Italy, France, 1971
83m 27s (USA video – Silver Star), 95m 44s (UK), 100m (France), 101m (USA), 103m (West Germany), 105m (Italy)
35mm, Techniscope, Eastmancolor, 2.35:1
mono, Italian
An Italian horror film directed by Dario Argento. It opened in the UK on a double bill with Robert Aldrich's Ulzana's Raid (1972).
Plot Summary
Rock drummer Roberto Tobias is being followed by a mysterious man. He confronts his stalker and accidentally kills him. The incident is captured by a photographer wearing a bizarre puppet mask who then embarks on a plot to drive Roberto insane.
Credits
Crew
Directed by: Dario Argento
© 1972 by Seda Spettacoli S.p.A.
Seda Spettacoli, Rome/Universal Prod. France, Paris
Produced by: Salvatore Argento
Written by: Dario Argento
Original Story by: Dario Argento, Luigi Cozzi, Mario Foglietti
Lighting Cameraman: Franco di Giacomo
Film Editor: Françoise Bonnot
Music Composed by: Ennio Morricone
Sound Engineer: Mario Ronchetti
Make-up Artist: Giuliano Laurenti
Hairstylist: Paolo Borselli
Special Effects: Cataldo Galiano
Production Designer: Enrico Sabbatini
Locations: Turin, Italy; Milan, Italy; Rome, Italy
Filmed at In.Ci.R-De Paolis – Rome
Cast
Michael Brandon (Robert Tobias)
Mimsy Farmer (Nina Tobias)
Jean-Pierre Marielle (Gianni Arrosio)
Aldo Bufi Landi (pathologist)
Calisto Calisti (Carlo Morosi)
Marisa Fabbri (Hilda)
Oreste Lionello (Professor)
Fabrizio Moroni (Mirko)
Corrado Olmi (porter)
Stefano Satta Flores (Andrea)
Costanza Spada (Maria)
Francine Racette (Dalia)
Bud Spencer (Domenico (Godfrey in English language version))
Dante Cleri (‘2person' coffin salesman)
Guerrino Crivello (Rambaldi)
Gildo di Marco (postman)
Tom Felleghy [real name: Tommaso Felleghy] (Commissioner Pini)
Leopoldo Migliori
Fulvio Mingozzi (music studio manager)
Stefano Oppedisano
Alternative Titles
Four Flies on Grey Velvet – UK/USA title
Four Patches of Grey Velvet
Quatre mouches de velours gris – French title
Quattro mosche di velluto grigio – alternative spelling
Vier Fliegen auf grauem Samt – German title
Links
Extracts included in
Il mondo dell'orrore di Dario Argento (1985)
Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-rama Show Southern Style Vol.2 (1995)
References
Periodicals
- CinemaTV Today no.10015 (20 January 1973) p.23 – note (For Registration)
- CinemaTV Today no.10018 (10 February 1973) p.8 – credits, synopsis, review (The new films by Marjorie Bilbow)
- Delirium no.26 (2021) pp.12-14 – illustrated interview with Luigi Cozzi (King Cozzi by Chris Alexander)
- European Trash Cinema vol.2 no.6 p.17 – review
- Filmfacts vol.15 no.16 (1972) pp.365-367 – synopsis, credits, reprinted reviews
- The Hollywood Reporter vol.218 no.5 (24 September 1971) p.13 – credits
- The Hollywood Reporter vol.222 no.22 (2 August 1972) p.3 – review (by Alan Swyer)
- Monthly Film Bulletin vol.40 no.470 (March 1973) p.56 – review (by David Pirie)
- Rivista del cinematografo no.2 (February 1972) p.106 – review
- Variety 19 January 1972 p.6 – review (by Werb)
Newspapers
- LA Times 4 August 1972 IV:11 – review
Books
- Art of Darkness pp.276, 297 – credits; video data
- The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror by Phil Hardy (ed.) p.240-241
- Dario Argento by Maurizio Baroni and Marco D'Ubaldo pp.22-33 – illustrations, credits
- Euro Gothic: Classics of Continental Horror Cinema by Jonathan Rigby pp.233, 253
- Film Review 1973-74 by F. Maurice Speed (ed) p.220
- Horror and Science Fiction Films II by Donald C. Willis p.139-140
- Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.146 – credits
- The World of Fantasy Films by Richard Myers p.32
