The Black Belly of the Tarantula (1971)

A police inspector has to find a crazed serial killer who paralyzes his victims using an acupuncture needle before disemboweling them while they watch helplessly in this Giallo from director Paolo Cavara.  To make matters more complicated the police inspector, Tellini, must also sort out a ring of blackmailers operating from an upscale health spa.  Is the killer a member of the spa that is responsible for the blackmail?  Or could it possibly be one of the victims of the ring getting his or her revenge?  This one will keep you guessing until the end!   

The Black Belly of the Tarantula is one of those movies that starts off with a great deal of promise, but ends up being an average film.  The story starts off interesting and engaged me as a viewer right away.  There is plenty of skin on display early on, and the first kill of the film is brutal and effective.  But it all goes downhill from there as the killings become very tame and are committed off camera.  And while the film promises a little bit of sleaze and nudity early on it fails to deliver much the rest of the way.  The story is filled with several false suspects, as one would expect.  But unfortunately the suspects are involved in a blackmailing scheme that ends up not having much to do with the actual story, and just serves to bog the movie down.  Additionally the movie spends way too much time dealing with the Inspector’s home life, which has nothing to do with the murders.  The cast is very good and is a real strength of the movie. Giancarlo Giannini is especially good as Inspector Tellini, and is asked to carry much of the movie.  Not only does he do a fine job carrying the film, but makes the inspector a real character that isn’t sure he wants to be on the police force anymore.  I’ve not seen this sort of reluctant hero in a Giallo before and felt that it was an interesting twist. 

Technically this movie is fine.  It lacks the visual creativity of an Argento or Bava movie, but is competently put together.  Effects wise the movie is a mixed bag.  The first kill is very well done with a close up of a knife cutting thru a woman’s torso.  While not a difficult or innovative effect it looks great on camera, which makes the rest of the kills very disappointing.  It isn’t that the kills look bad; the filmmakers just didn’t make any effort to show anything else the rest of the movie. 

As Giallos go this is a pretty weak effort.  But if you have watched everything else and are looking for something new to watch then The Black Belly of the Tarantula is worth a rental or purchase if the DVD is cheap enough.  But be warned this movie is average.

2 ½ out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer

© Copyright John Shatzer 2010