Sei donne per l'assassino (1964)

Director:

Mario Bava

Writers:

Marcello Fondato (story)
Giuseppe Barilla (collaboration) ...
(more)

Release Date:

7 April 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The greatest shocks ever filmed

Plot:

Italian thriller about a shadowy killer in black murdering fashion models through brutal methods.

Plot Keywords:

Killer | Model | Diary | Killing | Fashion Model

Cast

Cameron Mitchell	...	Max Marian
Eva Bartok	...	Contessa Cristina Como
Thomas Reiner	...	Inspector Silvester
Ariana Gorini	...	Nicole
Dante DiPaolo	...	Frank Sacalo
Mary Arden	...	Peggy Peyton
Franco Ressel	...	Marquis Richard Morell
Claude Dantes	...	Tao-Li
Luciano Pigozzi	...	Cesar Losarre
Lea Lander	...	Greta (as Lea Krugher)
Massimo Righi	...	Marco
Francesca Ungaro	...	Isabella
Giuliano Raffaelli	...	Zanchin
Harriet Medin	...	Clarice (as Harriet White Medin)
Mary Carmen	...	Model (as Mara Carmosino)
Heidi Stroh	...	Bleach Blond Model
Enzo Cerusico	...	Gas Station Attendant
Nadia Anty	...	Model
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Frees	...	Multiple characters (uncredited) (voice: English version)
Goffredo Unger	...	Masked killer double (uncredited)

Directed by
Mario Bava

Writing credits
Marcello Fondato		(story and screenplay)
Giuseppe Barilla		(collaboration) &
Mario Bava		(collaboration)

Produced by
Alfredo Mirabile	....	producer
Massimo Patrizi	....	producer

Original Music by
Carlo Rustichelli

Cinematography by
Ubaldo Terzano
Mario Bava		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Mario Serandrei

Costume Design by
Tina Grani

Makeup Department
Marisa Laganga	....	hair stylist
Emilio Trani	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Benito Caripi	....	production manager
Armando Govoni	....	production manager
Franco Grifeo	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Priscilla Contardi	....	assistant director
Cristina Grieco	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Arrigo Breschi	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Vittorio Trentino	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Mario Mancini	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Lina Caterini	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Luciana Loschiavo	....	script supervisor
Piero Speziali	....	accountant

Production Companies

• Emmepi Cinematografica
• Les Productions Georges de Beauregard (as George de Beauregard)
• Monachia Film

Distributors

• Les Films Marbeuf (1964) (France) (theatrical)
• Cosmopolis Films (1964) (France) (theatrical)
• Allied Artists Pictures (1965) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Suomi-Filmi (1968) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Media Home Entertainment (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• Sinister Cinema (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• VCI Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• e-m-s the DVD-Company (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• VCI Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Big Sky Video (2009) (Australia) (DVD)
• Epoca (Argentina) (video)

Other Companies

• Digitmovies Alternative Entertainment  soundtrack

Also Known As:

6 Femmes pour l'assassin (France)
Blood and Black Lace (USA)
Fashion House of Death
L'atelier de la peur (France)
Six Women for the Murderer (International: English title) (literal title)

Runtime:

88 min | USA:84 min

Country:

Italy | France | Monaco

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:MA (2009) | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | France:-18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

A.T.C. Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Emmepi Cinematografica

Trivia:

For its original release in America the distributors disliked Bava's opening credits that showed the cast posed around the salon in a series of creative tracking shots. The distributors had new opening credits made that showed a series of macabre animations of mannequins being shot.

Quotes:

Inspector Silvester: Perhaps the sight of beauty makes him lose control of himself, so he kills.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dream House (2009) (V)

Visually beautiful but brutal thriller

Visually, this may be one of the most stunning films you will ever see. The photography, framing, lighting and use of colour is unequalled in this genre of film making from this era. The fluidity of the camera-work is remarkable and repays repeated viewings to appreciate it fully. The only thing that may make this difficult going for some is the English dubbing so see it with subtitles if you can. The acting is not great and in some places will bring about laughter where it was not intended ditto the actions of some of the victims. The murders are gruesome and graphic even in the cut version of this film and must have been truly shocking to audiences in 1964. The excellent music score fits perfectly with the fashion house setting of the story and the models are beautiful.