Caramelle da uno sconosciuto (1987) Poster

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5/10
Good idea, mediocre result
rundbauchdodo14 August 2002
This Giallo by Argento collaborator Franco Ferrini (he co-wrote the screenplay for "Non ho sonno" for example) tells a story typical for the genre: A hooded killer slays prostitutes with a razor. But the film is still quite unique: It puts the prostitutes in the center of the story. The women huddle together and decide to investigate on their own because they don't trust the police. The identity of the killer is quite a surprise and one of the film's highlights.

Problem is that "Caramelle da uno sconosciuto" is overtly talky and sometimes almost becomes rather a social drama than a straightforward thriller with social issues. There are also some humorous moments, which are quite funny, but don't really fit into the film. The soundtrack has its moments, though, and there are a bunch of really stylish scenes in good old Giallo tradition.

To wrap it up, one could say that with a tighter script and more concentration on the thriller plot, this Giallo could have been a sleeper of its genre. But as it is, it's just a mediocre picture. Rating: 5 out of 10.
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6/10
An average Italian giallo about prostitute killer.
HumanoidOfFlesh17 March 2015
A black gloved killer is murdering Italian prostitutes with a razor and a captive bolt gun deathblow.The police in Rome is unable to solve the case,so the prostitutes decide to find the killer themselves.Any stranger could be the killer.Unfortunately Franco Ferrini's "Sweets from a Stranger" pretty much lacks stalk and slash thrills and there are only two razor killings shown.The script focuses more on the lives of prostitutes and there is a little bit of sleaze and nudity.Very nice cameo role of Mario Bava's regular Laura Betti,who plays older independent prostitute and is killed by unknown slasher."Sweets from a Stranger" is quite likable film,but I expected more gore and sleaze.6 razor blades out of 10.
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5/10
Ladies take on a killer
BandSAboutMovies23 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Sweets from a Stranger has the elements of a giallo - a masked and black-gloved killer is slicing sex workers with a razor and then killing them with a bolt gun - but it's just about how the women decide to stop taking it and empower themselves, which may not have been what audiences were looking for.

It was directed and written by Franco Ferrini (Phenomena, Nothing Underneath, Dark Glasses), who worked on the script with Andrea Giuseppini and got the idea while writing Red Rings of Fear. It's the onlyu movie that he ever directed.

Stella (Mara Venier) and Nadine (Athina Cenci) are a high end call girl and an older experienced prostitute who learn of the death of Bruna, a mutual friend. They organize their fellow sex workers Lena (Barbara De Rossi, Vampire In Venice) and Angela (Marina Suma) with the goal of finding out who the killer is and stopping him while the police are fumbling in the dark.

Ferrini has spent a lot of time working with Argento - as has editor Franco Fraticelli - so the film looks good. The first kill is totally Bava with a woman being killed while surrounded by sculptures of angels. In fact, it's nearly one of the scenes from Blood and Black Lace. Thanks for noticing, Giallo Files. Steal from the best, right?

Yet it's also a serious movie that doesn't exploit the woman and shows the reasons why someone would sell their body, as well as the abuse and trauma that often comes with this profession. It's an intriguing way to use the giallo form to tell a story about real life. Of course, the first two girls are simply to get you in, using the exploitative nature of the giallo trappings to whet your appetite for more mayhem and then making you consider the actual people who are often only presents as victims.
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7/10
Prostitutes of the world, unite!
andrabem-111 October 2009
A killer is targeting the prostitutes in an Italian city. Anxiety and anguish among them. To face this threat they unite themselves to elaborate a protection strategy and also to find out who the killer is.

"Caramelle da uno sconosciuto" (Sweets from a Stranger) has a different and interesting story. Usually in the gialli the prostitutes are just very secondary characters – women you see in the night in lonely places (roads, parks etc..) standing by the fire to get warm. Sometimes one of them gets killed, but that's part of their business (!) In "Caramelle da uno sconosciuto" the prostitutes are the protagonists of the film. But those expecting a pure thriller will be surely disappointed. "Caramelle da uno sconosciuto" mixes stylishly-filmed murder scenes with comedy, social commentary, bits of drama and even romanticism. There's a good soundtrack and a beautiful song underlines some scenes of the film. The film is uneven - what links everything together is the humanity and warmth present in the film. The acting and the film's scenes feel spontaneous.

"Caramelle da uno sconosciuto" is a strange film that it's hard to label. It has many giallo elements, but it's also quite funny (and sometimes moving). A song, a video clip, and a message (?). Anyway the film is a real "stravaganza".

Recommended for those looking for something different.
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