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My Dear Killer
Directed by Tonino Valerii
Released: 1972
Starring: George Hilton, Salvo Randone, William Berger, Manuel Zarzo, and Patty Shepard
Running Time: 102 minutes
DVD Released By Media Blasters/Shriek Show
A man is killed in what appears to be a steam shovel accident. When the steam shovel operator also turns up dead, Inspector Luca Peretti (George Hilton) takes the case. As more brutal murders occur, Peretti makes a connection with the Moroni case, a kidnapping which resulted in the deaths of a little girl and her father. Even though the Moroni case had been closed for more than a year, it is clear that the killer is planning a cover-up and will stop at nothing to succeed. Peretti becomes obsessed with solving the case and comes closer and closer to unmasking the vicious murderer.
It’s hard to find a Giallo tighter than My Dear Killer. Director Tonino Valerii’s only contribution to the genre is a fine one. The camera work is flawless and the lighting is perfect (although never flashy) in every scene. There is particularly excellent transition into a flashback that is so smooth, it is mouth watering. Ennio Morricone’s soundtrack is tense and quite disarming in all the right places.
Giallo regular George Hilton (Case of the Bloody Iris,
All the Colors of the
Dark) puts in an especially interesting performance. Inspector Luca Peretti is a great protagonist, flawed and brilliant at the same time. The bewitching veteran Italian actress Marilù Tolo plays Luca’s girlfriend who is at her wits end with his obsession with work. The rest of the movie is populated with sleazy and cynical characters, which serves the plot well because no one can be trusted.
The problems with My Dear Killer are small in number but signifigant enough to warrant mentioning. First of all, this movie is heavy on plot. The first few times I watched this, I thought there were too many loose ends. Later, I realized that the plot is just so freakin’ complex. There is a bunch of detective work going on so if you don’t enjoy Giallos laced with police procedural, then you might get a little restless.
Also, the gore effects however gruesome they may be, look a little dated now. The lamest death scene is a strangulation that takes about 4 seconds. It’s a good thing people aren’t really that easy to strangle or an army carrying nothing but scarves could take over the planet. In the film’s favor, the opening death scene with the steam shovel is quite an eye opener.
Overall, this is a superb film and belongs in any Giallo collection. You may be scratching your head a few times while ingesting the bucket of plot the film serves up but there’s plenty of action and Euro-sleaziness to keep your eyes glued to the screen. Be careful, though, these Giallos are addictive and
My Dear Killer will leave you wanting more.
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