Director: Luigi Cozzi
Year: 1975
Country: Italy/France/Spain
Alternate Titles: L'assassino è costretto ad uccidere ancora; The Dark Is Death's Friend
Genre: Giallo
Plot:
Tired of his controlling wife, a rich womanizer convinces a hitman to kill her off and dispose of the body, but when the car containing her body is stolen by a couple joyriding around the country, the killer must track them down before he’s caught while he tries to play off the incident.
Review:
This is quite a different giallo than most would expect. Among the better elements here is the fact that so much of the film is set about defying the rules and conventions of the genre, and really sets this one off on its rather interesting elements. That we know who the killer is from the start rather than the typical amateur investigation that uncovers their identity, as this is dispatched in the opening seconds, where the killer’s handiwork is being observed, arranging a murder victim in a car and driving away. This sets into motion the kind of wild concept for the genre present here, where we follow the exploits of the killer from the very start as he’s blackmailed into carrying out a deadly hit on the man’s wife.
This story is further complicated when it turns into a near slapstick-style concept of the killer constantly caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, as nothing he does goes right. While the hit is successful and he accomplishes his task, the removal of the body from the crime scene and being placed in the trunk of the car so he can go back inside and remove any trace he was there allows the car to be stolen with the couple unaware of the dead body in the trunk. This sets off a race across the country to deal with the situation. It provides a chance to shift focus to those who are revealed to have their own issues and problems when it transpires that his sexual urges are getting out of control, as she tries to keep her virginity intact, and they keep pushing off the inevitable.
What makes it all work, though, is the fun killer himself, who might have bad timing, but his ruthlessness is quite apparent. With the various murders being given a slight attempt at playing with genre conventions by exploring the situation as if the killer is stalking a target which allows for the first-person-perspective chasing them down that is what’s on display in the few stalking scenes that take place in here, whether it’s taking out the wife o stumbling upon the carnappers at the seaside castle that stop at for the night. These are brutal enough and have some great gore involved here, much like the brutality inflicted in the generally graphic and uncomfortable rape scene present, which helps to showcase his brutality and cruelty that all come together for a lot to like here.
There are a few minor drawbacks present that hold this one down. The main issue here is that the film’s middle section is a lot more sluggish than it should be as we follow along with the couple who kidnapped the car as they carry on with their lives after taking the car. The whole idea of them taking the car, unaware of the dead body in the trunk and being chased by the killer looking to recover his property, is more involved with their interactions trying to get her into bed, and the killer trailing them. It keeps the interactions and stalking scenes to a minimum based on the presentation, mostly because the different storyline structure prevents this from following through with conventional approaches. That might be something more hardcore fans have with this one as well, all of which hold this one down.
Overview: ****/5
An enjoyable, unconventional giallo entry, there’s a lot more to like here than expected, which manages to hold it up over a small series of flaws that are present here. Those with an appreciation for this kind of genre fare, who enjoy Eurohorror in general, or who are curious about it, will have a lot to like, while most others out there might want to heed caution.
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