THE BLOODSTAINED SHADOW (1978)

 

PHENOMENALITY: *uncanny* 
MYTHICITY: *fair*
FRYEAN MYTHOS: *drama*
CAMPBELLIAN FUNCTION: *psychological, sociological*

For what it's worth, this is the first giallo I've come across in which the setting was that of a small/mid-size town with a rural atmosphere, as opposed to being either in a big city or at some ritzy manor out in the country. Despite the less intense setting, director/co-writer Antonio Bido-- who only helmed one other horror-movie, the slightly earlier WATCH ME WHEN I KILL-- generates ample tension despite the lack of extreme gore or artsy murder-methods.

Young Stefano (Lino Capolicchio) seeks a rest-cure in a small island-town near Venice, though the viewer is not told what he's resting up from. On his way there, he shares a train-ride with a pretty if enigmatic young woman, Sandra (Stefania Casini). Stefano, reaching his destination, is welcomed by his older brother Don Paolo (Craig Hill), the Catholic priest of the community. Though everything seems like a typical low-key rural town, Paolo makes mention of some of the covert scandals to which he, as a priest, has been made privy.

In contrast to convention, it's not the visitor to the town who witnesses a violent murder that night, but the resident priest, who looks out his window and sees a killer in black gloves and a black overcoat assaulting a woman. Paolo rouses Stefano, but by the time they get outside, neither figure is present. However, the next day the cops find the woman's dead body; that of a local medium already mentioned in Paolo's gossip. Some mention is made of an unsolved murder in the village from many years back, though no connection is offered. Later, Paolo receives a note threatening him if he doesn't keep his nose out of things.

Stefano's little problem is still not explained, though the audience sees him having a few weird flashbacks to some forbidding experience. He meets Sandra again and she invites him to dinner, where Stefano meets Sandra's stepmother. Meanwhile, one of the local mothers appeals to Paolo to speak to piano teacher Pedrazzi (Massimo Serato, the only name I recognized), accused of getting handsy with underage students, even though the grey-haired eminence already lives with a twenty-something young man. In what is almost certainly meant to be a clue, Pedrazzi calls the righteous priest a "hypocrite." 

Other victims are targeted, though the only connection may be that some or all victims may have sought the services of the lady medium--with the exception of Paolo, who's almost crushed by a falling statue. Stefano eventually sleeps with Sandra, though the sex is kept at a pleasant PG level. Sandra is also briefly menaced, though the killer isn't explicitly seen. It's arguable that Bido provides a few too many red herrings, as is seen with a local female abortionist with a demented adult son, who seem to be added for shock value. Still, I liked both the atmosphere and the score by Goblin, famed for working on various Argento movies. Considering that the killer doesn't use any exotic weapons, Bido provides a fair amount of variety in terms of the killings.