26 reviews
A woman searches for her missing boyfriend (who happens to be a psychiatrist) and ends up at a resort full of eclectic characters who could all be guilty of something. While the woman is there murders start happening.
This an early 70's giallo that stars the bad dude from Thunderball (1965) Adolfe Celi and a really young Sybil Danning who only has a bit part. This one is a real slow burner but it rocks. It keeps you wondering all the way through. More mystery than mayhem.
Of course my guess as to who did it was way wrong but then again I couldn't figure who the killer was in Friday the 13th Part 2 (he was masked ). Not a very violent giallo. The copy I seen was a third generation VHS transfer so maybe soon there will be a decent release. So if you are a fan of Italian giallos watch this one for sure.
This an early 70's giallo that stars the bad dude from Thunderball (1965) Adolfe Celi and a really young Sybil Danning who only has a bit part. This one is a real slow burner but it rocks. It keeps you wondering all the way through. More mystery than mayhem.
Of course my guess as to who did it was way wrong but then again I couldn't figure who the killer was in Friday the 13th Part 2 (he was masked ). Not a very violent giallo. The copy I seen was a third generation VHS transfer so maybe soon there will be a decent release. So if you are a fan of Italian giallos watch this one for sure.
- shawnblackman
- Sep 25, 2016
- Permalink
- Leofwine_draca
- Jul 9, 2016
- Permalink
'Eye in the Labyrinth' is a surreal yet glossy giallo offering from director Mario Caiano that doesn't have the usual structure that the genre usually has due to its mind-bending plot that progresses in a dream-like fashion and its odd ambiguous nature, but I found this rather quirky and enjoyable as it delves more into psychological thriller than horror with enough craziness going on to sustain interest.
The plot follows a young woman Julie (Rosemary Dexter) whose boyfriend Luca (Horst Frank) disappears for no apparent reason and sets out to find him and ends up at a villa in Italy which is populated by a group of eccentric characters including the owner Gerda (Alida Valli) and soon enough strange things begin to happen.
The movie's premise is utterly compelling and the mystery element is engrossing enough to keep your interest throughout with an array of interesting characters, tight direction and stunning picturesque cinematography where at times it employs a distorting quality which gives the film a nightmarish atmosphere. Although there are a few flaws such as the storyline does tend to spiral in different directions at times and does come across as a bit overwrought and some of the events at the villa doesn't seem to have any logic to them, especially when everything's revealed at the end. But those are just minor and nowhere near enough to ruin my enjoyment of this flick.
Overall 'Eye in the Labyrinth' is a great giallo flick, not quite up there with some of the more classics of the genre, but a solid effort nonetheless and definitely worth a watch.
The plot follows a young woman Julie (Rosemary Dexter) whose boyfriend Luca (Horst Frank) disappears for no apparent reason and sets out to find him and ends up at a villa in Italy which is populated by a group of eccentric characters including the owner Gerda (Alida Valli) and soon enough strange things begin to happen.
The movie's premise is utterly compelling and the mystery element is engrossing enough to keep your interest throughout with an array of interesting characters, tight direction and stunning picturesque cinematography where at times it employs a distorting quality which gives the film a nightmarish atmosphere. Although there are a few flaws such as the storyline does tend to spiral in different directions at times and does come across as a bit overwrought and some of the events at the villa doesn't seem to have any logic to them, especially when everything's revealed at the end. But those are just minor and nowhere near enough to ruin my enjoyment of this flick.
Overall 'Eye in the Labyrinth' is a great giallo flick, not quite up there with some of the more classics of the genre, but a solid effort nonetheless and definitely worth a watch.
- acidburn-10
- Aug 16, 2022
- Permalink
Julie (Rosemary Dexter) wakes up from a nightmare to discover that her boyfriend, Luca (Horst Frank) has vanished. Setting out to find him, Julie's life becomes an adventure of mystery and intrigue, filled with danger.
EYE IN THE LABYRINTH is an unusual giallo with an odd atmosphere of paranoia. It's inhabited by a plethora of bizarre characters, including the magnificent Alida Valli (SUSPIRIA, INFERNO) as Gerda, Sybil Danning (THE RED QUEEN KILLS SEVEN TIMES) as Toni, and Adolfo Celi (WHO SAW HER DIE?) as Frank. The viewer quickly gets the impression that a conspiracy is underway, but has no idea what is being covered up. The final revelation is a true shocker! EITL is well worth watching, if only for the sheer weirdness of it all...
EYE IN THE LABYRINTH is an unusual giallo with an odd atmosphere of paranoia. It's inhabited by a plethora of bizarre characters, including the magnificent Alida Valli (SUSPIRIA, INFERNO) as Gerda, Sybil Danning (THE RED QUEEN KILLS SEVEN TIMES) as Toni, and Adolfo Celi (WHO SAW HER DIE?) as Frank. The viewer quickly gets the impression that a conspiracy is underway, but has no idea what is being covered up. The final revelation is a true shocker! EITL is well worth watching, if only for the sheer weirdness of it all...
