A Blade in the Dark

The film A Blade in the Dark has an incredibly slow pace, which is reflected in its excessively long duration. For example, Dario Argento had a similar duration in his legendary film Deep Red, but throughout, there was substance to it. The impression of the length of A Blade in the Dark is also spoiled by the fact that the dialogues are really strange and don't contribute much to the film. They are forced, and you feel like you're listening to someone reciting rehearsed lines rather than following real characters. Of course, they are actors, but they should strive for the most realistic portrayal of their characters possible. Despite all the criticisms, however, Bava's film cannot be rated completely below average, and that's for the simple reason that there are elements here that stand out. First and foremost, it's the music, and secondly, the tension that occasionally sneaks into the film. It's just a shame that the creators didn't play with it a bit better and didn't try to sustain it. When the buildup to a really suspenseful scene finally came, it was soon interrupted by a cut. Maybe the mistake happened in the editing room, I don't know, but it's a pity. A shorter and better-edited film would stand out significantly above average. (12/21/2013)

The characters deliver their dialogue as if they have an IQ of 80 and the English dubbing also degrades the actors’ performances (which are nothing special to begin with). However, the film works in technical terms. The visual aspect isn’t quite as well done as in Dario Argento’s works (it’s not even in widescreen), but in combination with the impressive music and the slow pace of the narrative, it creates nice suspense and mystery that holds your attention and is even absorbing in places. A Blade in the Dark is a somewhat goofy but technically very well-made giallo thriller with everything this genre needs. (05/07/2004)