(1971) ***1/2
This giallo was set quite a bit differently than the usual killer, wearing a great pair of Italian leather gloves, hiding in alcoves, picking off victims one by one. Gregory is a reporter who is found dead in a Prague, he is wheeled in to the morgue and that’s where we discover he is unable to move but is fully aware of what is happening around him. His mind is frantic as it becomes increasingly apparent, they are preparing him for an autopsy. We then are transported through his mind, to the events that led up to this nightmare. Gregory’s girlfriend Mira has disappeared in Prague, he and a close friend, also a reporter begin searching for her. They stumble upon a group of wealthy nutjobs who call themselves the Klub 99. Before he knows what’s happening he’s in trouble, neck deep.
This is the Klub 99, perhaps the 99 refers to their age? Really take a good look at these old folks sitting there looking all proper in their dreary old farty clothes. You learn to appreciate those clothes when they all get naked later in the film. Just the thought of it sends a chill down my spine.
Gregory was the Brad Pitt of his day.
It's never good when someone shows up dressed like this.
I found this interesting and quite bizarre for a giallo. The idea of being aware and unable to respond, while horrible things are happening to you freaks me out. I’ve seen this before in films like Serpent and the Rainbow (tetrodotoxin) and Awake (anesthetic awareness), what a nightmare! That is one of the worst situations I could ever imagine being in. Imagine trying to move or blink, commanding your body to respond with all your will and nothing. The story itself is pretty intriguing as well. This is what happens when a reporter goes poking his nose where it doesn't belong. I know one thing, If I ever stumble onto a club full of old whack jobs, I'm pretty certain I will turn tail and run away.
4 comments:
I read a novel about the anesthetic awareness thing - it may have been Awake, I can't remember the title. I do remember that the thought of it freaked me out - this sounds cool!
That last picture reminds me of Elton John :)
Hahahaha!
That awful Burrowers movie I watched had that going on. They poison their victims and bury them in a shallow grave so they can come back later and eat them. Even though the victims' organs have softened deliciously somehow, they're still alive right up until the eating.
Sounds good, right? Movie still sucked.
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