Delirium (1987)
"Le foto di Gioia" (original title)

This spaghetti horror's storyline revolves around a former hooker (Grandi) running a successful men's magazine. An obsessed admirer systematically slaughters her models (occasionally ... See full summary »

Director:

Lamberto Bava

Writers:

Gianfranco Clerici (screenplay), Luciano Martino (story),

Stars:

Serena Grandi, Daria Nicolodi, Vanni Corbellini

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Serena Grandi	...	Gioia (It.) / Gloria (Eng.)
Daria Nicolodi	...	Evelyn
Vanni Corbellini	...	Tony
David Brandon	...	Roberto
George Eastman	...	Alex
Trine Michelsen	...	Kim (as Katrine Michelsen)
Karl Zinny	...	Mark
Lino Salemme	...	Inspector Corsi
Sabrina Salerno	...	Sabrina
Capucine	...	Flora
Loredana Petricca
Lionello Pio Di Savoia
Beatrice Kruger	...	(as Béatrice Kruger)
Gianni Franco
Marcia Sedoc	...	Kelly

Storyline

This spaghetti horror's storyline revolves around a former hooker (Grandi) running a successful men's magazine. An obsessed admirer systematically slaughters her models (occasionally increasing the magazine's output) and supplies the mistress with pictures of their disfigured corpses taken in front of her semi-nude posters visible in the background. Is she going to be the psycho's next victim?

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Plot Keywords:

running | model | red dress | female nudity | slasher | 

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

3 April 1987 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Delirium: Photo of Gioia

Filming Locations:

Incir De Paolis Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dania Film, Devon Film, Filmes International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dario Argento was at one point attached but pulled out due to script changes.

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Connections

Referenced in Coupling: Dressed (2001)

User Reviews

Well Put Together...Like Its Star!

Lamberto Bava followed up his nonsensical splatterfests "Demons" and "Demons 2" with the far less sanguine but infinitely more coherent giallo thriller "Delirium" (1987), aka "Photos of Gioia." In this one, voluMptuous Serena Grandi plays Gloria, publisher of a men's nudie mag called "Pussycat" (a character possibly based on Christie Hefner, who had assumed the helm at "Playboy" five years earlier), whose models have lately started to be gruesomely done away with by a serial killer. Many suspects abound, including Gloria's personal assistant (played by giallo vet Daria Nicolodi), her gay photographer, the wheelchair-bound Peeping Tom across the way, her duplicitous ex-lover (George Eastman), and a lesbian publishing rival (portrayed by Capucine, in one of her last roles). As far as those murders go, they are a fairly tame lot (for the viewer, that is!), employing a pitchfork, bumblebees (the bee attacks in the 1967 British film "The Deadly Bees" were much more hideous) and the usual slashings. We get to see some very interesting POV shots through the killer's eyes, and regard the victims as having eyeball and bee heads! Yes, this killer is one sick puppy, and his/her motivations, when ultimately revealed, are pretty friggin' twisted. Don't even try to guess, is my advice; just sit back and enjoy Serena's toothsome presence (the gal looks great in a soaking-wet negligee!), several genuinely suspenseful sequences (the one with the killer stalking Gloria through a department store is particularly good), the sumptuous sets, and Bava's often-flashy directorial touches. "Delirium" is not a top-drawer giallo, but it is well put together (like its star!), entertaining and often gripping. Nice work, Lamberto; papa Mario would have been proud!