I’m always happy when I discover a movie by Alberto De Martino. He might be called a hired gun or a working horse, doing what the producers told him to do, but he’s still the master in his own right. The three movies he directed in the middle of the seventies; The Antichrist, Blazing Magnum and Holocaust 2000, are all faves, not especially original, but high on style and spectacular sights. De Martino made perfect movies, combing the old school Italian genre cinema with the new, gritty and graphic form of films. A poor mans Mario Bava, but with a more realistic approach. Most people seem to remember his eighties period for Miami Golem, which some say is a crappy film. But considering most of his other movies held a very high quality, I don’t think you can call him a hack just because one movie.
It wouldn’t be fair to tell the story, because many have done the same and spoiled perfectly good movies. I have a soft spot for a few of the more experimental giallos made so far; Santa Sangre, which more or less is an inverted giallo - Do You Like Hitchcock?, which wants us to believe its a traditional giallo while it’s not - Off Balance, which also lends the giallo concept in the beginning - and now Formula for a Murder, which also toys with the traditional set-up of the giallo, but makes it more of the twisty relationship thrillers made in the late sixties to early seventies (for example Oasis of Fear, So Sweet, So Dead, The Sweet Body of Deborah etc), and ends quite disappointing, very normal so to speak, compared to others of the kind.
You’ll find many giallo trademarks here: black gloves, gory deaths, childhood trauma, big villas and impressive music borrowed from some other movie (in this case the works of Francesco De Masi, for example The New York Ripper and Bronx Warriors), but in strict terms, the way us non-Italians sees giallo, it’s not. The kills are surprisingly violent, more violent than gory, but with a lot of blood. They fit the rest of the movie, which is calm and bright - De Martino truly gives them their own style. David Warbeck is his usual charmig self, and is also the highlight of a quite pale cast. Sometime Christina Nagy burst out in emotions, but it feels a bit wrong. Out of place. Like in a cheaper soap opera. Anyway, she’s good anyway.
Formula for a Murder looks great, with gorgeous cinematography by Gianlorenzo Battaglia and a fine reused De Masi score. It’s very unfair a nice piece of thriller/mystery from the time when the giallos were a bit more colorful, boasted cool electronic scores and big shoulder pads. What I mostly wonder is if Shameless, who recently released it on DVD in the UK, spoiled the movie in a big time both in text and pictures on the cover - or if what they printed was common knowledge about the production? Because the movie is built like a mystery and partly revealed like a mystery, so why give it all away? By the way, the poster used above is their alternative cover, without spoilers.
"I’m always happy when I discover a movie by Alberto De Martino."
Don´t think I´ve seen any of his films.....
"You’ll find many giallo trademarks here: black gloves, gory deaths, childhood trauma, big villas"
Everybody loves them.....
"It’s very unfair a nice piece of thriller/mystery from the time when the giallos were a bit more colorful, boasted cool electronic scores and big shoulder pads."
Yeah, just look at the american prodcutions at the same time, very hip and trendy at that time.
"What I mostly wonder is if Shameless, who recently released it on DVD in the UK, spoiled the movie in a big time both in text and pictures on the cover - or if what they printed was common knowledge about the production? Because the movie is built like a mystery and partly revealed like a mystery, so why give it all away?"
Old PR material, and nobody bother to change?
Or was for the US market?
Anyway, good review and thanks.
Posted by: Megatron | March 06, 2014 at 16:19
I just want you to know that this will be my tonights movie!Thank you!
Posted by: Queen's | March 07, 2014 at 18:55
Oups, then I hope you enjoy it :D
Posted by: Fred Anderson | March 07, 2014 at 18:57