The Fifth Cord (1971)
aka Giornata nera per l’ariete
Genre: Giallo | Crime | Mystery | Thriller
Country: Italy | Director: Luigi Bazzoni
Language: Italian or English (2 separate Audio Tracks)
Subtitles: English (Optional, embedded in Mkv file)
Aspect ratio: Widescreen 1.85:1 | Length: 92mn
Bdrip H264 Mkv – 1280×696 – 23.976fps – 4.37gb
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067134/
After a high-class party in Rome, there’s an assault. The victim is injured but lives. Andrea, an investigative reporter who drinks too much, is assigned the story. Then, always on Tuesdays, there are a series of murders. At each crime scene, a glove is left with a finger cut off for each victim. After four murders, Andrea thinks he’s making progress, but by this time he may himself be a suspect, and someone he loves is in danger.
Excellent giallo, with just a touch more of the thriller about it than is usual. Direction is assured, camera-work innovative and exciting with all the performances solid, especially the charismatic Mr Nero. The killer does not restrict themselves to women here, for a change, and has a go at men women and children. Fast moving and most entertaining with no pause for any ponderous detective work.
Super stylish with amazingly spacious apartments, swirling staircases and contemporary concrete and glass splendour of late 60’s Italian architecture. Last but by no means least a lovely understated but truly effective and sparingly used Morricone soundtrack. It’s not a lot more than the same enigmatic theme repeated with various orchestrations but it helps the work enormously, as does the splattering of what sound like industrial music and also the silences, especially for the murders, no crashing crescendo, simply unnerving silence. A fave.
Superb cinematography by V. Storaro (he was Bertoluccis favourite DoP), he did several Giallos but this one & Bird with the Crystal Plumage stand out as visually striking. Nero’s intense here and Silvia Monti is stunning. I like this cover a lot.
Thank you NLZ!