Italy, France, 1971
89m
35mm film, Cromoscope, Eastmancolor, 2.35:1
mono, Italian
A French/Italian giallo directed by Paolo Cavara.
Premise
A killer is on the loose, paralysing his victims before eviscerating them, aping the behaviour of black wasps killing tarantulas. A police inspector finds himself under increasing stress as he finds his chief suspects falling prey to the killer…
Credits
Crew
Directed by: Paolo Cavara
© [not given on screen]
A D.A. Ma Produzione Rome, P.A.C. Paris co-production
A film produced by Marcello Danon
Screenplay: Lucile Laks
Story by: Marcello Danon
Director of Photography: Marcello Gatti
Entomological Photography: Dr R.R. Tercafs
Edited by: Mario Morra
Music by: Ennio Morricone
Sound: Armando Bondani
Costume Designer: Fiorella Gaetano
Chief Make-up: Amato Garbini
Art Director: Piero Poletto
Cast
Giancarlo Giannini (Inspector Tellini)
Claudine Auger (Laura)
Barbara Bouchet (Maria Zani)
Rossella Falk (woman with mole)
Silvano Tranquilli (Paolo Zani)
Annabella Incontrera (Mirta Ricci)
Ezio Marano (masseur)
Barbara Bach (Jenny)
Stefania Sandrelli (Anna Tellini)
Giancarlo Prete (Mario)
Anna Saia (Zani's friend)
Eugene Walter (Ginetto)
Nino Vingelli (Inspector Di Giacomo)
Daniele Dublino (entomologist)
Giuseppe Fortis (psychiatrist)
Guerrino Crivello (informer)
Fulvio Mingozzi (director of clinic)
Giorgio Dolfin (policeman)
Carla Mancini (client at beauty parlor)
Alternative Titles
Black Belly of the Tarantula – USA
Med spindelns gift – Sweden
Salaperäinen tappaja – Finland
La tarántula del vientre negro – Spain
Tarentule au ventre noir – France
References
Periodicals
- CinemaTV Today no.9993 (12 August 1972) p.15 – review (by Marjorie Bilbow)
- The Hollywood Reporter vol.221 no.15 (11 May 1972) pp. 4, 15 – credits, review (by David Field)
- Monthly Film Bulletin vol.39 no.464 (September 1972) p.196 – credits, synopsis, review (by David Pirie)
Books
- The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror by Phil Hardy (ed.) p.243 – credits, review
- Film Review 1972-1973 p.213 – credits
- Horror and Science Fiction Films II by Donald C. Willis p.32-33 – credits
- Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.36 – credits
- Unsung Horrors by Eric McNaughton & Darrell Buxton (eds) pp.264-266 – illustrated review (by Christopher Underwood)
