EYEBALL (1975)

3 stars

88 Films. Limited edition UHD and Blu ray. 2nd December 

EYEBALL (original Italian title Gatti Rossi in un labirinto di vetro) is number 45 in 88 Films ongoing Italian Collection and is giallo horror from Umberto Lenzi. It has an interesting opening with flash cuts.

Alma Burton (Marta May) is on a flight to Barcelona and seems rather stressed. Meanwhile we are introduced to a bunch of characters on a bus tour around that city. The group arrive at their hotel – including Paulette Stone (Martine Brochard). Later they are off to the famous Las Ramblas – a young girl Peggy (Olga Montes) is attacked and stabbed by a red glover killer. Reverend Bronson (Jorge Rigaud), who is part of the tour, discovers her – she has been knifed in the eye! Whilst a crowd forms including Paulette, Mark Burton (John Richardson), who knows her, turns up. 

He has apparently left his ill wife Alma (our agitated plane passenger) – but Paulette tells him she doesn’t want to just be a plaything. Next day they both join the visit to a fairground, despite the lashing rain, and they are all kitted out in red plastic rain coats… similar garb to the killer who is on the loose. On the ghost train, another murder and another victim with their eyeball pierced. Can the police catch this mad murderer before any more ocular activity!? Could it be one of them?

This is a gory giallo, with bloody killings, stylishly shot – throw in the casual nudity, groovy fashions great locations and a plot that throws up plenty of suspect and you have an entertaining thriller, even if it is not Lenzi’s best in this genre. Apart from the homicides, much of the film is taken up with the various ramblings of the vacationing tourists visiting the sights. The machinations eventually lead to a somewhat bonkers reveal. The music score by Bruno Nicolai is good but a bit relentless!

Working from a new 4K remaster taken from the original negative, the image is sharp and colourful with a good level of grain.

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS

4 stars

Three Audio Commentaries – one with Troy Howarth, Nathaniel Thompson and Eugenio Ercolani, one with Critics Kim Newman and David Flint and one with The Hysteria Continues

An Eye For Murder – An Interview from 2018 with Martine Brochard. (20 mins) WARNING: Don’t watch this before the film. Leaving France and ending up in Italy. Doing her first film there with duo Franco and Ciccio. Meeting her first husband which didn’t go well. Becoming a sex symbol. Other films in her career. Making Eyeball and working with Lenzi etc.

Genre Maestro – An Interview with Umberto Lenzi by Eugenio Ercolani (17 mins)

The Wandering Eye[ball] – A Visual Essay by Mike Foster (13 mins)

Locations Featurette – scenes from the film edited together with footage of how the locations are now. Set to the Nicolai score 

Plus English “The Secret Killer” Title Sequence; English End Credits; Trailer Reel and Reversible sleeve featuring new art by Graham Humphreys and original Italian poster