(2004/ITALY/SPAIN/UK)
AKA-OCCHI DI CRISTALLO
REVIEW BY-STEVE GENIER DIRECTED BY-EROS PUGLIELLI CAST-LUIGI LO CASCIO, LUCIA JIMENEZ, SIMON ANDREU, JOSE ANGEL EGIDO, EUSEBIO PONCELA and CARMELO GOMEZ. SOURCE-FRIGHT FEST/REVOLVER ENTERTAINMENT DVD (PAL REGION 2/ 2006)
A serial killer is murdering people, but not in the usual sense if there is one. The killer is removing certain limbs of each different victim. An indication that his agenda is a tricky one and to solve it one must think as he does. Enter investigator Amaldi who own darkness is seemingly equivalent to that good enough to solve this vicious string of brutal murders. Slowly putting all the pieces together, Amaldi struggles with his own deep secrets and a new relationship that clouds his judgments. Though managing to keep to his sight on the murderer in plain view. Though will it be good enough to stop the murderer from killing those close to him.
It seems more and more that the Italian thriller is going through a wave of renaissance of sorts. By this I mean by the explosion of it’s sub-genre of the giallo during the mid 60's up until the early 80's. Thing had seem to become quite or better yet dormant, sure there were the odd films made, but because of the lack of funding for these types of films over the years they had almost become scares. Then with the try of the millennium a film directed by Alex Infascelli titled ALMOST BLUE sort of re-opened that locked box and set things in motion. Of course there are those who would disagree with me, but hey this is my opinion.
Since then there have been a few directors who have built on this momentum, directors like Lorianzo Bianchini with his excellent low budget offering of RADICE QUADRATA DI TRE and now the likes of Eros Puglielli. Of course let’s hope that the positive reaction to his film OCCHI DI CRISTALLO will install more efforts in this genre from him. It seems now that things are finally starting to roll as they did back in the early 60's, but slowly and of course with the vets, like Dario Argento still pumping out product we may see a mini explosion from the land that brought us some of the most exciting cinema in these genres.
Eros Puglielli like Argento did in the late 60's has shocked the thriller nation. His thriller OCCHI DI CRISTALLO is nothing short of perfection in every sense of the word. There will be it’s doubters, but myself I believe that this film is a sheer masterpiece in many aspects of the word. From it’s intense atmosphere to it’s artful cinematic approach and it’s ability to simply terrorize every nerve in your body. Taking a page out of Dario Argento’s book and give it fresh appeal for a whole new generation. OCCHI DI CRISTALLO creates an unnerving pace with the addition of it’s generally disjointed characters and most of all the extreme situations that arise throughout the film, one certainly needs a mind of steel and a strong stomach to intake the onslaught. It doesn’t stop there either, there are many tests for the weak in the stomach and thin on anxieties. Through a very artful and stylish manner, one is exposed to some very disturbing scenes of gore and blood. Not the most horrendous I’ve ever seen, but none the less very dramatic for those who are not expecting it.
Throughout the film, one is often reminded of many of Argento’s films from his earlier efforts to films like OPERA. Powerful imageries that grab your attention lifting you through the disjointed storyline. Though the story and plot of OCCHI DI CRISTALLO is rather good and very interesting. The atmosphere, one that generates a dark and gothic undertone, draws one in even more. Yes, there are many aspects to this film that really do work on many levels, hence making this a film well worth praise of a higher nature. This film is visually stunning, from it’s gothic look lurking in the darkness, to it’s crystal sharp images sheering through one’s eye into the very soul of the viewer.
The lead character of Amaldi, played by Luigi Lo Cascio fits this film with perfection. His unsual style and presence coupled with a seemingly dark past would lead one to think that his is at one with the actually killer in OCCHI DI CRISTALLO. Drawing a fine line between sane and insanity Amaldi often must battle with his own inner demons to move forward both in his profession life as a cop and that on a private level with getting involved with the very lovely Giuditta played by the rahter beautiful Spanish actress Lucia Jimenez. Once again like the film and it’s many disjointed elements, Amaldi’s personality comes into question a few times.
Many will sort of recognize the veteran Euro-Cult actor, Simon Andreu ( THE TORMENTOR, DEATH WALKS AT MIDNIGHT) as the dying cop, Ajoccio. His character like many of those in the past is quite unusual. He is dying of a brain tumor causing him to hallucinate while lying in his hospital bed. The strange thing about it though, he’s not hallucinating to the point of sheer lunacy, but given piece of valuable information that leads to who the killer just might be. That whole storyline is rather interesting and Puglielli certainly casts it quite good with Andreu. It’s nice to see him still plugging away in genre films.
The Fright Fest/Revolver Entertainment DVD is presented very nice. The main feature is in an anamorphic widescreen (16:9) aspect ratio. The picture like the film itself is stunning in it’s clarity and vividness. The audio is also as good, presented in a 5.1 Italian Digital Dolby with forced English subtitles. There are two featurettes along with the main one, a 17 minute behind the scenes with interviews etc. The second deals with the on set scenes and runs just over 3 minutes long. The DVD case itself comes with a removable slip case as well.
STORY/FILM-4.5/5 BITCH SLAPS PICTURE-4.5/5 BITCH SLAPS AUDIO-4.5/5 BITCH SLAPS EXTRAS-3/5 BITCH SLAPS OVERALL DVD-4/5 BITCH SLAPS You can purchase this from X-Ploited Cinema
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