- azathothpwiggins
- Apr 17, 2019
- Permalink
Stuffed with Italian giallo genre conventions and narrative tropes, Eye in the Labyrinth is nevertheless a solid and intriguing thriller with a good payoff. Many of the horror elements do not surface until the final exposition when the artistic stylization of the film is at its peak. During this climactic finale, jarring editing and prominent post-production sound enhance the disturbing plot and mild onscreen gore.
- mrosesteed
- Feb 2, 2019
- Permalink
Worried about her missing friend, a woman sets out to find him which takes her to an island getaway populated by a strange woman and her bohemian-like friends, yet when she begins to look deeper into the mystery a series of troubling actions against her threatens to expose a deadly secret.
This was an enjoyable enough giallo. One of the more intriguing areas involved with the film is the strong psychological implications thrust into it. As this one tends to unravel its mystery, which starts out strongly due to the stylish murder, the focus on the search behind it when it's discovered that was a dream drives the film along. The search through the remote village full of hostile eyes and uncooperative locals or the search through the abandoned building to the tactics employed to torture her mentally on the journey which is all tied together with the background dealings at the villa that give this one an engrossing psychological horror bent that comes together incredibly well. Once this setup has been accomplished, the action picks up considerably in the second half. Although not conducted in the usual manner, it's got some fine setpieces here including her being locked in a garage with a car's exhaust turned on, a later attack on a rocky beach as a mysterious figure shoots at her with a spear gun and a wild car ride leading into a fiery finale for all involved. Even other attacks and fight scenes here provide this with some fine energy going into the finale where everything is finally revealed which causes this one to come away with a rather shocking twist. Carrying out a gruesome and grisly act that really turns this on its head with the psychological ramifications about her mindset that gives this a lot to like overall as this holds the film up. There are a few flaws to the film. One of the biggest issues here is the incredibly convoluted and overwrought storyline that really makes no sense. While it starts off simple enough, there's far too much going on elsewhere at the villa to really sustain interest as the dealings with the bizarre painting or the different flashbacks between the various guests at the villa detailing their connection to the incidents which complicates matters. The continuous attacks on her at the villa are merely distractions that don't have any real logic behind them, a common trope of the film as nearly everything that happens here really undoes this one. Others may also be put off by the lack of traditional action here, yet these aren't enough to hold it back.
Rated Unrated/R: Violence, Nudity and Language.
This was an enjoyable enough giallo. One of the more intriguing areas involved with the film is the strong psychological implications thrust into it. As this one tends to unravel its mystery, which starts out strongly due to the stylish murder, the focus on the search behind it when it's discovered that was a dream drives the film along. The search through the remote village full of hostile eyes and uncooperative locals or the search through the abandoned building to the tactics employed to torture her mentally on the journey which is all tied together with the background dealings at the villa that give this one an engrossing psychological horror bent that comes together incredibly well. Once this setup has been accomplished, the action picks up considerably in the second half. Although not conducted in the usual manner, it's got some fine setpieces here including her being locked in a garage with a car's exhaust turned on, a later attack on a rocky beach as a mysterious figure shoots at her with a spear gun and a wild car ride leading into a fiery finale for all involved. Even other attacks and fight scenes here provide this with some fine energy going into the finale where everything is finally revealed which causes this one to come away with a rather shocking twist. Carrying out a gruesome and grisly act that really turns this on its head with the psychological ramifications about her mindset that gives this a lot to like overall as this holds the film up. There are a few flaws to the film. One of the biggest issues here is the incredibly convoluted and overwrought storyline that really makes no sense. While it starts off simple enough, there's far too much going on elsewhere at the villa to really sustain interest as the dealings with the bizarre painting or the different flashbacks between the various guests at the villa detailing their connection to the incidents which complicates matters. The continuous attacks on her at the villa are merely distractions that don't have any real logic behind them, a common trope of the film as nearly everything that happens here really undoes this one. Others may also be put off by the lack of traditional action here, yet these aren't enough to hold it back.
Rated Unrated/R: Violence, Nudity and Language.
