The term giallo (plural, gialli) refers to Italian-made crime thrillers that feature excessive violence and stylish visuals. In addition, these stories usually involve strong elements of horror, eroticism, and suspense.
These films would often involve a mysterious killer whose identity isn’t revealed until the last act. They were popular from the 1960s to 1970s before declining and eventually being replaced by modern slasher films—of which they had a significant influence.
A Brief History of Giallo
It all started in the late 1920s when an Italian publisher, Mondadori, began putting out Italian translations of British and American mystery writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, Agatha Christie, and Raymond Chandler.
This series of books were called “Il Giallo Mondadori”, and had a distinctive yellow background on their covers. Giallo means “yellow” in Italian, and these covers are where this genre derives its name from.
They proved popular with readers, with other publishers putting out their own versions, even mimicking the yellow covers. Because of this, giallo soon became synonymous with mystery novels.
The giallo eventually made its way into film, referring to any kind of horror thriller or murder mystery film. They began as literal adaptations of giallo novels but soon advanced as filmmakers experimented with different techniques.
Later on, many of the themes, techniques, and characteristics of giallo were absorbed into the American slasher genre.
Characteristics of Giallo
Here are the common characteristics of a giallo:
1. Excessive Violence
Gialli often feature a lot of violence and gore. Scenes that feature murder, torture, and blood are stylized with a focus on aesthetics and are usually accompanied by musical scores.
2. Erotic Themes
Many Giallo films also include eroticized themes and imagery such as nudity and sexual violence. Their purpose is to create a sense of excitement and unease, heightening the audience’s expectations and the weight of each scene.
3. Mystery and Suspense
Giallo films have intricate plots that sometimes border on convoluted. In them, there’s often a mysterious killer who commits a series of gruesome crimes.
This killer would usually wear black gloves (which are often shown in close-up shots), adding to the mystery as even their hands are hidden. Suspense builds as the audience tries to figure out who the killer is.
4. Stylish Cinematography
Gialli are known for their striking visual style that often involves dramatic lighting, bold colors, and creative camerawork.
Their cinematography was further heightened by music that range from intricate orchestra scores to progressive rock. Both visuals and sound create a surreal atmosphere that enhances the film’s horror and mystery.
Examples of Giallo
Here are some examples of Giallo to help you get acquainted with the genre:
The Cat o’ Nine Tails
A reporter and a blind man team up to investigate a series of murders connected to a pharmaceutical company’s genetic research. Their investigation catches the killer’s attention, who adds them to his list unless they stop searching for answers.
The Girl Who Knew Too Much
A young woman travels to Rome and witnesses a murder. However, a corpse can’t be found and the authorities believe it is a hallucination. Soon after, a series of murders occur, all pointing to a decade-long killing spree committed in alphabetical order.
A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin
A woman’s recurring nightmares of LSD and sex turn to violence, with her stabbing her seductive neighbor to death. She wakes up and finds her neighbor dead in real life. Did she really commit murder, or has someone read the dream diary she’s kept and framed her for it?
Seven Blood-Stained Orchids
A killer is on the loose, slaughtering the women of Rome and leaving bloodied medallions at each crime scene. A newly married couple must follow the clues from the bride’s vague recollections of her past to unmask the killer and stop the killings.
What Have You Done to Solange
A series of gruesome murders begin occurring in a Catholic girl’s school. All are connected to one of the students, who mysteriously disappeared. With his freedom on the line, an adulterous professor must search deep within the school to search for the truth.
Deep Red
While passing by a window, a musician witnesses a black-gloved figure murdering someone with a cleaver. He teams up with a professor to crack the case, but ends up being hunted by the same killer he’s trying to find.
Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key
A drunkard writer passes off boredom by regularly inviting guests to parties and tormenting his wife. Suspicion falls on him when a local woman dies. Bodies begin to pile up as clues are revealed, new characters arrive and double-crosses are made.
Giallo’s Legacy
Giallo has a lasting effect on cinema, especially with horror and mystery films. Its most noticeable influence is with the slasher genre, which still uses a lot of the themes and tropes that giallo uses.
Even films outside of the slasher genre borrow from giallo’s stylistic choices. Splatter films liberally use gore. Erotic thrillers mixed sex with murder. Giallo’s formula simply had many elements that could easily be copied, whether cinematic or narrative.
Have you watched a giallo film? Share your experience in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 11 Best Mystery Book Series that Will Keep You Guessing
- 10 Best Agatha Christie Books: Discover the Queen of Mystery
- 14 Best Mystery Authors to Read Now
- 25 Best Mystery Books That Will Keep You Guessing
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
