4 mosche di velluto grigio (1971) YTS

Reviewed by CinemaSerf 6 / 10

This could have worked better for me had

This could have worked better for me had Dario Argento not cast the pretty hapless Michael Brandon in the lead. He is "Roberto", a drummer in a mediocre rock band who gets it into his head that he is being followed! One night, he lies in wait for and apprehends this man in a derelict opera house - but in the ensuing struggle he manages to stab his phantom and kill him. If that wasn't bad enough, the next day he receives some photographs of him doing that very deed and his is now, of course, ripe for blackmail. But by whom? Why? In any case he'd better find out pronto as gradually we discover that many associated with him are falling foul of his new nemesis too! At times this is actually quite (deliberately) funny. Perhaps a little contrived at times, but there are moments that raise a smile as the characters all trip over themselves to get in (and out) of the action. The ending - well that's a turn up for the books that really does make the film worth sticking with. Not Argento's best work, though quite possibly Brandon's, and though it's a bit too long and a bit thinly spread, it's still just about worth a gander.

Reviewed by Pjtaylor-96-138044 6 / 10

The hills have flies.

'Four Flies On Grey Velvet (1971)' is the last instalment in Dario Argento's so-called 'Animal Trilogy', and it was apparently initially intended to be his Giallo-genre swan song. Thankfully, he subsequently decided not to abandon the genre he's so readily associated with. The film doesn't feel like the product of someone fed up with a framework they've helped define but are also trapped by, but rather as an attempt to widen the boundaries of said framework. At the same time, it is a very classic Giallo and it arguably suffers from not having the same strong aesthetic of Argento's later work. The story starts out strong by inverting the typical inciting incident: instead of the protagonist witnessing a murder, someone witnesses him committing one. Our strangely blasé hero must then try to figure out exactly who that was, because they begin to blackmail him without actually demanding any money. It's definitely a strong premise, but unfortunately it sort of gives way under the pressure of the generally loose plotting. The lead character kind of just takes everything in his stride, taking way too long to actively try and alleviate his situation. Even then, the steps he takes to get the better of his blackmailer are kind of vague, and the blackmailer themselves doesn't really seem to have a plan that's all that solid. It all just seems to be spinning its wheels somewhat. However, its elements of soft pseudo surrealism are kind of compelling in their own way, as are its bouts of unexpected broad comedy. It's always fairly entertaining, even when it's at its least propulsive. The opening and closing movements are notably better than the midsection, too. Ultimately, this is a solid Giallo thriller that may be one of Argento's weaker efforts, but is still a fair bit of fun throughout.

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4 mosche di velluto grigio

1971 [ITALIAN]

Crime / Mystery / Thriller

4 mosche di velluto grigio

1971 [ITALIAN]

Crime / Mystery / Thriller

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This could have worked better for me had

The hills have flies.

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