- kannibalcorpsegrinder
- Apr 12, 2019
- Permalink
- BandSAboutMovies
- Jul 29, 2018
- Permalink
I can't but concur wholeheartedly with pretty much everything that my fellow reviewer Lazarillo already wrote in his user-comment. "Eye in the Labyrinth" is an Italian Giallo that literally thrives on Freudian psycho-sexual gibberish, and if you don't "believe" in Sigmund Freud's analytical theories, chances are that you won't enjoy this movie for one bit. Personally I'm not a big supporter of psychology, but I do fancy everything which concerns early 70's and obscure Italian cult cinema so I still could at least moderately enjoy this film. The plot introduces Julie, an emotionally troubled young girl who starts her own private investigation in search for her psychiatrist that went missing. The trail leads to a fancy resort where her beloved doctor threw perverted sex parties and ran a whole lot of other illegal affairs. Julie gradually becomes entangled in a web of mystery, hallucinations and dead end clues, but still there's no trace of Louis the psychiatrist. As the plot of "Eye in the Labyrinth" slowly unfolds, the film raises confusion instead of to clarifying the events and it actually requires an extended monologue at the end in order to tie all the loose ends together. The denouement is fairly logical and acceptable, but it's definitely a whole lot of senseless nonsense and as said you need to switch on your Freudian mindset. "Eye in the Labyrinth" contains relatively few violence or imaginative murder sequences (with the notable exception of one fantastic burning-car moment) in comparison with most Italian Gialli of that period, but there's plentiful of sleaze and nudity to compensate. For example, a still very young Sybil Danning makes an appearance as one of the random topless murder victims and her presence alone forms a nice extra treat for avid cult purchasers.
Having seen well over 60 gialli thus far, including the majority of the more celebrated films in the genre, I now find myself sifting through the less well-known titles in the hope of finding an obscure gem. Eye in the Labyrinth doesn't quite fit the bill, the film far too light on elaborately staged killings to be wholly satisfying, but it does deliver an intriguing mystery with a reasonable twist, and plenty of skin from some very attractive women (including a young Sybil Danning), making it a giallo worth seeking out once you've exhausted the usual suspects.
Brunette beauty Rosemary Dexter plays Julie, whose search for her missing lover Luca leads her to a luxurious villa, home to a group of eccentric individuals who know more about Luca than they are letting on. As Julie investigates, she finds herself in mortal danger; will she survive long enough to discover the truth? To writer/director Mario Caiano's credit, I didn't figure out the twist until moments before the reveal, meaning that I was hooked throughout despite the relaxed approach and lack of gore (having said that, the flashback at the end is nice and gruesome, with a really squishy decapitation).
6.5/10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.
Brunette beauty Rosemary Dexter plays Julie, whose search for her missing lover Luca leads her to a luxurious villa, home to a group of eccentric individuals who know more about Luca than they are letting on. As Julie investigates, she finds herself in mortal danger; will she survive long enough to discover the truth? To writer/director Mario Caiano's credit, I didn't figure out the twist until moments before the reveal, meaning that I was hooked throughout despite the relaxed approach and lack of gore (having said that, the flashback at the end is nice and gruesome, with a really squishy decapitation).
6.5/10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.
- BA_Harrison
- May 12, 2018
- Permalink
I got this film from a private collector and was very curious about it. It had a 7,8 in IMDb (9 votes only) and some external comments were pleasant. But I have to say that it is a very usual and uninteresting giallo. Yes, great cinematography, the film is well directed, but it never freaked me out. It starts well, but although it not bored me at all, the story is so ordinary and the things that occur so normal, that I didn't like it very much.
You can make a few laughs. And you can see some little tits. But if you like the kind of giallos I like (bizarre, surreal, nonsenseful, gory, atmospheric, brutal murders...) you won't appreciate much this film.
I give it a 4 for the good directing and editing, and the final twists, that make the film entertaining. But it could be much better.
You can make a few laughs. And you can see some little tits. But if you like the kind of giallos I like (bizarre, surreal, nonsenseful, gory, atmospheric, brutal murders...) you won't appreciate much this film.
I give it a 4 for the good directing and editing, and the final twists, that make the film entertaining. But it could be much better.
- tonijunyent
- Oct 29, 2004
- Permalink
This little seen movie is a languid and laid-back giallo. It veers away from some of the cliché's of the genre and adopts a looser approach. It's about a woman searching for her missing lover; a psychiatrist who has suddenly vanished for no apparent reason. Her search leads her to a villa populated by a group of eccentric individuals. In true giallo style, murder is never far away.
The cast is really rather good. We have Aldofo Celi (Thunderball), Alida Valli (Suspiria), Horst Frank (Cat o' Nine Tails) and a very young Sybil Danning (80's scream queen). The lead actress is Rosemary Dexter, and while I am not familiar with her, she does a good job in leading the picture.
One of the defining features of Eye in the Labyrinth is its music. Atypically for a giallo it features a jazz-rock fusion soundtrack. This score, composed by Roberto Nicolosi, is reminiscent of Miles Davis, especially his work on In A Silent Way. It's an excellent soundtrack and really gives this movie a different feel than most gialli. The fusion groove accentuates the languid atmosphere and compliments the sunny, sea-front scenery that the film is mostly made up of.
