The Bloodstained Shadow (1978)

After watching the Crimson Rivers last night, I decided to venture back into the world of vintage 1970s giallo. Of course, I had to wait until the Pirates defeated the Giants today so I could Raise the Jolly Roger here at the house, before I could get started. Fortunately, for me, I have a ventriloquist dummy here in the living room that holds the flag perfectly. Now let’s move on to the movie, the 1978 giallo The Bloodstained Shadow.

Plot/ The body of a schoolgirl is found in a meadow. The murderer is never caught, and years later; a young man named Stefano returns to the island and is reunited with his brother, the local priest.

While this was not the best giallo I have watched, it definitely had all of the elements except the dark leathers gloves. Sure, the story drifts a bit and some of the pacing draws it to almost a complete crawl, but those are the only major flaws (unless you count a lack of chemistry between some of the actors). This one has a great combination of cinematography, setting and score with some decent kills thrown if for good measure, not to mention some solid acting (even with the dubbing issues). In the end, it may not be a great giallo, but it was an entertaining flick that should be seen by fans of the genre.