Sei donne per l'assassino (Blood and Black Lace) (Six Women for the Murderer) poster & wallpaper
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Cameron Mitchell, Eva Bartok, Thomas Reiner, Arianna Gorini, Mary Arden ... see more see more... , Franco Ressel , Claude Dantes , Lea Krugher , Massimo Righi , Giuliano Raffaelli , Harriet Medin , Luciano Pigozzi , Enzo Cerusico , Dante DiPaolo , Heidi Stroh , Francesca Ungaro , Hariette White Medin , Mara Carmosino , Nadia Anty , Ariana Gorini , Lea Lander

Director Mario Bava's second thriller revolves around a fashion salon owned by wealthy Cristina (Eva Bartok) and her greedy lover Max (Cameron Mitchell). The salon is a front for cocaine-trafficking a... read more read more...nd blackmail, so when model Isabella (Lea Kruger) is viciously strangled, leaving a detailed diary behind, many of the people connected with the salon become very nervous. Isabella's roommate Nicole (Arianna Gorini) finds the diary and soon has her throat clawed out with a piece of medieval armor. Peggy (Mary Arden), who borrowed abortion money from Isabella, is tortured and has her face pressed into a red-hot iron. The bodies continue to pile up until a conspiracy is exposed and the perpetrators start getting their just desserts. Luciano Pigozzi, Massimo Righi, and Claude Dantes are among the cast. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

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76% liked it

3,606 ratings

Critics

80% liked it

10 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Mario Bava

Release Date: February 1, 1960

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DVD Release Date: November 8, 2005

Stats: 184 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (184)

  • matertenebraum
    April 14, 2011
    matertenebraum
    Visually, this may be one of the most stunning films you will ever see. The photography, framing, lighting and use of colour is unequalled in this genre of film making from this era. The fluidity of the camera-work is remarkable and repays repeated viewings to appreciate it fully... read more. The only thing that may make this difficult going for some is the English dubbing so see it with subtitles if you can. The acting is not great and in some places will bring about laughter where it was not intended ditto the actions of some of the victims. The murders are gruesome and graphic even in the cut version of this film and must have been truly shocking to audiences in 1964. The excellent music score fits perfectly with the fashion house setting of the story and the models are beautiful.
  • cancercapricorn2002
    August 20, 2010
    cancercapricorn2002
    Blood and Black Lace is a well-executed giallo, which literally translates to the word "yellow" in Italian. This color reference is a result of cheaply-made murder mysteries published in the 1920's that contained yellow covers. The common usage of the word giallo in terms of horr... read moreor mostly involves a sadistic string of murders with an interesting final act that explains the motives behind them. In this particular film, Bava manages to deliver stylish camera work and a stunning layout. Imagine a cross between Roger Corman's set design during his Poe adaptation lineup, and pair it up with a composition that bares a striking resemblance to Dario Argento's artistry. Bava actually served as a huge inspiration for Argento which makes sense considering. Argento is responsible for 1982's Tenebre, another favorite giallo of mine.

    The plot of this film concerns a deranged madman who is killing off young fashion models. In typical giallo fashion, red herrings or false leads are thrown at you to build an exciting climax. I mentioned a likeness to Argento and that's precisely why Bava served as a point of influence - there are several scenes that act like mood triggers; exploring the palette in terms of lighting to generate a certain atmosphere. And while Bava wasn't partial to just one color, the selection he chose from coordinated seamlessly with the environment. I really appreciate this artistic approach and the cultural differences in film making. I enjoy a good art house flick from time to time but Bava manages the feature's run-time wisely by expressing himself and maintaining relevance simultaneously.

    Fans who are familiar with Italian giallos come to expect that many of them are dubbed in English...especially from this era. Luckily, I had the privilege of watching the uncut version of Blood and Black Lace in Italian with English subtitles on a old videotape years ago; upholding cinematic integrity flawlessly. If you love an entertaining giallo, or maybe you're curious about the sub-genre, Bava's classic is undoubtedly high on the list - just make sure you grab the version in Italian if you can find it.
  • thefog1331
    May 9, 2010
    thefog1331
    Artsy drivel that doesn't quite work as a Giallo or a slasher. Other than some creative eye candy (and where Dario Argento got his inspiration from) this is a bore pure and simple.
  • ythelastman89
    November 20, 2009
    ythelastman89
    A great slasher for its time. It feels like the quality of an old Hitchcock film, only with more gore. The faceless killer was extremely interesting and reminded me of an evil Question (DC Comics). The death scenes were really well orchestrated and revolutionary for their time an... read mored the story was extremely captivating.
  • adammahler1
    August 13, 2008
    adammahler1
    colored lighting is incredible and camera moves beautiful, every character is sketchy
  • kenstachnik
    June 29, 2008
    kenstachnik
    One of the most incredibly shot films of all time.

    Bava uses color to accent the beauty of the victims and the plainness of the murderer.

