Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Scott LeBrun "The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion" is a good entry into the Giallo genre, with a plot (concocted by Ernesto Gastaldi and Mahnahen Velasco) that's actually pretty easy to follow. It does have some twists along the way, but never gets overly convoluted. Director Luciano Ercoli takes full advantage of the Techniscope aspect ratio (2.35:1) to fill the screen with colour and detail. Some devotees of the Giallo may not find it to be completely satisfying as it really isn't all that sleazy, and it certainly isn't ever gory. Mostly, Ercoli uses the film as a means of showcasing the charms of his dynamic and luscious actresses, Dagmar Lassander and Nieves Navarro (Ms. Navarro would become Ms. Ercoli two years later).Lassander plays Minou, the bored wife of businessman Peter (Pier Paolo Capponi), who is accosted by a stranger (Simon Andreu) on a beach one night. It seems as if he intends to rape her (and indeed, this depraved man does have sex on the brain), but what he does is he warns Minou that her husband is a killer and is not to be trusted. Minou ends up caught in his blackmailing scheme, and when she tries later to convince people of what has been happening to her, there's no evidence to back up her claims.Lassander is a pleasure to look at, and delivers a sympathetic performance as well; Navarro is a saucy delight as her friend Dominique. Capponi is engaging as Peter, and Andreu does look like he is having a good time playing the creepy blackmailer. Osvaldo Genazzani as the police inspector and Salvador Huguet as Peters' associate George round out the principal cast. These performers and filmmakers do a creditable job of holding your attention and interested in how things will develop, although some viewers might predict where it's going on prior to its resolution.With outfits and music that strongly evoke this era (Ennio Morricone composes a nicely mellow score), this is worthy of viewing for lovers of the more exploitative side of Italian cinema.Seven out of 10.

Witchfinder General 666 "Le Foto Proibite Di Una Signora Per Bene" aka. "The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion" (1970) is the first of three Gialli by Luciano Ercoli, the others being the fantastic "La Morte Cammina Con I Tacchi Alti" ("Death Walks With High Heels", 1971) and the decent "La Morte Accarezza a Mezzanotte" ("Death Walks At Midnight", 1972). This is actually a highly unusual Giallo as it lacks the usual violent and stylish murders almost entirely; however, it makes up for the lack of bloodshed with a hugely compelling plot that will tantalize the viewer from start to finish.When walking alone at night Minou (Dagmar Lassander) is attacked by an assailant (Simón Andreu). He does not rape her, but blackmails her with supposed proof of her husband Peter's (Pier Paolo Capponi) role in a murder. And it isn't money that the blackmailer is keen on.... Scripted by the great Ernesto Gastaldi, whose impressive filmography as a screenwriter includes Ercoli's other two Gialli and numerous others as well as several of the works of master directors like Mario Bava, Antonio Margheriti and Sergio Martino, "Forbidden Photos..." has a fascinating and constantly tense plot full of intrigue, red herrings and sexual perversions. The film is often referred to as a very 'sexy' Giallo; while the film has a plot filled with sex, it isn't explicit though, and actually quite tame for Giallo standards (there is no explicit filmed nudity, just some nude photos of sexy Nieves Navarro are shown). The film is almost blood-less and doubtlessly one of the least goriest Gialli ever made.The cast is entirely great. All three of Ercoli's Gialli star Spanish actress Nieves Navarro and her countryman Simón Andreu. Andreu is great in the role of the sex-crazed blackmailer and the ravishing Miss Navarro is once again fantastic in her role of Minou's nymphomaniac friend. Dagmar Lassander ("Hatchet for the Honeymoon") fits perfectly in the leading role of the victim, she seems incredibly vulnerable and innocent. Pier Paolo Capponi ("Il Boss", "Cat O'Nine Tails", "Seven Blood-Stained Orchids") is once again great in his role. The film has a wonderfully elegant, typical early 70s look and the cinematography is fantastic, even by high Giallo Standards. The score was composed by none other than Ennio Morricone, needless to say that it is brilliant and perfectly increases the tension and atmosphere. In spite of a very low violence-level, "Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion" manages to be an incredibly suspenseful Giallo-experience from start to finish. My personal favorite film by Ercoli is still "Death Walks with High Heels", but this one comes very close and is an undeniable must-see for any Giallo fan. Highly Recommended! My rating: 8.5/10

