Robert Joyner
The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
Mandeep Tyson
The acting in this movie is really good.
rodrig58
The action is located in Prague, Czechoslovakia but is filmed in Ljubljana, Slovenia. A frightening music, as well as the movie wants to be, signed by the master of all masters, Ennio Morricone. Jean Sorel I know him from "A View from the Bridge" (Sidney Lumet), "Sandra" (Luchino Visconti), "Belle de Jour" (Luis Buñuel), where, being directed by great film experts and enjoying solid scenarios, has done much better roles. In the 1970s he appeared in several films "giallo" (Italian Thriller), one more strait than another. This is one of them. Ingrid Thulin is the best of the cast, along with the super-natural Mario Adorf. Barbara Bach is very beautiful in a small role. Also in a small role, Luciano Catenacci, known from "Confessions of a Police Captain" and other Italian films with mobsters. The most interesting and original thing is that everything is told by the dead (Jean Sorel) who is not totally dead until the last scene. It is the first film directed by Aldo Lado, who then made many other films in the same genre, the best being "Last Stop on the Night Train" (1975)L'ultimo treno della notte (original title).
Leofwine_draca
A superior giallo classic from Aldo Lado, who would follow it up with the watchable but not quite so gripping WHO SAW HER DIE?. SHORT NIGHT OF THE GLASS DOLLS is an acknowledged classic of the genre for the few people who have seen it, a suspenseful and thoroughly atmospheric conspiracy thriller which takes an understated approach to rival the sheer claustrophobic paranoia of such '70s classics as INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS. Lado's movie is expertly-made, from the stylish cinematography which brings the beauty of the Prague location to the fore, to the strong acting on display and the fitting score by genre maestro Ennio Morricone.The conspiracy lies at the centre of the movie and we watch as the lead, Gregory, gradually gets a step nearer at a time to discovering the truth about the disappearance of his girlfriend, as played by the incredibly fragile Barbara Bach. The slow-paced nature of the narrative may be off-putting to some viewers but the lack of action is by no means a hindrance, rather a plus as Lado takes time out to characterise the leads, build atmosphere, and also work on the level of suspense the film offers, ever increasing. The framing narrative of the story unusually comes from the point of view of Gregory's corpse, or rather his body as he is suffering from a form of the rare condition catalepsy (which of course led to Edgar Allan Poe's fears of being buried alive). However, the fear of something much worse is at hand here - an autopsy! The finale involves Gregory's body being laid on the autopsy table in front of a student college and is sheer nail-biting stuff, which brings the tension up to breaking point and is near unwatchable. An extremely powerful conclusion that I can't really say any more about, other than it's well worth waiting for and one of the scariest bits of cinema I've seen in a long while.Lado ignores the typical horrific approach for the genre - i.e. to ladle in oodles of sadism and gore - and instead concentrates on psychological horror over the physical stuff - there are no faces burned off by acid or gruesome knifings in this movie. Instead what we have is a deliberate pacing which helps get us into the increasingly desperate head of the lead Gregory as he alienates those around him and becomes a murder suspect himself as he hunts for the missing Mira, becoming increasingly dishevelled as he does so. Lado has some excellent set pieces in which the filming and lighting are spot on (take for instance the shot where Gregory hides in the darkened room, or the train station murder sequence). Technically the film is perfect and, seen in its subtitled version, the dialogue is witty, believable, and often packed with double-meanings.Jean Sorel is perfectly cast as the young, handsome male lead, in what is a chivalrous and Franco Nero-type role. His acting gets better as he gets increasingly fraught throughout the production and I couldn't imagine a better actor in the role. The supporting cast also turn in strong performances which give the movie a realistic edge - you don't feel like you're watching actors acting here, just real people. Lado deepens his movie with political subtexts and inserts some arty clues (a case of butterflies which cannot fly), which are the norm for the genre. The title, incidentally, refers to a crystal chandelier which hangs above Sorel's bed. Other spine-shuddering moments include mysterious characters hanging around on street corners (always a good scare for me) and a really weird orgy/Satanic ritual which comes as a real surprise. Lado's movie avoids being sleazy (there are nude scenes, but mainly of old women!) and gory yet stands out as one of the highlights of the giallo genre - a minor classic that deserves a better reputation than the (lack of) one it has at the moment.