This is a giallo so we really need to talk about the murder set-pieces. Well, this film falls a little short in this regard. It's certainly not devoid of them but they are few and far between. The opening dream-murder being probably the best on offer as well as a memorable burning car sequence. But this really isn't a particularly violent film. Still, I don't think it should disappoint too many seasoned fans of the genre. The mystery is fairly compelling and it has enough eccentric characters (the idiot boy Saro and THAT unsettlingly inappropriate dubbed accent?) and moments of the bizarre to satisfy; while the sleaze-factor is upheld with a smattering of nudity throughout.
Eye in the Labyrinth plays like a giallo version of an Agatha Christie mystery, as it features a group of unsympathetic characters in a villa, all under suspicion of murder; we have the obligatory flashbacks detailing their connections with the final hours of the (highly unsympathetic) murder victim. While this isn't a grade-A example of the genre, it's certainly an appealingly different one, as it doesn't borrow too heavily from other films of the sub-genre. For giallo enthusiasts I give this a thumbs up and hope one day it's given a nice DVD transfer. It certainly deserves the treatment.
The cast is really rather good. We have Aldofo Celi (Thunderball), Alida Valli (Suspiria), Horst Frank (Cat o' Nine Tails) and a very young Sybil Danning (80's scream queen). The lead actress is Rosemary Dexter, and while I am not familiar with her, she does a good job in leading the picture.
One of the defining features of Eye in the Labyrinth is its music. Atypically for a giallo it features a jazz-rock fusion soundtrack. This score, composed by Roberto Nicolosi, is reminiscent of Miles Davis, especially his work on In A Silent Way. It's an excellent soundtrack and really gives this movie a different feel than most gialli. The fusion groove accentuates the languid atmosphere and compliments the sunny, sea-front scenery that the film is mostly made up of.
This is a giallo so we really need to talk about the murder set-pieces. Well, this film falls a little short in this regard. It's certainly not devoid of them but they are few and far between. The opening dream-murder being probably the best on offer as well as a memorable burning car sequence. But this really isn't a particularly violent film. Still, I don't think it should disappoint too many seasoned fans of the genre. The mystery is fairly compelling and it has enough eccentric characters (the idiot boy Saro and THAT unsettlingly inappropriate dubbed accent?) and moments of the bizarre to satisfy; while the sleaze-factor is upheld with a smattering of nudity throughout.
Eye in the Labyrinth plays like a giallo version of an Agatha Christie mystery, as it features a group of unsympathetic characters in a villa, all under suspicion of murder; we have the obligatory flashbacks detailing their connections with the final hours of the (highly unsympathetic) murder victim. While this isn't a grade-A example of the genre, it's certainly an appealingly different one, as it doesn't borrow too heavily from other films of the sub-genre. For giallo enthusiasts I give this a thumbs up and hope one day it's given a nice DVD transfer. It certainly deserves the treatment.
- Red-Barracuda
- May 25, 2009
- Permalink
It's undeniable that "Eye in the Labyrinth" or "L'occhio nel labirinto" is a movie made with effort and care. That's most apparent in it's creative shots, overall flow of the movie and interesting story that, despite it's flaws, intrigues you as the viewer and urges you to continue watching. However, it is far from a giallo masterpiece. Biggest issue this movie has is that, Julie, the main character, is not particularly likable or interesting and that makes us not care for her. The whole thing also applies to character of her boyfriend Luca. We don't care for these people, and because of that everything else, from the story to it's numerous plot twists never hits as hard as it should. Some nudity is thrown in the mix, but nothing too interesting. All in all, I think that this is not a bad movie, but it's far from a great one some reviewers make it out to be. One thing is for certain. It's better than your average giallo made during the genre craze, but that's all it is. An above average giallo. 6.5/10! I recommend it to the genre fans and casuals who are interested in a nice crime movie.
- markovd111
- Dec 4, 2023
- Permalink
This "film" is so exciting stupid, that it's hard, I have no words to express, to describe the horror. Not the horror in the film, but the horror of this production. But look that slowly I realize to find the words to tell you that this is more than a waste of time, it is even an offense to the idea of cinema itself. But as anyone with some money and with a camera can make a movie, it can happen that the result be exactly what Mr. Mario Caiano did. Poor Rosemary Dexter, she has nothing in common with acting, she's so false in everything she does. Adolfo Celi, great great actor wasted in a throwaway production. Sometime, Alida Valli(very beautiful when she was young) was herself a great and very prolific talent. In other people's films(Carol Reed, Alfred Hitchcock, Michelangelo Antonioni, Gillo Pontecorvo, Luchino Visconti...) Horst Frank was too a charming actor, specialized in interpretations of villains, also in other people's films. That's it, nothing more!
- RodrigAndrisan
- Feb 25, 2017
- Permalink
This is a giallo that like "In the Folds of Flesh" released a year or so earlier, combines the traditional giallo formula with the kind of "pop"-Freudian nonsense that was big at the time in Europe especially, resulting in a movie that is pretty goofy but fun. A young woman (Rosemary Wilcox) is haunted by pop-Freudian dreams of her recently murdered psychologist (and lover), so for some reason she goes to a resort where the psychologist liked to hang out and becomes involved with a gangster (Adolf Celli) and the strange female resort owner (Alida Valli). Soon more murders occur involving the other guests at the resort, and it's not too hard to guess who is responsible.
