Two Giallogy posts in the same week? And back-to-back, no less? To what do we owe this treat? Well, Cold Eyes of Fear (971), that’s what. However, I must admit up front that Enzo G. Castellari’s film isn’t really a giallo at all. It’s more of a languidly paced home invasion thriller. When a man whisks a whore away from a kinky theater performance about a sexy, lingerie-clad woman being attacked at knifepoint in her bedroom, he brings her back to his uncle’s pad. As he’s trying to get into the prostitute’s easy-access dress to have his way with her, they discover a dead body and meet two home invaders intent on revenge against the man’s uncle, a judge, who isn’t even home. A tense psychological standoff between the man, the whore, and the home invaders ensues.
If none of that sounds like a giallo to you, well, you’d be correct. Cold Eyes of Fear is not a giallo. There is no mysterious, black-gloved serial killer hiding in the house where most of the film takes place. While it’s not narratively a giallo, there are some very strong giallo-esque stylistic choices throughout, which might be why the film is often incorrectly categorized as one. The opening theater scene feels very giallo, while the acting and soundtrack wouldn’t be out of place in a giallo either. There’s even some quick, zooming closeups of various character’s eyes, which is very giallo as well.
I’m writing about it here, really, as an excuse to show off these deliciously stylish shots, especially the ones featuring the film’s two smoking hot women, Karin Schubert as the sexy actress from the opening, and Giovanna Ralli as the sultry working class whore in the easy-access dress. Cold Eyes of Fear is also notable for its ass-kickin’ score by the legendary composer Ennio Morricone. With visuals like this and a soundtrack like Morricone’s, Cold Eyes of Fear is well worth watching, even if it does drag considerably in the middle and it’s only giallo-adjacent.
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