Giallo Research
Defining a new wave, an artistic movement in the film that influenced future filmmakers and captures the culture and zeitgeist of the time period.
I will be concentrating on the niche horror movement in Italian cinema known as Giallo, the evolution took place as the nation’s political climate became more unsettled and film-makers strove to outdo one another’s kill scenes and gore effects, often at the expense of character and plot.
Giallo = Yellow, from the yellow pulp crime novels in the '20s and '30s, this was later the word to describe the genre as these novels were adapted and the storylines and tropes carried over to the genre. Giallo was concentrated in the "1968's and 1978's" however my 3 films I will be analysing will be in the late 70s but I will also talk about its origins in the 60s and how social issues/context of the time effected and were explored in these films. Muchadoaboutfilm.com
The Giallo Genre (plural, Gialli) are Italian-produced murder-mystery thrillers which feature scenes of excessive violence often originally choreographed which blur the lines between art and exploitation cinema. Films of the Giallo genre usually include strong elements of horror and eroticism, the latter often in the form of voyeurism.
Wonderfulcinema.com
According to Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani the directors of Giallo inspired films like Let the Corpses Tan (2017) define a Giallo films plot in 3 different categories with an interview with CineFix.
"1. It's a who done it with a black-gloved killer
2. Its a conspiracy involving manipulating parties
3. Erotic violence"
2. Its a conspiracy involving manipulating parties
3. Erotic violence"
Social Issues/Context Explored in Giallo
Economic Miracle of the 1960s
As Italy transitioned into the 1960's they had a huge economic boost transforming there rural poor country into an urban richer cultural hub within Europe.
Due to the fall of the previous fascist restrictions allowing further trade unions in the 1940s which increased the production of consumer goods from typewriters to Vespers within Italy, which was then further amplified by the Korean War in the 1950s creating this significant economic change in just under two decades an “Economic Miracle” as it was dubbed during the time. Giallo used this social change through there protagonists who were often outsiders in Italy and showcases how the citizens of Italy felt like these outsiders/tourists as the fast and radical change of there nation confused and intrigued them showcased through the main character's common troupe in a Giallo film being a main character's obsession/need to solve the murders one of the most notable examples being in The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) as the lead conducts an investigation to solve a set of murders after witnessing an attack in an art gallery (example of there found significance as a cultural hub). Britannica.com
Italian Economic Miracle, the 1960s - Film 16062
Changes Caused Sexual Revolution/Fears of Female Independence
The new waves showcase of violence towards women usually through phallic imagery such as knife penetrating a female victim can be seen as a fear of the new sexual freedom women which had started through the creation of the Contraception Pill in 1961 which kicked off the sexual revolution of the '60s, This could be seen as a graphic metaphor for the fears of sex outside of marriage as the violence mixes with voyeurism and the male gaze these techniques could be a nightmare male perspective as they seek to control and contain woman's sexuality and how Italy's former conservative religious ideals had begun to change with the modern era.
The Giallo new wave also showcases fears of female independence through the use of female characters in their films whether it's outlining men's loss of masculinity in Deep Red (1975) or through the fear of organised female groups like the coven of female witches in Suspiria (1977). Inspired by the 1970s forming of the law on divorce and the 1978 law on abortion in the Italian government, Life in Italy. Showing the further drift away from female dependency on men, as women had begun to form there own political groups of female activists against male-orientated governments and systems and these characters in Giallo films representing this fear by men that they were being made redundant by women.
Clip from The Sexual Revolution 1961 by Moments of History
Mario Brava
Regarded as the earliest creator with his work is one of the first examples of Giallo films as a Director, Screenwriter and effects artist for films, however, his work was not what popularised the genre and style. Most known for his work like, The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) and Blood and Black Lace (1964).
Born on 31 July 1914 he originated as a painter he adapted into a cinematographer and eventually becoming a director due to the dubbing of Italian films into the native language of films they were released in (which continued throughout the Giallo movement) he and the rest of early Italian Cinema focused on visual elements as a painter Mario founded the New Waves bright colours and their non-dialogue orientating around composed and beautiful shots rather than a linear narrative. After his various saving of abandoned projects in the 1950s, he created Mask of Satan/Black Sunday (1960) his first film which was inspired by the British hammer horrors Bava tested the censorship rules of horror and established the international interest of horror. This testing of boundaries were the origins of his creation of Giallo which he established through his inspirations of Alfred Hitchcock films leading to the groundwork of all Giallo Blood and Black Lace (1964). Despite his lack of success in the mainstream Bava's impact on Italian horror/the horror genre as a whole cannot be understated.
Mario Bava - The Genremaker by History of Horror
The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963)
Blood and Black Lace (1964)
Dario Argento
Regarded as formerly the most prolific Giallo film director who brought the genre and style to its height in between the '70s and '60s. A true Auteur of the Horror genre his work influenced both Italian, as well as the rise in horror in American cinema in the 80, 's such as his Demos movies. However, his most famous work released at the height of the Giallo new wave (1968 and 1978) most known for his films: The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), Suspiria (1977) and Deep Red (1975). FilmSchoolRejects
Born on 7 September 1940, Dario Argento started out his career as a film critic his father worked in films and his mother was a photographer. He was immersed in cinema from an early age as it honed his photo-like imagery in his films. Having a vivid imagination he crafted dream and nightmare worlds which he constructed with colour and his love of writers like Edgar Alan Poe, whos crazed paranoia greatly impacted his work. So when he quit being a film critic after crafting his image loving taste in cinema leading to his focus on cinematography. Getting his start in westerns like once Upon a Time in the West (1968) which he co-wrote. He then directed his first film The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) which was twisted and extended the troupes of Giallo into the '70s and the rest is history as his nightmare and explorations of social issues from fears of women's independence (outlined in films like Suspiria) through his psychedelic colours and imagery as he elevated the Giallo New Wave at the height of its popularity.
