The Black Belly of the Tarantula (1972)

Someone is bumping off sexy women, inserting a venomous acupuncture needle into the back of the neck to render the victim helpless yet lucid, before getting busy on them with a knife. Investigating the series of grisly murders is Inspector Tellini (Giancarlo Giannini), who has serious doubts about his chosen career, and who unwittingly drags his own wife Anna (Stefania Sandrelli) into the web of murder and intrigue.The Black Belly of the Tarantula is a textbook giallo that does little to distinguish itself from countless other Italian murder mysteries of the day: there's the mysterious killer in black fedora, raincoat and gloves (albeit rubber gloves); a bevy of beautiful victims, most of whom get nekkid (some before they are killed, some after); stylish '70s architecture and interior design; a convoluted storyline with plot threads that go nowhere; a lush Ennio Morricone score; and a really dumb twist that takes an awful lot of swallowing.For many this tick-list of genre clichés will be enough, but I couldn't help but feel a tad underwhelmed by the film, which lacks the visual acumen of a director like Argento or Bava, the gory excess of Fulci, and not nearly enough of those weird touches that make certain giallos stand out from the pack. While it's impossible to be too hard on a film that features so many gorgeous Euro-babes in a state of undress (including a buck naked Barbara Bouchet and a topless Barbara Bach), the by-the-numbers nature of proceedings means that I cannot rate this higher than 6/10.

"The Black Belly of the Tarantula" is a typically grandiose title in this genre of film known as the Giallo. Giancarlo Giannini stars as Inspector Tellini, a police detective on the trail of a killer. This killer is targeting the female clients of a health and beauty salon, and employs a particularly insidious method. They inject their victims with the poison from a rare species of wasp, and this poison thoroughly incapacitates them, so that they're unresponsive but conscious when they get carved up with the killers' blade.Giannini is low key and likable in the lead role. His time on the job is contrasted with his more mundane home life with his wife Anna (Stefania Sandrelli), and it's actually what director Paolo Cavara *doesn't* do that makes this an interesting film of its kind. He doesn't concern himself with being overly stylish, instead opting for a slightly more matter of fact approach. Fans of this genre need not be concerned, for there is still quite a bit of female flesh to ogle and some bloody brutality to enjoy, but Cavara does an engaging job of combining the psychosexual proclivities of the maniac with a police procedural and a little bit of lightweight domestic drama.All of the ladies just look ravishing, of course. Claudine Auger ("Thunderball") plays salon boss Laura, Barbara Bouchet ("Casino Royale" '67) is unhappy married woman Maria Zani, and Barbara Bach ("The Spy Who Loved Me") is the receptionist, Jenny. Silvano Tranquilli offers a fine supporting performance as Maria's husband Paolo, who decides to play amateur sleuth when he falls under suspicion.Good pacing and a fairly tense finale help to make this a good entertainment, as well as a deliciously unconvincing dummy fall.Seven out of 10.

Although made during the height of the giallo's popularity in the early 1970s, this film is probably going to disappoint anyone who started out with "Blood and Black Lace," "Bird with the Crystal Plumage" or "Torso." First, the good news: There is style and mood, particularly in the scenes where a gloved killer is preparing his hypodermic needle for the kill. The theme music at these points is excellent. Now, the bad news: The kills themselves are a bit underwhelming despite a fascinating concept (being paralyzed and murdered while conscious but immobile). The plot is so convoluted that after five or six viewings I still don't know why the killer was killing or how he was discovered. Is it because of an excessively convoluted script or because most of the film is so dull one's attention wanders and they miss key clues? You be the judge.Finally, a bone to pick with the producers: This film is rife with the mentality that women are the most fantastic, magnificent creations in the universe (not true). It's typically Italian BS. So if an unending boy meets girl plot bores you or if you are annoyed by a ceaseless parade of homely broads being presented as goddesses, this film is not for you.5 stars for the scenes preceding the kills only.

Moderately watchable by-the-numbers giallo without the stylishness and flamboyant set-pieces of the best ones, but, fortunately, without the excessive absurdities and logical flaws of the worst ones either. (Though there's still enough silliness and idiocy left intact to keep the most fervent genre fan satisfied; not to mention the exploitative attitude giallos are notorious for.) After a strong first half hour, the plot loses momentum up to a lame denouement, followed by the usual ridiculous psychobabble.At least, the pace never flags and the actors are above average.3 out of 10 see-through killer gloves (for a change)