In addition to the usual reviews and comments you would find on a horror movie blog, this is also a document of the wonderfully vast horror movie section of the video store I worked at in my youth.

Friday, August 28, 2015

Sorpresa!


The VHS on tap this Friday is 1977's Watch Me When I Kill.


After Mara (Paola Tedesco) witnesses a man leaving the scene of a murder, she becomes a target. Her detective boyfriend Lukas (Corrado Pani) investigates and comes discovers a much larger story that could endanger them both.

So, this is another case of me not paying attention. Based on the coverbox I'd been staring at for eons, I always figured this was a Z-grade slasher in the vein of Don't Go In The Woods. Nope, Watch Me When I Kill is a freakin' giallo! If it had been marked with its alternate title The Cat With The Jade Eyes that would have been clear, though neither moniker actually has anything to do with the movie itself.

I unwittingly began watching it, but as soon as the actors starting speaking in overdubbed voices while a figure skulked around in the shadows, I was all in. This has all the Italian horror hallmarks on display; the unique kills, the convoluted sleuthery of Pani & Tedesco (who at their best reminded me of David Hemmings & Daria Nicolodi from Dario Argento's classic Profondo Rosso) and a parade of quirky characters like;

The Unhappiest Pharmacist In The World

Italian Bradley Cooper

And Guy Who Bathes In Drano.

But the real takeaway from this movie was the music, which doesn't even try to hide its influence. I can see the conversation between the producers now. “Hire a local band (in this case prog rockers Trans Europa Express,) play them some Goblin and say give me more of that!”



It's still great and one of a few pretty rocking tracks in the movie, but I just thought it was funny how blatent it was. I also have to comment on how the movie finishes, as it has one of the most abrupt endings this side of Pieces.

Watch Me When I Kill was not what I would consider in the upper echelon of the genre, but it still had its moments. And now I have another track I can add to my YouTube playlist of horror film scores.

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