    However this is not one of Bava's most enjoyable fims to watch from a story sense, but then again story has never been the Italian films st... read morerongest point.
  • harrycaul
    October 25, 2007
    harrycaul
    I came to "Blood & Black Lace" fully expecting it to be Bava's best giallo but I found it surprisingly disappointing. It's certainly stylish and has some great grisly set-pieces, but it's pretty po-faced and much less fun than "The Girl Who Knew Too Much". Whereas the earlier fil... read morem had an appealing and plucky heroine, the cast here is completely charmless and we aren't really given a protagonist, male or female, to identify with.
  • drblood
    August 19, 2007
    drblood
    More overrated Bava artiness with no plot worth mentioning and very bad actors.
    Some of the killings are quite good though but this is really all just about lensing some nice looking scenes with pretty women in them.
  • mjgildea
    April 27, 2007
    mjgildea
    A really great slasher flick that doesn't get too ridiculous. You can't expect too much storywise, but still not bad. It's all glamour and classic beauty (especially Eva Bartok) but the real star is the movie itself, courtesy of Bava, who does a fantastic job lighting the whole t... read morehing up and creating frighteningly beautiful imagery. The red mannequin was haunting.
  • ryguy4738
    July 14, 2011
    ryguy4738
    9.0/10

    From the moment "Blood and Black Lace" begun, I knew I was watching a special kind of Giallo horror movie, which is particularly good, because I love a good Giallo once in a while. But great Giallo horror movies are not common; so that's why this movie, among ... read moreothers, is so oddly exquisite. I liked its approach to its thematic material; and it was actually scary. So it's a true entry to its genre, complete with rich atmosphere and a very nice story as well. Horror movies used to be so driven by narrative. What happened to them? Perhaps they died a little bit after "Blood and Black Lace"; which came out in the days of "Pyscho" and "Bloody Sunday". Funny I mention the second film, because it was also directed by Mario Bava.

    Now, in my review for "Bloody Sunday", I claimed that it was essentially the best film that Bava ever made. I retract those words. While I liked "Bloody Sunday" a lot and found it an atmospheric work of art, this is a film that is so much better; in so many ways. I don't know why; but "Blood and Black Lace" just strikes me as something genuinely awesome, maybe because it kind of is.

    The story is pretty simple, and sticks to being fairly basic throughout. So let's get down to it; and have fun with it. The film involves the murder of a fashion model, which leads to a thorough investigation of the crime. The victim apparently had a diary which contained information that the killer might want to get rid of, although other models get involved and begin to get killed off one-by-one by the psychopath, perhaps because the killer believes they might know something, and he/she can't have that.

    Yeah, this film is essentially the story of a body-count. But at least it's a classic body-count. Before mindless bull-shit like "Friday the 13th" plagued screens in the 80's, we had fine pieces of work like this. While there are many brutal, sadistic killings; what I like most about "Blood and Black Lace" is that it doesn't exploit itself too much, leaving room for tension and atmosphere. The film pays a lot of attention to colors and cinematography for its creepy, coming-up-behind-you feeling. I liked the rush that it gave me, and it felt alive.

    But it is also well-acted, and superbly directed by Bava, who might as well be one of the major stars of the film himself. He put this thing together; he is responsible for its success. He also co-wrote the script, and it's a pretty good one. I mean, there are no doubt BETTER scripts; but who gives a damn? "Blood and Black Lace" is a masterpiece of the Italian Giallo horror-thriller; a mad, erotic work of high cinematic art. It stands as more than a classic; but also just a damn great movie in general.

    In films where serial killers brutally kill off women, the act is almost always interpreted as the work of a misogynistic filmmaker, but not this time. There's enough flare and substance to "Blood and Black Lace" to allow it to NOT be tame, but still NOT exploitative. It's not misogynistic, which is good. And it's not a pain in the ass to watch either. It is violent, but also smart and highly entertaining as long as you can look past the content and move on to the substance. Can everyone do this? I don't think so. But if you can, then you've earned my respect.

    I guess this film was not made for everyone, but I believe that anyone who calls themselves a horror fan should give it a go. Some horror fans might even dislike it; who knows. All I know is that I found it rather fascinating, in a gory, Giallo sort of way. It is like a wondrous orgy of corpses; a celebration of the mad and macabre realms of horror, when they still truly existed. Nowadays, horror has been reduced to something less than it was probably ever intended to be. There are horror films out right now, new ones, which are even more violent than "Blood and Black Lace"; yet this is still the better film. And if you've been reading this review all along, then you should know why that is.

View All Sei donne per l'assassino (Blood and Black Lace) (Six Women for the Murderer) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jeffrey M. Anderson
October 21, 2010
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

It's one of Bava's most accomplished works, executed with a dazzling, unprecedented use of bright colors and deep shadows (sometimes both at once). Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
March 9, 2010
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

This B-film has a wooden script, leaden acting and uninteresting characters, but manages to show flashes of competence through the colorful direction of Bava. Full Review

Walter Chaw
December 19, 2008
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

Part painting, part tango, the picture is meticulous depravity and rapture, from its Mod-fab tableaux vivant opening credits through to its escalating abomination. Full Review

Sean Axmaker
December 14, 2005
Sean Axmaker, St@tic Multimedia

The plot becomes secondary to spectacle of the dreamy dance of death, choreographed with sadistic precision, delivered in lurid color, spied upon with a restlessly gliding camera. Full Review

Fernando F. Croce
November 20, 2005
Fernando F. Croce, Slant Magazine

The dummies here reflect a society's ruthless commoditization of the body and flesh. Full Review

Scott Weinberg
May 13, 2001
Scott Weinberg, Apollo Guide

Eerie, atmospheric ancestor to the slasher flick. Full Review

Bryant Frazer
March 29, 2001
Bryant Frazer, Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus

Few films are anywhere near as lovely as the bloody and brutal 'Blood and Black Lace.' Full Review

James Kendrick
March 22, 2001
James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk

a complex murder mystery raised to a higher level through artistry and innovation

A.H. Weiler
May 10, 2005
A.H. Weiler, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
November 5, 2004
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

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