While investigating the gruesome murder of an insurance adjuster, Inspector Luca Peretti (George Hilton) begins to unravel the unsolved kidnapping and murder of a young girl. Meanwhile, a killer proceeds to bump off anyone who might be able to help Luca with vital clues.
My Dear Killer opens with a hilarious decapitation scene, the victim grabbed by the scoop of a mechanical dredger and hoisted into the air, his head popping off as a result. It's a hugely entertaining way to start proceedings, but then the plot kicks in and things start to drag. Numerous shifty characters and an overly complex storyline make My Dear Killer more of a chore than many a giallo; consequently, boredom and confusion are never far away, lurking in the shadows ready to pounce on the unwary viewer.
Director Tonino Valerii attempts to compensate for his over-elaborate narrative by incorporating a slew of classic giallo trappings and just a little exploitative content: a gloved killer, haunting music (by Ennio Morricone), children's drawings, numerous mean-spirited deaths and a smattering of topless nudity from a couple of babes, plus one gratuitous and rather controversial shot guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows. The result is still a bit of a hard slog, but at least there are a few moments that should please die-hard fans of the genre.
My Dear Killer opens with a hilarious decapitation scene, the victim grabbed by the scoop of a mechanical dredger and hoisted into the air, his head popping off as a result. It's a hugely entertaining way to start proceedings, but then the plot kicks in and things start to drag. Numerous shifty characters and an overly complex storyline make My Dear Killer more of a chore than many a giallo; consequently, boredom and confusion are never far away, lurking in the shadows ready to pounce on the unwary viewer.
Director Tonino Valerii attempts to compensate for his over-elaborate narrative by incorporating a slew of classic giallo trappings and just a little exploitative content: a gloved killer, haunting music (by Ennio Morricone), children's drawings, numerous mean-spirited deaths and a smattering of topless nudity from a couple of babes, plus one gratuitous and rather controversial shot guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows. The result is still a bit of a hard slog, but at least there are a few moments that should please die-hard fans of the genre.