GamerTab That was an excellent one.

Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

chrichtonsworld This movie has almost everything a giallo should contain. Sexy women,a brutal killer and gore. An observant and experienced viewer may be able to predict the identity of the killer early on but there are more than enough red herrings to make you doubt your self. There are lot of scenes in which cheesy clichés could have ruined the experience. Somehow the director manages to overturn these clichés into real tense scenes. And for once the main character is not a complete moron. This guy is real charismatic in the movie and his seriousness about all of the events make the movie even work better. Of course this movie has it's share of flaws where plot and logic collide. Especially in the rushed ending. But it didn't bother me in the slightest. Effective giallo!

The_Void Lamberto Bava may not have the awesome movie making talents of his father Mario, but all the same; he has directed a number of good genre flicks, and for my money; this Giallo is the best of them. The film takes obvious influence from Dario Argento's phenomenal eighties Giallo 'Tenebre' (which Lamberto Bava had a hand in), as well as a certain other influential classic film that I can't name for fear of spoilers. The film was clearly made on a low budget as the cinematography looks cheap and most of the film takes place around just one location - but Lamberto doesn't let this hinder him, and that's a big credit to him as a director. The plot focuses on Bruno, a composer who goes to a secluded villa to work on a score for a horror movie. It's not long before he meets some women that used to know the person who was there before him, and it's not long after that the women begin to disappear! Naturally, Bruno decides to investigate the disappearances, and it's not long before he realises that they have something to do with the movie he's working on...Compared to other Lamberto Bava films, and other Giallo's, the body count here is rather low. However, every murder in the film is memorable, and that is largely thanks to the fact that they're all so brutal! The bathroom murder is somewhat notorious in its own right, and the film also features a couple of brutal knife slayings and someone being repeatedly bashed on the head with a spanner! The cast is made up of lesser known performers, though they all do their jobs well. Andrea Occhipinti is interesting enough in the lead role, and he is supported by a host of beautiful women, which is nice. The film also features a role for Michele Soavi; whom cult fans will recognise as another Argento-trained director. The central setting is well used and Bava manages to spring a foreboding atmosphere from the house and its grounds. The film also features a creepy sequence that involves some kids and a tennis ball that is liable to stick in the memory long after it's over. The conclusion is an obvious rip off of another film and it's just a bit silly too; but all the same, A Blade in the Dark is a fun little Giallo and I certainly recommend it.

acidburn-10 Thats right When The Lights Go Out - The Knife Goes In, which is just one of the many taglines to this nasty vicious thriller. In my review for "Stagefright" I mentioned that I purchased this one along with 3 other slasher movies, including the brilliant "Stagefright".The directer Lamberto Bava really piles on the terror with this twisted shocker "A Blade In The Dark" which set in a villa and the movie centres around Bruno (Andrea Occhipinti) a young composer whose being hired by a movie directer Sandra (Anny Papa) to write a score for her latest horror movie who refuses to let Bruno see the final scene for mysterious reasons and before you know it women appear at the villa and gets viciously killed, all of which has something to do with the horror movie he's working on and also the mysterious occupant Linda who also seems to be involved.Lamberto Bava really does a great job with this movie, creating tension and fear at the isolated villa all of which are shot beautifully, the gruesome deaths scenes are also a real treat, although I haven't seen that many giallo thrillers, I have to say that this one has got to be a stand out, the best is "Deep Red". On a bad note though the dubbing in this movie is terrible and a lot of the acting is quite bad, but that's all part of the cheesiness and this movie's charm.All in all a fine addition to the slasher genre, with a few flaws but great tension and death scenes are brutal.

Woodyanders Handsome young music composer Bruno (amiable Andrea Occhipinti) secludes himself in an isolated villa so he can devise the score for an upcoming horror film. A vicious psycho starts brutally butchering assorted lovely young women in the immediate area. Bruno investigates the savage homicides in order to find out if the killings have something to do with the movie he's working on. Director Lamberto Bava creates a reasonable amount of tension, maintains a grim, brooding tone throughout and stages the shockingly gory and sadistic murder set pieces with effectively ferocious go-for-it flair (the bathroom kill in particular is positively gut-wrenching). Moreover, there's a downright delectable bevy of beauteous ladies who are real easy on the eyes: Lara Naszinsky as Bruno's fetching blonde girlfriend Julia, Anny Papa as perky horror director Sandra, Valeria Cavalli as alluring neighbor Katia, and Fabiola Toledo as enticing brunette fox Angela (Toledo has a much-appreciated gratuitous topless scene). Occhipinti makes for an engaging lead, with solid support from Michele Soavi as friendly real estate agent Tony and Stanko Molnar as creepy sleazeball handyman Giovanni. Both Gianlorenzo Battaglia's slick cinematography and the elegantly eerie score by Guida and Maurizo De Angelis likewise hit the satisfying spot. The killer's true identity is both genuinely surprising and admirably perverse. Good, gruesome fun.