The Black Belly of the Tarantula

This is a decent but not outstanding giallo flick. And giallo movies, at least the traditional ones, now all strike me as being very much the same. A mysterious killer, of whom we only ever see gloves and a stabbing weapon plus the back of a coat with a cap/hat, a bloody murder, an investigation, more gloves and murder, more investigations, the gradual endangerment of the detective and his loved ones, culminating with an effort to save them and reveal the identity of the killer at the last moment. Every time, there is a similar atmosphere and odd, baffling characteristics of the killer. Only the visual aspect occasionally stands out as being more refined, such as in Argento’s films. In this opus, there’s just more nudity and beautiful women, mainly at the beginning. The opening-credit scene with a massage to the strains of Morricone’s seductive music is the film’s best moment. (06/08/2020)

Overall, I must describe The Black Belly of the Tarantula as a very successful giallo. It's not a very explicit film, neither in violence nor nudity, but it's cleverly shot, maintains tension, and is enhanced by the excellent music of Ennio Morricone. It’s a bit obscure but also definitely a successful film that could serve as the definition of giallo. It's just a shame that the pace slows down towards the end, and the atmosphere isn't as strong anymore. (02/08/2014)

A giallo whose appeal resides solely in its poster with a tarantula, and which is as empty as a drum. And I hate to say this, but Ennio Morricone left me equally cold this time. (05/29/2018)