The ridiculous portrayal of psychoanalysis in this movie makes even Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie" look realistic, but personally I find this kind of preposterous psychobabble, unbelievable plot twists, and bizarro dream sequences far more entertaining than most of your more realistic "psychological thrillers". There's also some solid acting talent involved here, especially Alida Valli and Adolf Celli as the two most obvious viallians. Lead Rosemary Dexter was originally casts as "Justine" in the Jess Franco film of the same name, but she was replaced American daughter-of-a-name actress Romina Powers, which is unfortunate because she proves here to be an infinitely better actress than Powers--and she gets naked a lot too. And speaking of getting naked, a young Sybil Danning also has a supporting role as a murder victim, pretty much doing what she always does in movies. (As with Linnae Quigley, I find Danning's early work much more interesting in that it is not ENTIRELY an excuse to show off her impressive nude torso).
This isn't one of the best giallo. And if you either hate Freud, on one hand, or take him very seriously, on the other, you may not like it too much. Generally though, I would recommend it.
The ridiculous portrayal of psychoanalysis in this movie makes even Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie" look realistic, but personally I find this kind of preposterous psychobabble, unbelievable plot twists, and bizarro dream sequences far more entertaining than most of your more realistic "psychological thrillers". There's also some solid acting talent involved here, especially Alida Valli and Adolf Celli as the two most obvious viallians. Lead Rosemary Dexter was originally casts as "Justine" in the Jess Franco film of the same name, but she was replaced American daughter-of-a-name actress Romina Powers, which is unfortunate because she proves here to be an infinitely better actress than Powers--and she gets naked a lot too. And speaking of getting naked, a young Sybil Danning also has a supporting role as a murder victim, pretty much doing what she always does in movies. (As with Linnae Quigley, I find Danning's early work much more interesting in that it is not ENTIRELY an excuse to show off her impressive nude torso).
This isn't one of the best giallo. And if you either hate Freud, on one hand, or take him very seriously, on the other, you may not like it too much. Generally though, I would recommend it.
That score is fantastic. For some reason the version I watched was close up, I hate how they make all movies like that nowadays, Jess Franco does that too. Gialli are almost always very much widescreen and zoomed out, I'm not sure what the technical terms are for this but i'm almost certain this one was originally shot that way and the film was recut or cropped. It just looks like it was originally shot in a much more widescreen way, and like I said, all gialli are. I wish I could have seen it that way because it would have made the movie better, and this isn't a bad movie by any means. The lead is not typical for a giallo film, she's very fresh faced and young, the typical giallo lead girl wears glamorous makeup and is a bit more alluring and sexy. Locations are gorgeous, but the decor and outfits are a bit underwhelming. The plot has a surreal dream logic to it that I really enjoy- where some might see plot holes I see atmosphere and a feeling of the oneiric. This was a good movie despite it's failings. There's no way it could ever be a classic, but it's good. If you're ever feeling bored, just wait for the ending... what an ending!!
- nick121235
- Aug 18, 2023
- Permalink
Excellent Julie! Excellent Julie!!!
That's what i hear them saying (if they weren't busy being stabbed and weren't um...) Im not sure where I was going with this..but on to the review Thefilm was rather interesting in a lot of ways. Firstly i suppose the hippie commune; an unordinary locale for the genre in my opinion but i've only seen a handful of this so called style which i guess is a giallo type of film. And in a way others have had similar scenarios but at least not on the italian coast.
Second the actors, the lady i foget her name but shes rather good. Austrian i believe; (i can't open the details while writing this) supposed next Garbo if memory serves. I like her. She was in Suspiria and basically every odd Gialli Ive seen.
Julie is a notch above decent If not very good . The guy from the Bond film I really enjoyed as well. I had apprehensions he would be a stiff for some reason as if he may have felr beneath these type of roles. Or rather the roll beneath he. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed. Reminds me of Leslie Nielson in a way. Nbc If Leslie was a fat Italian that is. Fine "portly'..
Thirdly the soundtrack (I could go with other things but Ill stop here). It created a bizzarre surreal atmosphere much like the Herscel Lewis film Wizard of Gore which I think works both here and there in some weird way.
Fourthly the somewhat original twist ending, the nuancitys of which recall a horrible recurring nightmare I have. I won't go into specifics for there could be people whom haven't seen this yet but Ill say it did rather come close to home with me.
That's what i hear them saying (if they weren't busy being stabbed and weren't um...) Im not sure where I was going with this..but on to the review Thefilm was rather interesting in a lot of ways. Firstly i suppose the hippie commune; an unordinary locale for the genre in my opinion but i've only seen a handful of this so called style which i guess is a giallo type of film. And in a way others have had similar scenarios but at least not on the italian coast.
