Eyeball (film)
This article is missing information about the film's production, and theatrical/home media releases.(July 2018) |
Eyeball | |
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Directed by | Umberto Lenzi |
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Cinematography | Antono Millan[2] |
Edited by | Amedeo Moriani[2] |
Music by | Bruno Nicolai[2] |
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Distributed by | Indipendenti Regionali[2] |
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Eyeball (Italian: Gatti rossi in un labirinto di vetro, lit. 'Red Cats in a Glass Maze') is a 1975 giallo slasher film written and directed by Umberto Lenzi.[3] It’s an international co-production between Italy and Spain.
Plot
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/John_Richardson_%26_Martine_Brochard_-_Eyeball_%281975%29.png/220px-John_Richardson_%26_Martine_Brochard_-_Eyeball_%281975%29.png)
Alma Burton, whose marriage to Mark, the owner of a marketing company in the U.S. state of Vermont, is on the verge of divorce, is supposed to go to a mental institution in New York for treatment. However, at the airport she changes her plans at short notice and travels via Barcelona to Miami, Florida.
While in the Spanish city, a tour group of American tourists, which includes the secretary Paulette Stone, the lesbian photographer Lisa Sanders and her African-American model friend Naiba, as well as several wealthy entrepreneurs, are exploring Barcelona's sights by bus. However, the traveling party is soon shaken by a gruesome incident: the mysterious murder of a local woman. The victim, a young girl, is brutally killed by a murderer wearing a red raincoat who also gouges out her left eye. Soon after, the attractive American Peggy becomes the unknown serial killer's next victim, causing consternation among the travelers.
The aging inspector Tudela, who is in his last week of work before retirement, takes over the investigation together with his young successor. The police are initially in the dark, but soon suspect that the perpetrator is in the group's environment, so that each of the travelers is formally classified as a potential murderer.
Mark Burton also soon joins the group, which includes his secret mistress, Paulette Stone. However, the series of murders does not stop, and Mark briefly fears that his unstable wife could be the murderer, as he once found her lying on the ground next to him with a bloody knife and one eye in her hand. He kept this incident quiet at the time and even covered up the traces so as not to endanger his marriage. He secretly thinks his wife Alma, who he currently suspects is somewhere in Barcelona, is a suspect. He initially kept this fact secret from the authorities.
Shortly after, Lisa Sanders is murdered, but before her death she manages to take an incriminating photo of the serial killer: Paulette, while Naiba interrupts the attack so that Paulette, contrary to previous crimes, does not mutilate her victim. Nevertheless, the series of murders does not stop and the number of tourists continues to decline until the serial perpetrator is caught red-handed at the end of the film. In the presence of Naiba and Mark, the inspector fatally injures Paulette, armed with a knife. It is revealed that her left eye is missing due to an accident when she was a child, hence her mutilation of the murder victims.
In the last scene of the film, the young inspector congratulates his experienced predecessor, who managed to solve the delicate series of murders within a week. Mark also makes a conciliatory phone call to his wife Alma, whom he gives another chance to save his marriage.
Cast
[edit]- Martine Brochard as Paulette Stone
- John Richardson as Mark Burton
- Ines Pellegrini as Naiba Levin
- Mirta Miller as Lisa Sanders
- Daniele Vargas as Robby Alvarado
- Andrés Mejuto as Inspector Tudela
- George Rigaud as Bronson
- Silvia Solar as Gail Alvarado
- Raf Baldassarre as Martinez
- José María Blanco as Inspector Lara
- Marta May as Alma Burton
- John Bartha as Mr. Hamilton
- Olga Pehar as Mrs. Randall
- Verónica Miriel as Jenny Hamilton
- Olga Montes as Peggy Randall
- Richard Kolin as Mr. Randall
- Rina Mascetti as Hospital Nurse
- Fulvio Mingozzi as Policeman
- Vittorio Fanfoni
- Francesco Narducci as Receptionist at Hotel Presidente
- Tom Felleghy as Coroner
- Lorenzo Piani
- Nestore Cavaricci as Policeman
- Carolyn De Fonseca as Gail Alvarado (voice)
- Laura Trotter as Murder Victim at Castle
Release
[edit]![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2018) |
Home media
[edit]The film was released on DVD by Sinister Film on January 1, 2014.[4] It was announced that 88 Films would release a Mega edition of the film on Blu-ray on August 27, 2018.[5] 88 Films announced a very special limited edition of the film to be released late November 2024 with brand new 4K Remaster from the Original Techniscope Negative presented in 4K Ultra High Definition Blu-ray (2160p), Italian and English audio and newly translated English subtitles.
Reception
[edit]![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2018) |
In his analysis of the film, author Louis Paul described the film as "entertaining" and "enjoyable".[6] The Terror Trap gave the film 3/4 stars, calling it "[a] Completely enjoyable giallo from Umberto Lenzi". The reviewer also commended the film's score, "bizarro plot", cast, and death sequences.[7] Justin Kerswell from Hysteria Lives! awarded the film 3/5 stars, stating that the film was director Lenzi's least accomplished giallo, but a'so stated that it was "a thoroughly entertaining 90 minutes of slasher trash".[8] Dan Budnik from The Bleeding Skull! called the film "a mighty entertaining giallo", and commended the film's atmosphere, pacing, and odd characters.[9]
TV Guide hated the film, calling it "worthless", and criticized the film's gimmicky villain.[10]
References
[edit]Bibliography
- Paul, Louis (1 August 2013). Italian Horror Film Directors. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-8749-3.
Notes
[edit]- ^ Fisher, Austin (2019). "Blood in the Streets: Histories of Violence in Italian Crime Cinema" (PDF). p. 206.
- ^ a b c d e f "Gatti rossi in un labirinto di vetro (1974)". Archviodelcinemaitaliano.it. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
- ^ Paul 2013, pp. 154.
- ^ "Amazon.com: Eyeball: Gatti Rossi in un Labirinto di Vetro: John Richardson, Martine Brochard, Umberto Lenzi, Ines Pellegrini, Andres Mejuto, Mirta Miller, Daniele Vargas: Movies & TV". Amazon.com. Amazon. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ Coffel, Chris (19 July 2018). "88 Films Set to Release Mega-Edition of Umberto Lenzi's 'Eyeball!' - Bloody Disgusting". Bloody Disgusting.com. Chris Coffel. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ Paul 2013, pp. 147.
- ^ "Eyeball (1974)". Terror Trap.com. The Terror Trap. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ Kerswell, Justin. "EYEBALL". Hysteria Lives.co.uk. Justin Kerswell. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ Budnik, Dan. "Eyeball (1975)". Bleeding Skull.com. Dan Budnik. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ "Eyeball - Movie Reviews and Movie Ratings". TV Guide.com. TV Guide. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
External links
[edit]- Eyeball at AllMovie
- Eyeball at IMDb
- Eyeball at Rotten Tomatoes
- Eyeball at the TCM Movie Database
- 1975 films
- 1970s crime thriller films
- 1970s serial killer films
- Films directed by Umberto Lenzi
- Films scored by Bruno Nicolai
- Films shot in Barcelona
- Giallo films
- 1970s Italian-language films
- Italian crime thriller films
- Italian horror thriller films
- Italian mystery thriller films
- Spanish crime films
- Spanish horror films
- Spanish thriller films
- 1970s mystery thriller films
- Italian serial killer films
- Spanish serial killer films
- 1970s horror thriller films
- 1970s slasher films
- Italian slasher films
- Spanish slasher films
- 1970s exploitation films
- 1970s Italian films
- 1970s Spanish films