EYES OF CRYSTAL (2004)

Cast

Plot

A serial killer is on the loose in an unnamed Italian city, a killer that removes parts of his victims, replacing them with the corrosponding parts of a life-size antique 'companion' doll. Inspector Amaldi is on the trail but as his investigations deepen, the answer to the killer's macabre puzzle may be a lot closer to home than anyone suspects. A vicious serial killer with a twisted modus operandi, a tormented police detective and a beautiful young woman in peril, all the requisite ingredients of the giallo genre (pulp death and sex thrillers so named because of the yellow covers of the books this style of movie is based on that were popular in 1970s Italy), with a modern day 'Seven' inspired grunginess. While the claims that Puglielli threatens to usurp Dario Argento as the King of Italian giallo/horror are vastly overblown, his first major release is a welcome return to the genre that offers an interesting alternative to the usual thriller fare served up in Hollywood. It's dark, beautifully photographed and competently acted (which is where Argento's films often fail) but, sorry Eros, Dario still rules!