Woodyanders Beautiful, but sexually repressed young housewife Minou (a marvelously luminous performance by luscious redhead stunner Dagmar Lassander) gets assaulted on the beach by a cunning blackmailer (a compelling portrayal by Simon Andreu) who tells Minou that her struggling businessman husband Peter (smoothly played by the handsome Pier Paolo Copponi) is a fraud and a killer. Minou's world becomes topsy-turvy as the blackmailer plots to seduce her and she gives in to her previously neglected carnal desires. Director Luciano Ercoli, working from a sharp script by Ernesto Gastaldi and May Velasco, relates the engrossing story at a snappy pace and does an expert job of creating and sustaining a captivating sensuous and mysterious atmosphere. Although the sexuality featured in this film is pretty hot and kinky, it's nonetheless handled with surprising taste and restraint; the sex never becomes too graphic or sleazy, which in turn actually heightens rather than diminishes the overall deliriously erotic tone. Moreover, there's also an infectiously sly and bouncy sense of playful humor evident throughout which further enhances the movie's considerable entertainment value. The acting is uniformly sound, with a delightfully sassy turn by the lovely Nieves Navarro as Minou's racy and uninhibited best gal pal Dominique rating as a particular stand-out. Alejandro Ulloa's crisp, sparkling cinematography gives the picture an attractive glossy look. Ennio Morricone's lush, bubbly, harmonic score likewise hits the saucy spot, with Edda Dell'Orso's exquisite soaring soprano singing dreamy wordless vocals like some kind of naughty fallen angel. The nice surprise ending neatly wraps things up in a solid and satisfying way. Good, crafty and spicy fun.

Camera Obscura THE FORBIDDEN PHOTOS OF A LADY ABOVE SUSPICION (Luciano Ercoli - Italy/Spain 1970).Luciano Ercoli can be called many things. He might not be the most innovative director, but he definitely is the king of fashion, with all the women dressed up in some truly outrageous '70s outfits. His muse Nieves Navarro in particular parades through the film in some truly skimpy outfits, resulting in unintentional campyness. When talking camp, watch the dancing scene in the club in the beginning of the film with Dagmar Lassander. In God's heaven, this is one tacky dancing scene we're watching. All the men are in suits, the women are outrageously dressed, the music is a hallucinate boggle of easy-listening tunes James Last wouldn't even dare to come up with and the way they dance (how do you even dance to this kind of music?) is truly a perfect showcase of tacky '70s euro-nonsense. Guilty. Case closed. Still, it's a complete riot when watching it now and that's probably why I enjoy these films so much. In all his three Gialli, FORBIDDEN PHOTOS, DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS and DEATH WALKS AT MIDNIGHT, Ercoli presents his story from a female perspective, but they are presented as utterly helpless when dealing with the various male perpetrators and chauvinist male detectives surrounding them. Even husbands or boyfriends, or any male capable of help turns out to be just as malevolent as all the blackmailers, wife-beaters and murderers. Nudity level and body count are low, but as a mystery it's actually much more effective than most Gialli, stylishly filmed, well acted and permeated with intrigue, blackmail and fetishistic violence, supported by a groovy Ennio Morricone score. Although graphic violence is restricted to a minimum, Dagmar Lassander has to undergo quite the ordeal with a mire of sedatives, alcohol and sleazy sex and strange conversations with the assertive bisexual figure of Nieves Navarro. She repeatedly keeps hearing from all male characters: "Get undressed!" Just imagine this film, which was extremely obscure and hardly ever seen until its DVD-release in June 2006, sold almost 638,000 tickets in Spain alone according to the IMDb, probably largely due to the appeal of Spanish-born Nieves Navarro (over 2 million admissions in Europe is my guess). Blue Underground presents the film without an Italian audiotrack, but - surprise, surprise - the English dubbing is actually quite good now, which is always a major bonus. Camera Obscura --- 7/10