Evil Senses (Gabriele Lavia, 1986)

I consider Gabriele Lavia one of Italy's greatest actors. Surprisingly enough he haven't so many movies, sometimes it takes a two-three years before he's appeared in another flick. I guess - and I'm probably correct (as usual) he's a busy theatre actor and director and hardly have time to grace the screen with his presence. For many he's connected with several classic Italian thrillers - Dario Argento's Deep Red, Ovidio G. Assonitis Beyond the Door, Pupi Avati's Zeder. He also appeared in Argento's Nonhosonno, who I reviewed the other day. Brilliant guy anyway, but what even less people know is that he directed a couple of adult-oriented movies in the eighties, and Evil Senses (aka Sensi), a dark and noirish erotic thriller might be his best.

Lavia plays Manuel Zani, a gloomy hitman who suddenly finds out he's on the hitlist himself. After killing his first assassin, he escapes and hides out at an old friends bordello. That old friend is Micol, played by no other than Mimsy Farmer. Zani meets some old girlfriends at the whorehouse, but is instantly fascinated by Vittoria (Monica Guerritore) - a secretive brunette who lives with her controlling and jealous husband. But Zani falls in love and he convinces her to escape with him, but nothing is what it seems and soon both of them seems to be in grave danger...

Evil Senses is a nifty little thriller, in many ways a precursor to the erotic thrillers of the nineties - with its fair share of twists and turns and lots of nudity. Lavia is haunting in the part of the sad hitman, but never comes of as a whining fuck. He's just accepted that he's deep down in shit and probably never will be able to get out from it. From the hitman on the run to the femme fatale, jealous husbands and a plot to kill everyone that knows to much, Evil Senses captures the American noir more or less perfectly. There's - of course - a lot more nudity and some graphic and bloody violence than in the movies that inspired it from the beginning. 

Lavia makes a fine job telling the story, often very slowly, but never boring. The chemistry is excellent between him, Farmer and Guerritore. Legendary voice actor Lewis E. Ciannelli plays Vittoria's husband and does it with the right amount of bastardness. It's a fine cast, a joy to behold. In some litterature this movie is categorized as a giallo - which I guess isn't wrong. It's an Italian thriller with a sense of mystery, nudity and violence, just don't expect a killer with black gloves stalking young ladies in fancy Italian apartments. 

Almost hypnotic in it's storyline, with gorgeous cinematography by Mario Vulpiani and a catchy very eighties score from maestro Fabio Frizzi, this is a movie you should seek out if you're into Italian genre cinema. I own the UK DVD, which is in full frame and the drill-murder is cut by 19 seconds - the quality on the picture is alright though. I've heard there's an uncut, widescreen DVD in Italy - but I think it's not especially English friendly.

But still a good movie - even without a couple of seconds of drill-kill. 

Comments

[Megatron]

"I consider Gabriele Lavia one of Italy's greatest actors."

"For many he's connected with several classic Italian thrillers - Dario Argento's Deep Red"

Strange....of course, it´s been a few years since I saw that movie.....so I can´t remember this guy, nor have I seen that much by him.

"Evil Senses is a nifty little thriller, in many ways a precursor to the erotic thrillers of the nineties - with its fair share of twists and turns and lots of nudity."

Oh yeah...the good times.....of course, once in a while they still get made.

"Evil Senses captures the American noir more or less perfectly. There's - of course - a lot more nudity and some graphic and bloody violence than in the movies that inspired it from the beginning."

The great part of neo noirs was the fact they took basic elements from noir and just added more nudity, violence etc.

"The chemistry is excellent between him, Farmer"

Mimsy Farmer she has done a lot of great stuff, very talented.

"In some litterature this movie is categorized as a giallo - which I guess isn't wrong. It's an Italian thriller with a sense of mystery, nudity and violence, just don't expect a killer with black gloves stalking young ladies in fancy Italian apartments."

I´m not surprsied by that...some films are hard to define or label.

"this is a movie you should seek out if you're into Italian genre cinema. I own the UK DVD, which is in full frame and the drill-murder is cut by 19 seconds - the quality on the picture is alright though. I've heard there's an uncut, widescreen DVD in Italy - but I think it's not especially English friendly."

I might do that, who knows the uncut version might end up in a english friendly release.

Good review and thanks.