Second the actors, the lady i foget her name but shes rather good. Austrian i believe; (i can't open the details while writing this) supposed next Garbo if memory serves. I like her. She was in Suspiria and basically every odd Gialli Ive seen.
Julie is a notch above decent If not very good . The guy from the Bond film I really enjoyed as well. I had apprehensions he would be a stiff for some reason as if he may have felr beneath these type of roles. Or rather the roll beneath he. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed. Reminds me of Leslie Nielson in a way. Nbc If Leslie was a fat Italian that is. Fine "portly'..
Thirdly the soundtrack (I could go with other things but Ill stop here). It created a bizzarre surreal atmosphere much like the Herscel Lewis film Wizard of Gore which I think works both here and there in some weird way.
Fourthly the somewhat original twist ending, the nuancitys of which recall a horrible recurring nightmare I have. I won't go into specifics for there could be people whom haven't seen this yet but Ill say it did rather come close to home with me.
- stevebreighner
- Jun 16, 2023
- Permalink
This is a cheat from the first frame. Unforgivable red herrings that make it impossible for the viewer to determine who the killer is. Beyond that, the only reason to watch is the very attractive cast, but anyone can find a better 70's horror mystery with pretty pulchritude. After an hour and a half, very disappointing. .
- thalassafischer
- Jul 26, 2023
- Permalink
(1972) Eye In The Labyrinth/ L'occhio nel labirinto
DUBBED
MYSTERY CRIME THRILLER/ PSYCHOLOGICAL
Co-written and directed by Mario Caiano that showcases Lucas (Horst Frank) being stabbed to death, and it was during the time Julie (Rosemary Dexter) wakes up concerned something bad had happened to him. At this point, viewers are oblivious what kind of a relationship she has with him, and why she cares so much. And upon her visit to an institution and another worker, a patient chants out Lucas is at "Maracudi". By the time she comes home, a thug happens to be looking for him as well. After he leaves and while she is cleaning up the mess the thug had made, she then goes through his address book and comes across the words, Maracudi and it is exactly where she drives toward. At this point her relationship with Lucas is still ambiguous until she meets Frank (Adolfo Celi), we find out the reason she cannot go to the police is because she is a foreigner and that her work visa is expiring presuming she must be employed by him. Another thug we find out later his name is Antonio (Gaetano Donati) is also trying to harm her after showing him of Lucas's photo. And after she loses her hand bag, it is not long before crosses paths with Frank again before he assists her accommodations by introducing her to the hotel manager and a painter, Saro (Benjamin Lev). Frank then retrieves her bag suggests her to visit a villa. It is there she meets the owner of the villa, Gerda (Alida Valli). It is then we meet her guests also staying with her are Eugene (Franco Ressel), Louis (Michael Mayen)- we find out is also Gerda's lover; Toni- the photographer and finally Thomas (Gigi Rizzi) and Corrine (Peter Kranz). And we know more about each of them as the movie is progressing as well how each of them have to do with Lucas.
On my first attempt to watching this, I thought it was kind of boring and sometimes inconsistent that reminded me of another movie. And that if I were to mention what movie this would have reminded me about here, it may be able be enough to help viewers to predict the person guilty of Lucas's murder. Anyways, this second attempt is not half as bad even though some of the scenes are still inconsistent.
Co-written and directed by Mario Caiano that showcases Lucas (Horst Frank) being stabbed to death, and it was during the time Julie (Rosemary Dexter) wakes up concerned something bad had happened to him. At this point, viewers are oblivious what kind of a relationship she has with him, and why she cares so much. And upon her visit to an institution and another worker, a patient chants out Lucas is at "Maracudi". By the time she comes home, a thug happens to be looking for him as well. After he leaves and while she is cleaning up the mess the thug had made, she then goes through his address book and comes across the words, Maracudi and it is exactly where she drives toward. At this point her relationship with Lucas is still ambiguous until she meets Frank (Adolfo Celi), we find out the reason she cannot go to the police is because she is a foreigner and that her work visa is expiring presuming she must be employed by him. Another thug we find out later his name is Antonio (Gaetano Donati) is also trying to harm her after showing him of Lucas's photo. And after she loses her hand bag, it is not long before crosses paths with Frank again before he assists her accommodations by introducing her to the hotel manager and a painter, Saro (Benjamin Lev). Frank then retrieves her bag suggests her to visit a villa. It is there she meets the owner of the villa, Gerda (Alida Valli). It is then we meet her guests also staying with her are Eugene (Franco Ressel), Louis (Michael Mayen)- we find out is also Gerda's lover; Toni- the photographer and finally Thomas (Gigi Rizzi) and Corrine (Peter Kranz). And we know more about each of them as the movie is progressing as well how each of them have to do with Lucas.
