The Black Belly of the Tarantula

This is a decent but not outstanding giallo flick. And giallo movies, at least the traditional ones, now all strike me as being very much the same. A mysterious killer, of whom we only ever see gloves and a stabbing weapon plus the back of a coat with a cap/hat, a bloody murder, an investigation, more gloves and murder, more investigations, the gradual endangerment of the detective and his loved ones, culminating with an effort to save them and reveal the identity of the killer at the last moment. Every time, there is a similar atmosphere and odd, baffling characteristics of the killer. Only the visual aspect occasionally stands out as being more refined, such as in Argento’s films. In this opus, there’s just more nudity and beautiful women, mainly at the beginning. The opening-credit scene with a massage to the strains of Morricone’s seductive music is the film’s best moment. (08/06/2020)

A giallo whose appeal resides solely in its poster with a tarantula, and which is as empty as a drum. And I hate to say this, but Ennio Morricone left me equally cold this time. (29/05/2018)

Overall, I must label the film "La tarantola dal ventre nero" as a very well-made giallo. It is not that explicit in terms of violence or nudity, but it is cleverly directed and the creators maintain tension throughout. Additionally, the excellent music by Ennio Morricone adds to the experience. It is a slightly overlooked but definitely successful film that could easily serve as a definition of giallo. It's just a shame that the pace slows down a bit towards the end and the atmosphere is not as strong. (08/02/2014)