Paolo Cavara's 1971 giallo THE BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA
is one of the finest giallo films ever produced, a multi-layered, complex mix of
giallo and poliziotto mechanisms that manages to be both misogynistic and
gruesome while still being accessible and entertaining. It boasts one of the
most remarkable casts in giallo history and while it never quite reaches the
level of visual invention of Argento and Martino, it is a stunning film to
behold. This is one of those films that you wouldn't change a single frame of
if you were given the chance. It is simply perfect the way it is, a grim,
bloody, thrilling murder mystery.
THE BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA has one of those
long-winded giallo plots that don't quite lend themselves to simple plot
synopses but I'll give it a go. Maria Zani is found murdered just a few hours
after her husband receives a photograph of her with another man. The cop in
charge of the case, Inspector Tellini, believes the husband might be to blame.
When another woman turns up dead (and a search of the building results in a
stash of cocaine) the plot thickens. But Tellini isn't quite convinced that the
drugs and the murders are connected, and neither is Maria Zani’s husband,
Paolo. He's taken on finding the killer himself. Soon enough, a few more women
have been murdered, Paolo is dead and Tellini realizes that everything that has
been happening can be traced back to a posh beauty treatment facility run by an
enigmatic woman named Laura. Hmm... not a good synopsis but what are you going
to do? Saying anymore would ruin the film.
THE BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA is steeped in sexuality.
From its opening scene of Barbara Bouchet getting a naked rubdown to the
revelation of the killer's motives, sexuality is of vital importance to the
film. Fetishized murder, a tactic used throughout the giallo film, is
particularly strong here. The killer uses long acupuncture needles to
immobilize his victims, all beautiful women, before taking a large blade to
them. The first murder in the film is a mishmash of imagery - a phallic needle,
breasts, eyes, a long, sharp knife - all culminating in a shot of a champagne
bottle spilling its contents onto the floor. This visualization of deviant
sexual impulses through not-so-subtle imagery continues through the whole film
and is married with a storyline about infidelity, rage, desire, sexual
humiliation and domination. Inspector Tellini is marked as the hero of the film
not only by his status as a Police Inspector but also by his relationship with
his young wife, the only truly healthy relationship in the entire film, and his
desire to make a better life with her.
Probably best known for his work on the MONDO CANE series of
films with Jacopetti, Cavara has constructed a film full of striking imagery. The
film's standout scene, a chase through a room full of mannequins, is tense and
visually masterful. Cavara's use of focus pulls, quick, rapid fire editing and creative
mise en scene creates one of the best murder set-pieces the giallo film has to
offer. It's only a very brief segment of the film but it is the film's best. Cavara's
use of the mannequins in the foreground and background accentuates the feelings
of paranoia and helplessness and the final coup de grace delivered by the killer
is made all the more disturbing by the victim's blank stare and the subtle
touch of having her slump forward slightly as the killer pulls the knife from
her stomach. A later chase on a rooftop provides a nice jolt of adrenaline but
nothing, not even the final, brutal showdown between Tellini and the killer,
tops it.
As you would expect from a film produced by Marcello Danon,
all of the talent behind and in front of the camera is top notch. Much is made
of the fact that THE BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA boasts three Bond girls in its
cast. While none of the three - Barbara Bouchet, Claudine Auger, and Barbara Bach
- were ever really known for their acting chops, all three do fine work here
and all three contribute to the combined beauty of the cast. Stefania Sandrelli
and Annabella Incontrera round out the eye candy while Rossella Falk, Silvano
Tranquilli, and Giancarlo Giannini provide the muscle. Also of utmost
importance to the film's success are two behind-the-scenes names. Marcello
Gatti's cinematography is crisp and beautiful and Ennio Morricone provides yet
another amazingly evocative score. From top to bottom, you won't find a better
ensemble of actors and filmmakers and together they have created a true classic
of the giallo film, easily one of the best of its kind.