On my first attempt to watching this, I thought it was kind of boring and sometimes inconsistent that reminded me of another movie. And that if I were to mention what movie this would have reminded me about here, it may be able be enough to help viewers to predict the person guilty of Lucas's murder. Anyways, this second attempt is not half as bad even though some of the scenes are still inconsistent.
- jordondave-28085
- Nov 17, 2024
- Permalink
Giallo fans, seek out this rare film. It is well written, and full of all sorts of the usual low lifes that populate these films. I don't want to give anything away, so I wont even say anything about the plot. The whole movie creates a very bizarre atmosphere, and you don't know what to expect or who to suspect. Recommended! The only place I've seen to get this film in english is from European Trash Cinema, for $15.
Despite normal misgivings, I do enjoy the odd arty aesthetic in bloody, twisty Italian thrillers - or 'giallos' as cognoscenti know-it-alls like Marcus Hearn and Jonathan Rigby would have it - and 'Eye In The Labyrinth' has lots weaved within in it's meanderings ..
Julie's boyfriend, a noted psychologist, has gone missing and she ends up at a pink villa in search of him. Populated by its owner, Gerta, and a raft of sexed-up, druggy bohemians, killing starts straight away, and for a variety of aleatory reasons, Julie doesn't leave.
With obligatory jazz blaring and the plot all over the place, EVERYBODY and EVERYTHING is sinister. The murders are cheerfully vicious and, as you'd expect/hope in crude 1970's eurosleaze, uncalled for nudity and dirty talk take centre stage.
Lead, Rosemary Dexter, is a high-end smasher. A wisp of Jacqui Bissett about her, you're in love straight away.
Adolfo Celi - dubbed thick NYC, matching gaudy sports jacket - strides around trying not to give off guilty vibes before trying to rape Julie (I just read Dexter was also in 'For A Few Dollars More' - someone tried to rape her in that, too!). While Sybil Danning - setting herself for 'The Red Queen Kills Seven Times' - sunbathes.
*Celi's tailor should've been the first victim. Sprezzatura is a thing, but there's limits.
Add to all this, reams of fatuous profound dialogue and faux-enigmatic imagery and you can sit back and relax, safe in the knowledge 'Eye In The Labyrinth' amounts to not a fat lot. It can be enjoyed for its film-student tack and cheap audacity in the wee small hours - the apogee of an entertainment like this.
Incidentally .. if you're any way engaged in the 'tr*ns' debate - skip this one.
Julie's boyfriend, a noted psychologist, has gone missing and she ends up at a pink villa in search of him. Populated by its owner, Gerta, and a raft of sexed-up, druggy bohemians, killing starts straight away, and for a variety of aleatory reasons, Julie doesn't leave.
With obligatory jazz blaring and the plot all over the place, EVERYBODY and EVERYTHING is sinister. The murders are cheerfully vicious and, as you'd expect/hope in crude 1970's eurosleaze, uncalled for nudity and dirty talk take centre stage.
Lead, Rosemary Dexter, is a high-end smasher. A wisp of Jacqui Bissett about her, you're in love straight away.
Adolfo Celi - dubbed thick NYC, matching gaudy sports jacket - strides around trying not to give off guilty vibes before trying to rape Julie (I just read Dexter was also in 'For A Few Dollars More' - someone tried to rape her in that, too!). While Sybil Danning - setting herself for 'The Red Queen Kills Seven Times' - sunbathes.
*Celi's tailor should've been the first victim. Sprezzatura is a thing, but there's limits.
Add to all this, reams of fatuous profound dialogue and faux-enigmatic imagery and you can sit back and relax, safe in the knowledge 'Eye In The Labyrinth' amounts to not a fat lot. It can be enjoyed for its film-student tack and cheap audacity in the wee small hours - the apogee of an entertainment like this.
Incidentally .. if you're any way engaged in the 'tr*ns' debate - skip this one.
Alida Valli appears but sparingly in this, but she does steal the scenes in an otherwise rather hammily performed plod-thriller. It's all centred around "Julie" (Rosemary Dexter) who is perplexed about the disappearance of her psychiatrist boyfriend. She doesn't want to involve the authorities, so alights on the dubious "Frank" (Adolfo Celi) and that leads her to a beautiful seaside palazzo inhabited by an eclectic group of misfits. Almost immediately after she arrives, the guests start dropping like flies. Is she safe? Is she the culprit, even? Well, we have to wait for the fuse on this to burn, and it takes it's time. It's very wordy, and to be honest - not a great deal goes on for the first forty-five minutes. It's only at the villa does the action, such as it is, hot up and we start to feel a little sense of peril as we can gradually piece together what is, admittedly, a decent denouement that isn't quite what you might have expected. It's terribly over-scored with that early 1970s busyness that I found quite intrusive into the dialogue that really could have done with a better script editor. Standard fayre with a mediocre cast that passes the time but a film you will almost certainly never remember.
