I'm pretty sure I have never sen this before. I had a ropey video copy that I never got round to watching and later a DVD but still wasn't particularly drawn despite a certain fascination with the death's last image on the retina theory. With a new Blu-ray the time seemed right so in it went. It starts well enough and if we have seen many similar theatrical set ups from Argento, this may have been the first. But almost immediately a problem arises, Michael Brandon lacks presence and Mimsy Farmer plays it very flat indeed (in retrospect one realises this is because of what will be revealed about her) but it does not help. A scene with the maid in the park is very lacklustre until it leaps into life with a narrow passage way and cobwebs, although our interest in the maid is nil. There are flashes of style and glimmers that this might rise up but the writing is so uninteresting and then there are those Italian stereotypes and Argento's total inability to inject humour. I know that many Italian movies of this time would suddenly go all wobbly if there was a hairdresser or photographer or interior designer - you get my drift and the most awful camping about would ensue for a couple of minutes - here it seems interminable and completely spoils any build up in the very slender story. Having said all that, the final quarter of an hour is great. Mimsy comes alive and Argento shows just why he is so loved and how he would produce several masterpieces - just not this time around.