Documentary: Dario Argento - An Eye for Horror (2000)
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)
Suspiria (1977)
Deep Red (1975)
The 3 New Wave Films I am Analysing
My three films from this wave that I will be analysing are all going to be from the Dario Argento height in the genre, starting with The Bird with the Crystal Pilgrimage (1970), Deep Red (1975) and Suspiria (1977) and how he was inspired by the work of Mario Brava. I will discuss how these films inspired the early origins of the slasher sub-genre in America during the 1980s, overall how these films changed horror and cinema forever.
The Bird with the Crystal Pilgrimage (1970)
Synopsis
Dario Argento's directorial debut "An American expatriate in Rome witnesses an attempted murder. He learns later that it's connected to an ongoing murder spree in the city, and decides to do his own investigation, despite being personally targeted by the killer" IMDB
Written and Directed by Dario Argento starring Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno this film was his directorial debut Dario Argento this movie inspired by the Fredric Browns novel "The Screaming Mimi" which had its own adaptation in 1958 this is wildly considered by critics like Mark Kermode as "the Benchmark for a Giallo film" BFI. This movie mixes both sexuality and psychology snd is the reason why Giallo movies have continued with the emphasise of sex and violence in future instalments and comments on fears of independent women.
With Cinematography by Vittorio Storaro who would later work on films like Apocalypse Now and the last emperor and is a perfect example of Dario's love of haunting beautiful imagery from being trapped in a glass box to an art piece almost killing the protagonist in the last confrontation.
The 1st of his self-named animal trilogy which would include Giallo classics like The Cat O' Nine Tails (1971) and Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971), this was the film that started his path into changing horror forever.
Deep Red (1975)
Synopsis
"A jazz pianist and a wisecracking journalist are pulled into a complex web of mystery after the former witnesses the brutal murder of a psychic." IMDB
Deep red or Profondo Rosso in its native Italian using the mystery elements of the Giallo an underrated classic of Dario Argento who directed and co-wrote with Bernardino Zapponi and starred David Hemmings, Daria Nicolodi, Gabriele Lavia in his finest Giallo film in my opinion. This is due to it perfection in the structure of a Giallo film if you are looking for the Giallo film to define Giallo Deep Red certainly does that as it uses the aspect of mystery which Giallo was founded on with its use of stunning visuals to create a film that would perfectly capture the methods of this Wave of Cinema. And would inspire people like Guillermo del Toro's career as a filmmaker and even inspire the modern horror of Saw (2004) with its mascot Billy being inspired by the puppet in this film.
This film also expressed fears of female independence at the time with the female reporter in the film out doing the protagonist in many aspects considered to be more masculine at the time and showcases examples of female characters with just as much death and complex motives as males in films, which for the time period and even today is unfortunately not popular in the way we write stories.
Suspiria (1977)
Synopsis
"An American newcomer to a prestigious German ballet academy comes to the realization that the school is a front for something sinister amid a series of grisly murders." IMDB
Made after the success of Deep Red Dario Argento directed and wrote Suspiria with Daria Nicolodi and stared Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci. Argento's peak of narrative and visual experimental as he mixes bright colour and music to create a maddening horrific multi coloured nightmare its use of synth music which can be cited as a clear piece of inspiration for the horror soundtracks of legends like John Carpenter who uses the same synth techniques to create a similar atmosphere in the majority of his filmography.
This film is definitely Dario Argentos best technical accomplishments form a film form the set design of the school to the lighting and camera positioning and techniques this film is a technical marvel that holds up even today as he utilizes large environments to make dream world on-screen feel real. This is also due to collaboration with the soundtrack done by Goblin which creates such an original and emotional film that hypnotizes you with each film making aspect it demonstrates.
Reference List:
WolfCrow.com, "What is Low-Key Lighting?, What is low-key lighting, and how do you apply it in cinematography?" (Online) Available at:
CineFix, "Everything you Need to Start Watching Giallo" (Online) Sep 21, 2018, Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYyMuWhQNno&ab_channel=CineFix
Robinson P "Dario Argento: The King of Giallo" (Online) Peyton Robinson, September 25, 2020, Available at:
https://filmschoolrejects.com/dario-argento-the-king-of-giallo/
Stranger T "Defining the Giallo Film" (Online) May 25, 2018, Available at:
https://muchadoaboutcinema.com/2018/05/25/defining-the-giallo-film/
Breschi D "1968 in Italy: Revolution or Cold Civil War" (Online) April 9, 2008, Available at:
http://www.telospress.com/1968-in-italyrevolution-or-cold-civil-war/
Britannica.com "The Economic Miracle Industrial Growth" (Online) At:
https://www.britannica.com/place/Italy/The-economic-miracle
The Sexual Revolution 1961 Published on Jun 14, 2018, by Moments of History
Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror (2000) Directed by Leon Ferguson
Mario Bava - The Genremaker published on Jul 11, 2020, by History of Horror
Life in Italy "Life In Italy 1970s To 1980s" Published by Ancos, Jan 16, 2017, Available (Online) at:
https://www.lifeinitaly.com/history/life-italy-1970s-1980s/
Sources I plan to use within my Video Essay:
The Bird with the Crystal Pilgrimage (1970):
Deep Red (1975):
Suspiria (1977):
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