Movies

Il gatto a nove code (1971) Also known as The Cat O' Nine Tails, this is Dario Argento's second film, and the first I have gotten Donna to watch. Strangely, it is also the first of his films I ever saw, unknowingly viewing it in Buena Vista Colorado while on vacation with my mother. I don't recall what we thought of it at the time, but half a dozen scenes have stuck with me ever since, when many other movies have passed from my memory. Rather an over-elaborate muddle but filled with promise. Though his films came to indulge in far too much blatant stabbing and raping than I care for, one feature common to them all is that you can never, ever guess what will happen next. This one featured a baffling burglary at a genetics lab (and a completely off-the-wall "explanation" of the XYY chromosome idea) which leads to one murder after another, to be solved by blind puzzle-enthusiast Karl Malden and reporter James Franciscus. Argento movies often seem to be drawn out way too long, leaving one quite weary at the end, especially with the soundtrack (Morricone in this case) devolving into grating shrieks at tense moments, and there are plenty of tense moments. None of his movies are truly great, but all have a touch of greatness to them, being genuinely imaginative and innovative in both story and film technique. 7/10

Addendum: It should be noted that there is one scene shot in the composing room of a large newspaper, featuring dozens and dozens of linotypes. I always like to see linotypes in a movie.