WatchMeWhenIKill

Watch me when I Kill (1977)

This nifty little mystery opens up with a pharmacist being killed in his shop. A beautiful young singer sees the killer, but doesn’t realize it at the time. After someone breaks into her home she realizes that the killer might be after her and together with her boyfriend tries to figure out who is after her and why. But as they dig deeper things get more confusing and more people are murdered. I don’t want to spoil anything, but they do get to the bottom of the mystery that goes back years earlier. The movie is wrapped nicely with a satisfying twist at the end.

I really enjoy a good Giallo, which is nothing more than a stylized murder mystery. Watch me when I kill is a pretty good one with an interesting story that will keep your attention from start to finish. As is the case with the best examples of the genre there are enough red herrings to keep you guessing as to the identity of the killer. Though I did figure out the motives behind the murders through the clues that are given I was surprised as to who was behind it. But when the killer is revealed it makes perfect sense. Not only that but the ending is pretty cool and has a nice little twist to it. The cast does a fine job, but there aren’t any stand out performances. This is one of those movies where you will remember the story, but not and of the actors. If you think about it that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

If I were scoring the movie, which since I’m reviewing it I guess that I am, I would have to knock a few off for the kills. While all the kills are very creative, including death by stew, they aren’t very bloody. My favorite Giallos always have some memorably bloody kills tossed in. Watch me when I kill is sort tame compared to those. Other than that the movie is very solidly made with good camera work and lighting. This goes a long way towards setting up a couple of cool jump scares that don’t feel forced and are part of the fun. One other thing that I wanted to mention was the music. The soundtrack for this movie sets the mood perfectly and has that cool European vibe to it that lets you know right away what you are in for. If you are a fan of the stuff coming out of Italy in the 70s and 80s you know what I’m talking about.

I really recommend that everyone check out Watch me when I Kill. If you are a fan of Giallos then I think you will dig this excellent example of the genre. This is also a great movie for those new to the genre to try out. For more information check out the VCI website at www.vcientertainment.com/

3 out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer