Spidersecu Don't Believe the Hype

Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Witchfinder General 666 Paolo Cavara is doubtlessly best known as one of the directors of the Exploitation/Documentary cult-classic "Mondo Cane" (1962). The man doubtlessly also deserves credit, however, for his two fantastic contributions to the Giallo-genre, "La Tarantola Dal Ventre Nero" ("The Black Belly of the Tarantula" (1971) and "...E Tanta Paura" aka. "Too Much Fear" of 1976. "...E Tanta Paura" is an undeservedly little known, but excellent and stunning Giallo that delivers all the elements we love about the genre: A convoluted puzzle, stunning suspense, sadistic murders, sleaze, beautiful women, a wonderful cinematography, a brilliantly mesmerizing score,... even a great cast! "...E Tanta Paura" has a great premise - a murder series based on the stories in the somewhat creepy 19th century German children's book "Der Struwwelpeter" ("Shock-Headed Peter"). As a kid, I was fascinated by the macabre "Shock-Headed Peter" stories, which were originally meant to be educative but seem very morbid today. When I first read about this film, I thought that the stories must make fantastic, creepy Giallo-material; and they definitely do.Michele Palacido stars as Inspector Gaspare Lomenzo, who must one of the most likable film-detectives ever, and who has to investigate the 'Shock-Headed Peter Murders'. I do not want to give too much of the story away, but fellow Giallo-fans can look forward to a convoluted and compelling puzzle full of genre-typical yet original elements, such as hushed-up past crimes, and decadent orgies of the rich and immoral. Stylish and beautifully filmed, and accompanied by a brilliant and unforgettable score "...E Tanta Paura" is yet another proof that the Italian Giallo is the most elegant and compelling sub-genre that Horror has ever brought forth (along with old-fashioned Gothic tales). The film is full of wonderful 70s sleaze, the murders are sadistic, freakish and extravagant. Leading man Palacido is great in his role, and cult-siren Corinne Clery ("Histoire D'O", "Autostop Rosso Sangue",...) is likable and absolutely ravishing in the female lead. In good Giallo-tradition, the film's female cast includes several beauties, but Miss Clery is the most stunning one. The film's cast includes several Italian genre-cinema greats, such as the always-sinister John Steiner, as well as two international stars: the great Eli Wallach, and Tom Skerrit, who plays a small role. My only regret with this film was that Eli Wallach, who has been one of my favorite actors ever since I saw first him in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" (doubtlessly one of the greatest films of all-time) as a kid.As it is the case with most great Gialli, this film is so full of red herrings and convoluted details that I do not want to give a long plot description, as I don't wanna spoil any of the fun. I can say, however, that this gem delivers in all aspects, and that true Giallo fans can definitely not afford to miss it.

Coventry Paolo Cavara may not be the most famous horror director of Italy, but he certainly deserves the endless respect of true genre fans for the movies he made in the Mondo Cane-series and …his TWO genuine Gialli masterpieces! "The Black Belly of the Tarantula" is generally considered to be a classic in the genre, but this "Plot of Fear" is rather difficult to obtain and therefore still sadly underrated. This is an almost indescribably stylish Giallo-cocktail, properly blending together all the fundamental ingredients and many more. The plot is extremely convoluted, like it should be, and covers multiple themes including secret sex-networks, diamond smuggling and of course a bizarre series of grisly murders. The witty police Lieutenant slash playboy Lomenzo investigates several murders that are unquestionably connected, as the killer left behind drawings of a famous children's book on the victims' mutilated bodies. With the help of his ravishing new French girlfriend Jeanne, Lomenzo discovers that the murdered people were all members of a wealthy clique that secretly gathered to play kinky sex games. During one of these decadent gatherings, a young prostitute named Rosa accidentally (?) died and it looks as if someone is avenging her by eliminating all members one by one. I admit this brief description sounds like the repetitive premise of any regular textbook thriller, but I also assure you that the actual elaboration of the plot is much more twisted and engaging. Paolo Cavara maintains a constant level of high suspense and always adds new and misleading plot twists at the exact right times. The murders, although not specifically gory or shocking, are diverse and original! And they're definitely unpredictable, as one victims is even shot live on TV during an interview. "Plot of Fear" is also one of the most beautifully made Gialli I've ever encountered. Words can hardly describe how stylish Franco Di Giacomo's cinematography is and Daniele Patucchi's moody soundtrack also contributes a great deal to the overall tense atmosphere of the film. Lieutenant Lomenzo surely is one of the most humorist characters to ever appear in a Giallo film. His remarks against beautiful women and his rather awkward interpretation of police work often results is very comical sequences that help you to digest the confusing subject matter a little easier. There's a fair portion of sleaze and female nudity to enjoy, but it always remains tasteless, with the extended and clearly passionate love-making session between Jeanne and Lomenzo as an absolute highlight. The cast features several prominent and awesomely talented names, which makes it all the more difficult to comprehend why this Italian gem is still so obscure! "Plot of Fear" stars Euro-horror regulars John Steiner and Jacques Herlin and – most of all – features curious supportive roles of no less than Tom Skerritt (looking like a true Italian, but poorly dubbed) and Spaghetti Western legend Eli Wallach. 9 out of 10; I would have loved to reward it with an impeccable score, but the finale is slightly too grotesque to refer to "Plot of Fear" as entirely perfect.

christopher-underwood Likable, if not particularly stylish or violent despite the many and varied killings. Lots going on with all manner of activity including wild animals and wild women. Some interesting play with the emerging European cinematic interest in mixed race activity. The lovely Corinne Clery looks good all the time, both clothed and unclothed and everything moves along beautifully, if more than a little confusedly! Still, what's new with giallo, although this edges more towards cop-thriller without any of the giallo style present in the same director's Black Belly of the Tarantula. The music is as bit below par too but the complicated police investigations are carried out with some flair and the liberal peppering of naughtiness ensures there is never a dull moment.

hae13400 In a Milanese night, a masochistic man, Mattia Grandi, is strangled with the hands of a female prostitute in his house, and a middle-aged woman, Laura Falconieri, is killed with a spanner in the empty bus. In each case, the killer leaves a meaningful illustration of the children's book titled PIERINO-PORCOSPINO. And then the Naples-born Lieutenant Lomenzo, who is in charge of these cases, meets an informative model named Jeanne who tells him that there was an accidental sudden-death of a prostitute named Roza Catena at the meeting of a club named WILDLIFE'S FRIENDS in which the two victims participated... I think the whole story of this film is one of the most unique ones of the Gialli in the 1970s'. Indeed the concludingness of its serial murders seems to be too unique even for the serious Giallo lovers to gladly accept. But it is not unexpected one because most of the murders in this film are a little too large-scale to be conventionally concluded. And it should be add that the cool beautifulness of Corinne Clery, who superbly plays the enigmatic model, is highly appropriate for the very mystery this film has. Unfortunately, as a post-TORSO giallo, this film has something problematic; not only Daniele Patucchi's music but also Giovanni Capelli's special effects are definitely weak and almost minimalistic (except for the only one murder sequence which has unusually energetic music. Strangely enough, although most of the murder sequences of this film are disappointingly light, the same one is exceptionally gory, too.) Incidentally, this film has at least two prints. For instance, in the shorter print (and this not-Italian-but-English-speaking one seems to be so-called International Version), the murder sequence of Laura Falconieri is heavily cut, and therefore one can hardly understand what is precisely going on in the problematic bus. Indeed, in the problematic print, the victim is simply murdered without giving notice, and therefore it is no longer a murder sequence; it is rather a murder scene.