La morte accarezza a mezzanotte

Death Walks at Midnight (Italian: La morte accarezza a mezzanotte, lit. 'Death Caresses at Midnight') is a 1972 giallo film directed by Luciano Ercoli.[1] The film was written by Ernesto Gastaldi, Guido Leoni, Mahnahén Velasco and Mannuel Velasco. It starred Susan Scott, Simón Andreu, Peter Martell, Claudie Lange and Carlo Gentili. The film was also released in English-speaking countries as Cry Out in Terror.[1]

Death Walks at Midnight
Directed byLuciano Ercoli
Produced byLuciano Ercoli
Alberto Pugliese
Written byErnesto Gastaldi
Guido Leoni
Mahnahén Velasco
Mannuel Velasco
Story bySergio Corbucci
StarringSusan Scott
Simón Andreu
Peter Martell
Claudie Lange
Carlo Gentili
Music byGianni Ferrio
CinematographyFernando Arribas
Edited byAngelo Curi
Production
company
C.B. Films S.A.
Cinecompany
Distributed byC.B. Films
Release date
  • 17 November 1972 (1972-11-17) (Italy)
Running time
103 minutes
Country
  • Italy
  • Spain
LanguageItalian

Plot

Fashion model Valentina (Susan Scott) agrees to help her journalist boyfriend Giò Baldi (Simón Andreu) research the effects of LSD. While under the influence of the drug, Valentina sees a man bludgeon a woman to death with a spiked gauntlet. Baldi publishes a report of her hallucinations; however, Valentina believes what she has seen is real. She begins to realise that the killer is stalking her, although neither Baldi nor the police will believe what she tells them.

Cast

Production

Death Walks at Midnight marks the third collaboration between director Luciano Ercoli and screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi, who had previously worked together on 1971's La morte cammina con i tacchi alti and 1970's Le foto proibite di una signora per bene.[2] Ercoli's wife Nieves Navarro, credited here as Susan Scott, featured in several of his other films, often in similar roles as "tough, independent" women.[3] The director's preference for this type of character has been noted as being inspired by fumetti, a form of Italian photonovel often featuring such roles.[4]

Release

Death Walks at Midnight was released in Italy on 17 November 1972.[5] It was released under that title in English by NoShame Films as part of a box set with Death Walks in High Heels, titled Luciano Ercoli's Death Box Set.[6] It has also been distributed under the title Muerte acaricia a medianoche.[7]

Reception

Writing for Allmovie, Robert Firsching gave the film one star out of five, calling it "laughably camp fun".[5] Writing for DVD Talk, Stuart Galbraith described the film as having "an exciting knock-down, drag-out climax". Reviewing the film alongside La morte cammina i tachi alti, Galbraith felt that La morte accarezza a mezzanotte had "a stronger, less-predictable screenplay [and] a bit more visual flair" than its companion film; he ultimately rated both films together three-and-a-half stars out of five.[6]

Footnotes
  1. Luther-Smith 1999, p. 29.
  2. Jane, Ian (March 9, 2006). "The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion : DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video". DVD Talk. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  3. Shipka 2011, p. 93.
  4. Shipka 2011, p. 95.
  5. Firsching, Robert. "La Morte Accarezza a Mezzanotte". AllMovie. Archived from the original on 24 June 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  6. Galbraith, Stuart (February 28, 2006). "Luciano Ercoli's Death Box Set (Death Walks on High Heels / Death Walks at Midnight) : DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video". DVD Talk. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  7. "BFI | Film & TV Database | La morte accarezza a mezzanotte". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 17 June 2012.

References
  • Shipka, Danny (2011). Perverse Titillation: The Exploitation Cinema of Italy, Spain and France, 1960–1980 (illustrated ed.). McFarland & Company. ISBN 0786448881.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Luther-Smith, Adrian (1999). Blood and Black Lace: The Definitive Guide to Italian Sex and Horror Movies. Stray Cat Publishing Ltd.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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