camerawork that made early Argento so stylish. There is a very creepy mask that the killer wears early on that reminded me of BIG BOY from Shoney's. There is also a great Gay Detective character that Roberto hires to help him with his situation. When I say gay, I mean he refers to himself as a "Fairy" and is such a stereotype that I can't wait for one of my horror loving friends, who happens to be gay, to watch the film to see if it is offensive to him. I doubt he will be offended because it is such a funny character. He may be one of the most interesting portrayals in all of Argento's body of work.
There is very little blood and a lot more humor than most of Argento's films. In fact, at one point Roberto goes to visit God. God lives in a shanty underneath an over pass and eats raw fish he catches in the polluted creek nearby. God tells Roberto to hire the Professor, a tie and top hat wearing bum, to watch his house for the killer/blackmailer/psycho. If you watch it this will make more a little more sense.
If your familiar with Gialllo's then the reveal will not be that big of a shock. Mainly because they seldom make much logical sense anyway and you will be used to it. The final scene, comes quick and out of nowhere, and if you are a fan like me, will already know what to expect from having read about this "lost" film for s many years. It is an ending that did not live up to the expectations.
Perhaps the best thing about the film is the great score by Ennio Morricone. It is very jazzy and has that great 70's sound that makes me want to hunt down an old copy on vinyl.
If you enjoy Argento's early Giallo's I would recommend you give it a watch just for the sake of some of the great Camera work and the fantastic score by Ennio Morricone. If you could care less about early Argento, then I doubt you will give it a try anyway.
For Argento fans I give it a three out of five.
For everyone else, I give it one and a half.
Now, after downing a couple of beers during the movie and another while hacking this out, I think the painkillers have kicked in.