- CinemaSerf
- Aug 5, 2023
- Permalink
This is truly (as most great Italian Giallo's of the time) one of a kind, little gem! Just look at the casting, dazzling cinematography (all strictly invented with class in a cold/blue colors palette, and, despite its Summery setting!), then of course all the sets, another class act per se, since they never feel conventional, but, always, rather mysterious, and, creepy, without ever being silly, though, or exceedingly over the top, if anything, created with newer and unconventional set directors, obviously working hard to make look everything so sleek and rather chic, and, then again, all make up, costumes, and, so on.. all details just coming together to create a bewildering composition, rich of inventions, and, i am thinking, certainly making so fiercely the most, out of a shoe string budget, finally proudly achieving, while fully succeeding in delivering a straight - to the Silver Screen (let's not forget that main point also, and that is the fact these movies were actually going wide screen, in Cinemas back then, since, i mean, we had of course no video's, DVD's, pay-per-view, or streaming, at the time!)- very good product, never less than compelling! And, not only professional, but, very enjoyable, gripping, and, even somewhat, 'personal', in this particular case, i thought! Ah, I truly only wish Cinema in this lamer than lame 2010's decade, had really only a half of the virtues, you may find in here! Truly. The plot is intriguing, puzzling, disturbing, and.. never or rarely, plausible, but, then again, who wanted to go to the movies to point fingers on stretches of plausibility, while enjoying a movie like this one, back then? Nobody: they just wanted to be fascinated, entertained, and, slowly, but surely lured, and, brought into a World they had heard of, or might have imagined or lusted: this is a privileged world belonging exclusively to a certain upper class, and, more precisely, a colorful and erratic group of folks, all linked by some truly sleazy sexual habits, and a fondness for betrayal, while always cheating reality in favor of money, or other even more ambitiously cruel plots and sub plots! Mario Caiano confirms himself immediately (after a decade spent as an Assistant Director, or Production or Script Supervisor, proving that a career is always best, when built over strong premises, such as, an on set preparation, and with legit foundations over a rigorous camera's technique!) as a solid director with this very movie, that has an almost profound visual sense, and, for sure, an appreciation for morbid and conceptual stylization, without certainly lacking of a visionary, and (then) what must have felt as a terribly innovative grip (I remind you again this was shot in the Fall of 1971!) for story telling, and, it is too bad that later, Caiano was not always offered or granted to direct as freely as he is doing here! Would also like to add that, even though, always have been a big fan of Morricone/Nicolai's classic Giallo's scores, i still loved the music here, also: a very atmospheric, very dark, nourish Miles Davis sound, although, most of all, for me, the winner here is truly the whole visual composition, again, that is just exquisite for the most part, and, to say the least! The cast is also a treat, with great Rosemary Dexter, leading, and, with quite a powerful presence, an awesome ensemble of supporters, such as, legend (Alida)Valli (she was already divine as the lead of Hitchcock's hypnotic "The Paradine Case" in 1948, and of Reed's "The Third Man" in 1949, but, also, of Visconti's art house masterpiece "Senso", in 1955, and she truly had an International career that very few other stars could compete with: just look her up!) , and with the always excellent presence of great Adolfo Celi, of course, and one of the beauties is the always sublime, wildly sexy, Sybil Danning, less campy here, but in a way, even in a smaller role, still almost more interesting than her most famous "American" movies. And, a bravo also to all other numerous thespians, of course! These were truly all good actors, but, also gifted with great and unusual presences, faces,looks, moods.. Not like in films today where everyone looks like a Bank's clerk! And i wanna ask all clerks to forgive me, of course, but, it's just an obviously non personal, and, non extremely correct way of saying, i am just trying to stress here, on a point that is very important, people: back then, some movies were so much more rewarding, because all actors had looks, some extraordinary if not, at least, unusual virtues, and, unique or pretty or weird features, in order to interest, and, intrigue, and, to make you care more, about their characters, while, of course always also being watchable, and, i would even say here way more than watchable! All together,"L'Occhio nel Labirinto" is finally a terrific, if slightly unusual, Giallo, definitely showcasing successfully way more personal visuals, and, unsettling tones, which i very much admired thoroughly, and, that, for me, at least, made up exactly for what was at times lacking a bit, from the script, not always of first hand, but, still compelling for the Genre's standards!!! PS: Sorry, but was irate when reading some reviews that were left a few years ago,but, if you are here because you like Giallo's, just get the movie - if you are into this wonderful genre, again, and, if you love Euro, and, Italian films from that wonderful, unforgettable time of creativity and inventions, that were producing ultimately even great B fun movies to watch, such as this one! - just get on it! But, if you wanna be an intellectual you are on the wrong title, and, you should truly know it! OK? Just saying..
- Alexander-Ross
- Jun 19, 2013
- Permalink
- kevin_robbins
- May 1, 2021
- Permalink