Sette note in nero (1977)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Lucio Fulci

Writers:

Lucio Fulci (screenplay)
Lucio Fulci (story)

Release Date:

March 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery

Plot:

A clairvoyant woman, inspired by a vision, smashes open a section of wall in her husband's home and finds a skeleton behind it...

Plot Keywords:

Wall | Vision | Skeleton | Locked Up | Insanity

Cast

Jennifer O'Neill	...	Virginia Ducci
Gabriele Ferzetti	...	Emilio Rospini
Marc Porel	...	Luca Fattori
Gianni Garko	...	Francesco Ducci
Ida Galli	...	Gloria Ducci (as Evelyn Stewart)
Jenny Tamburi	...	Bruna
Fabrizio Jovine	...	Commissioner D'Elia
Riccardo Parisio Perrotti	...	Melli
Loredana Savelli	...	Giovanna Rospini
Salvatore Puntillo	...	Second Cab Driver
Bruno Corazzari	...	Canevari
Vito Passeri	...	Caretaker
Franco Angrisano	...	First Cab Driver
Veronica Michielini	...	Giuliana Casati
Paolo Pacino	...	Inspector Russi

Also Known As:

Murder to the Tune of the Seven Black Notes
Seven Notes in Black
The Psychic (USA)

Runtime:

95 min | USA:90 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Telecolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Italy:VM14 | France:-12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Arezzo Airport, Tuscany, Italy

Company:

Cinecompany

Goofs:

Factual errors: The opening sequence set in Dover England, and Florence Italy at the exact same time show the time set as 11:45. Continental Europe is one hour ahead of the British Isles time zone in which the time in Florence should read 12:45.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

Soundtrack:

With You

A decent murder mystery from Lucio Fulci.

Virginia Ducci (Jennifer O'Neill) is a decorator living in Italy who starts experiencing psychic visions. A skeleton is found walled up inside her new husbands' old house, but that is merely the start of the story, as Virginias' visions seem to point to some other crime - that may not have occurred yet.

Director Lucio Fulci really concentrates on story in this enjoyable giallo. He proves with films like this that he could do more than go for shock value; once he's gotten a graphic suicide out of the way (that is very reminiscent of a key death scene in "Don't Torture a Duckling"), doses of the red stuff become fleeting and the accent becomes more on the mystery and atmosphere. The plot has enough good twists and a definitely ominous feeling. It plods a little too much at first but eventually begins to really lay on the tension. The seemingly minor plot detail of a watch that plays the title "seven notes in black" really pays off in the end. Also, the idea that it is impossible to avoid the inevitable is well realized here.

The camera certainly loves the beautiful Ms. O'Neill in this one; there are plenty of close-ups of her face and zoom-ins on her eyes. She's okay, but her supporting cast is better: Marc Porel of "Duckling" as the helpful friend / parapsychologist, Gianni Garko as the husband, Evelyn Stewart as the husbands' sister, Jenny Tamburi as Bruna, and Gabriele Ferzetti as Rospini.

Restrained use of special effects, and an effective music score also satisfy in this agreeable film. If you enjoyed "Duckling", then you may enjoy this one as well.

7/10