BA_Harrison Someone is bumping off sexy women, inserting a venomous acupuncture needle into the back of the neck to render the victim helpless yet lucid, before getting busy on them with a knife. Investigating the series of grisly murders is Inspector Tellini (Giancarlo Giannini), who has serious doubts about his chosen career, and who unwittingly drags his own wife Anna (Stefania Sandrelli) into the web of murder and intrigue.The Black Belly of the Tarantula is a textbook giallo that does little to distinguish itself from countless other Italian murder mysteries of the day: there's the mysterious killer in black fedora, raincoat and gloves (albeit rubber gloves); a bevy of beautiful victims, most of whom get nekkid (some before they are killed, some after); stylish '70s architecture and interior design; a convoluted storyline with plot threads that go nowhere; a lush Ennio Morricone score; and a really dumb twist that takes an awful lot of swallowing.For many this tick-list of genre clichés will be enough, but I couldn't help but feel a tad underwhelmed by the film, which lacks the visual acumen of a director like Argento or Bava, the gory excess of Fulci, and not nearly enough of those weird touches that make certain giallos stand out from the pack. While it's impossible to be too hard on a film that features so many gorgeous Euro-babes in a state of undress (including a buck naked Barbara Bouchet and a topless Barbara Bach), the by-the-numbers nature of proceedings means that I cannot rate this higher than 6/10.

insomniac_rod One of the best early Gialli that offers the elements all we love from this sub-.genre in all of its glorious fashion. The atmosphere is fantastic and the script keeps you intrigued since the sexy opening. The death sequences are brutal and insane (all about the acupuncture technique to paralyze victims), and the dark tone of the film is perfectly displayed on screen. The fantastic performance of the Inspector, played by a very well known actor in this sub-genre, totally carries the weight of the film on his back. The only problem I find with the movie is the middle section of it, where it gets redundant and almost boring. However, it recovers near the climax.Die hard fans of the sub-genre will find amusing to notice "someone" really important from another fantastic Giallo, "The House of the Laughing Windows" (1978).

HumanoidOfFlesh A rubber-gloved killer is preying on jaw-droppingly beautiful and sinful Italian women.He kills his victims by inserting a long acupuncture needle into the back of their necks and mutilating their bellies with a knife.It's up to Inspector Tellini to catch an elusive slasher..."Black Belly of the Tarantula" is one of the most well-known Italian giallos of early 70's.It has three sadistic,misogynistic and very stylish murder sequences including my favourite one set in a fashion boutique.The plot is complex and the acting is pretty good.The killer in trenchcoat and hat is truly creepy.So if you are a fan of gialli you can't miss this cult classic.8 tarantulas out of 10.

lastliberal Bond aficionados will appreciate the opportunity to see three Bond girls in one film: Barbara Bouchet (Moneypenny in Casino Royal); Claudine Auger (Dominique in Thunderball); and Barbara Bach (Major Amasova in The Spy Who Loved Me).Barbara Bouchet starts the show parading around in her birthday suit before she falls victim to a serial killer who uses wasp venom to stun his victims so they can watch their deaths.Is the husband (Silvano Tranquilli) another OJ looking for the real killer? Giancarlo Giannini (Man on Fire and both of the Daniel Craig Bond films) is a police detective trying to find the killer. He constantly has a grim look on his face like he would rather be somewhere else.The entomology lesson on the wasp and the tarantula is as horrible as the murders.The first 30 minutes are the best before the film settles into a routine and then we get the surprise ending. Music by Ennio Morricone and superb photography make it enjoyable.Thankfully, I got to see it in Italian with subtitles.