Witchfinder General 666
Aldo Lado's "La Corta Notte Delle Bambole Di Vetro" aka. "Short Night Of The Glass Dolls" of 1971 is a work of art in style and beauty that every fellow lover of Italian Horror cinema should see for its many ingenious aspects. Yet, I cannot deny that I was a tiny bit disappointed with this film, which I bought under the title "Malastrana" and which several fellow Giallo-enthusiasts had recommended to me as something absolutely unique. My expectations were high, and I also expected something quite different in the film. I was (miss)lead to believe that "Malastrana" was a typical Giallo, and while it can be attributed to the Giallo-genre, it can not really be described as a Giallo in the traditional sense. It was not the lack of stylish murders from the perspective of a black-gloved killer that bothered me, however. The visually striking film has a downright brilliant premise and an ingenious ending, but in-between it tends to drag a little. While the general atmosphere is an eerie one, however, I would have loved a little more genuine scares.Not that the film wasn't suspenseful. It actually builds up a great tension. The film begins very promising, when a man (Jean Sorel) is brought to a morgue while he is actually still alive. The man, who soon remembers that he is Gregory, an American Journalist working in Prague, experiences how he is pronounced dead, and yet he is unable to do anything about his situation. He therefore decides that all he can do is to try and remember how he got in this peculiar situation... A more than original beginning indeed, which made my expectations for the rest of the film even higher. A fellow Giallo fan had described the film as one of his personal favorites to me, and in the beginning I almost felt that it might become one of mine. Sadly, there are some points that I didn't like. The film drags a little in the middle, and the suspense could sometimes have been more intense. Also, the film does not really make the viewer care for the characters, which lessens the intensity a little. Then again, the film has many brilliant aspects. Visually, the film is incredibly striking. The photography is beautifully done and Prague is an excellent setting for a Giallo, even more for one with an occult twist. The visual impressions are intensified by a brilliant score by maestro Ennio Morricone. Jean Sorell is very good in the lead and the rest of the performances are also brilliant. The cast includes the great Mario Adorf in a typically unpolished role, and the immortal Ingrid Thulin. The ravishing Barbara Bach is unbelievably beautiful in the role of Mira, the main protagonist's young girlfriend who takes every man's breath away. Overall, "Short Night Of The Glass Dolls" did not quite live up to my very high expectations, but it is not the film alone which can be blamed for that. I began to watch this film expecting a masterpiece, and while, in my opinion, it is not, it is nonetheless a highly atmospheric, original and visually striking film that no Italian Horror fan should consider missing. Especially the ending is breathtaking. Not an absolute masterpiece, in my opinion, and yet highly recommended to all my fellow Giallo-buffs!
andrabem
A street sweeper finds a man, apparently dead, lying in a park. An ambulance is called. The camera shows the route followed by the ambulance: A grey city is revealed with old buildings and statues. A feeling of gloom and sadness permeates the screen, underlined still more by the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack of Ennio Morricone. Welcome to Prague, the city of Kafka.At the hospital, the doctors, after examining the body, declare him to be dead. But he's not really dead! Even if he doesn't show signs of life, he's conscious and screams silently (he can't move or talk) for them to save his life. In fact, as his body doesn't show the rigor mortis or putrefaction signs usual in the dead, they think that maybe he's not really dead and decide to try to reanimate him.On searching his effects, the hospital attendants discover that he is Gregory Moore (Jean Sorel), an American reporter. The film is divided in two parts - the remembrances of Gregory Moore and the attempts of the hospital staff to revive him.After Gregory's girlfriend Mira (gorgeous Barbara Bach) mysteriously disappears, he decides to investigate on his own to discover what lies behind it. As his investigation progresses, the local police become gradually more hostile. Something horrible is happening. But the people that could shed some light on this story either refuse to speak or are "removed". Gregory is now on what could be his final journey. What happened to him? The atmosphere of mystery, fear and perplexity surrounding Gregory is excellently portrayed in "La Corta Notte delle Bambole di Vetro". If you want to know more, see the film. It's a very good giallo."La Corta Notte delle Bambole di Vetro"'s cast (Jean Sorel, Ingrid Thulin, Barbara Bach, Mario Adorf) adds still more charm to the film. It's interesting to say that Ingrid Thulin appeared in Bergman's "The Silence" (1963) that takes its place in a strange and mysterious city of eastern European appearance!Highly recommended!
