Clap, You're Dead (1974)

A gloved killer murders women during the shooting of a movie.

Director:

Mario Moroni

Writers:

Roberto Mauri, Mario Moroni

Stars:

George Ardisson, Annabella Incontrera, Ivano Staccioli

Cast

Cast overview:
George Ardisson	...	Inspector Menzel
Annabella Incontrera	...	Lucia
Ivano Staccioli	...	Richard Hanson
Belinda Bron	...	Fanny
Antonio Pierfederici	...	Benner
Carlo Enrici	...	Ross, scrittore
Renzo Ozzano	...	Sergente Bert Malden

Storyline

A gloved killer murders women during the shooting of a movie.

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Plot Keywords:

giallo | 

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Also Known As:

Ciak, You're Dead

Company Credits

Production Co:

Comet

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

User Reviews

As camp as a row of tents

Camptastic rare Giallo here which might even border on post-moderism and be a bit of a piss-take. Kind of like Scream without all the annoying know-it-all characters.

A film is being made by an eccentric jerk director who seems to making it all up as he goes along, much to the annoyance of his scriptwriter. Most of the cast are annoying too, and one actress has just had a hissy fit and sacked electrician Hanson. Next thing you this girl has her throat slit and a tan-coloured gloved killer is on the loose. Uh-oh! Time to bring in those cops.

You'll be glad to know there's not much plot to be going on with, but the thanks to the director the cops have a clue: A shadow appearing in shot during the actresses' last scene. Things build up nicely as we have two witnesses to this, and plenty of suspects to choose from as the killer works his/her way through the cast. Do I need to even say that the director insists on continuing to make the film?

Suspects include the director and his assistant who seems to avoid the cops, the scriptwriter, the electrician and some posh babe, although I have no idea what her role was. There's not a lot of murders but there are many silly scenes, from an actress attacking sexism in the film industry while completely naked to a very drawn out dance sequence where the band follows an actress around while she dances. The director's various tantrums spice things up a bit and the policeman's sidekick comes in for a lot of abuse from his superior. There is also a huge amount of jump scares, from dangling feet to someone seemingly just throwing a cat at an actor.

The film is nicely paced for the most part, but then spends a huge amount of time on a chase sequence with the guy you is the red herring. This lasts about six hours but finally the film picks up things again as the director insists on every male cast member and staff getting dressed up in masked and running around the theatre which makes things go all post-modern as he becomes the focus of the last scene of the film, and the film within the film.

I think sometimes people take these things too seriously. This might not be the best giallo ever made, but it's a load of campy old fun. I liked it. So sue me.

Don't though, because I need that money for curry.