Review of Plot of Fear

Paolo Cavara may not be the most famous horror director of Italy, but he certainly deserves the endless respect of true genre fans for the movies he made in the Mondo Cane-series and …his TWO genuine Gialli masterpieces! "The Black Belly of the Tarantula" is generally considered to be a classic in the genre, but this "Plot of Fear" is rather difficult to obtain and therefore still sadly underrated. This is an almost indescribably stylish Giallo-cocktail, properly blending together all the fundamental ingredients and many more. The plot is extremely convoluted, like it should be, and covers multiple themes including secret sex-networks, diamond smuggling and of course a bizarre series of grisly murders. The witty police Lieutenant slash playboy Lomenzo investigates several murders that are unquestionably connected, as the killer left behind drawings of a famous children's book on the victims' mutilated bodies. With the help of his ravishing new French girlfriend Jeanne, Lomenzo discovers that the murdered people were all members of a wealthy clique that secretly gathered to play kinky sex games. During one of these decadent gatherings, a young prostitute named Rosa accidentally (?) died and it looks as if someone is avenging her by eliminating all members one by one. I admit this brief description sounds like the repetitive premise of any regular textbook thriller, but I also assure you that the actual elaboration of the plot is much more twisted and engaging. Paolo Cavara maintains a constant level of high suspense and always adds new and misleading plot twists at the exact right times. The murders, although not specifically gory or shocking, are diverse and original! And they're definitely unpredictable, as one victims is even shot live on TV during an interview. "Plot of Fear" is also one of the most beautifully made Gialli I've ever encountered. Words can hardly describe how stylish Franco Di Giacomo's cinematography is and Daniele Patucchi's moody soundtrack also contributes a great deal to the overall tense atmosphere of the film. Lieutenant Lomenzo surely is one of the most humorist characters to ever appear in a Giallo film. His remarks against beautiful women and his rather awkward interpretation of police work often results is very comical sequences that help you to digest the confusing subject matter a little easier. There's a fair portion of sleaze and female nudity to enjoy, but it always remains tasteless, with the extended and clearly passionate love-making session between Jeanne and Lomenzo as an absolute highlight. The cast features several prominent and awesomely talented names, which makes it all the more difficult to comprehend why this Italian gem is still so obscure! "Plot of Fear" stars Euro-horror regulars John Steiner and Jacques Herlin and – most of all – features curious supportive roles of no less than Tom Skerritt (looking like a true Italian, but poorly dubbed) and Spaghetti Western legend Eli Wallach. 9 out of 10; I would have loved to reward it with an impeccable score, but the finale is slightly too grotesque to refer to "Plot of Fear" as entirely perfect.