Another Unita review, this time of Steno’s comic thriller Il terrore con gli occhi storti from 1972.
Of the hundred odd productions by Dino De Laurentiis it’s hard to find any of a quality vintage. This story about two guys – played by the rampant Alighiero Noschese and Enrico Montesano – is more evidence for the prosecution.
With a strong sense of bad taste, the two comics are placed in a sinister parody of the Bel Air massacre, in all its macabre reconstruction; a bloody tale of ox blood and satanic rites in Trastavere. Of the film, it’s enough to say that, in comparison, the films of Franchi and Ingrassia seem to be works of a higher level. The director of the film is Stefano Vanzina, who wisely hides behind his pseudonym Steno. Among the actors there is also – poor unfortunate – the excellent French character actor Francis Blanche.
Note: Here’s an obscure film which, despite the terrible review, looks rather interesting to me. The Bel Air events which the reviewer refers to are, of course, the Manson murders, and the idea of a slapstick comedy based on the events seems brilliantly distasteful. The plot revolves around two artists who, in order to try and make themselves famous, decide to murder a friend, but things don’t work out as planned. Is this available anywhere?
