« A series of mysterious murders leaves the police without a single lead—until a dedicated commissioner steps in. Determined to halt the claw-wielding killer's reign of terror, he launches a meticulous investigation. The tangled mystery culminates in the killer's arrest, exposing him as an escaped prisoner out for revenge.» ["Dictionary of Italian cinema", by R.Chiti, … Continue reading The Man With the Claw/L’Uomo d’Artiglio (1931)

Publicity stills courtesy of Lombardia Beni Culturali According to the article below, The Haller Case was the first film to employ the term regista (meaning director). La Stampa 26th January 1979 Listing in La Stampa 12th Feb 1934 'The most extraordinary and dramatic events imaginable; a man driven into a life of crime against his … Continue reading The Haller Case/Il Caso Haller (1933)

«The 21:15 Train, which should stop at Crawford Station, passes by at high speed without stopping. Initially surprising everyone, this surprise soon turns to fear when they find out that the driver has been murdered. Who is the culprit? That's what detective Kennel must find out. The main strength, if not the only strength, of … Continue reading The 21:15 Train/Il Treno delle 21,15 (1933)

'When a vital naval treaty vanishes from an admiral’s private safe during a crowded villa party, a brilliant detective is called in to crack the case. Facing a house full of high-society suspects, he uses intense psychological pressure and sharp intuition to unravel the mystery and unmask the thief' « The film is undoubtedly superior to … Continue reading The Missing Treaty/Il Trattato Scomparso (1933)

Based on the Edgar Wallace mystery The Man Who Changed His Name - the recently-married young wife of a wealthy aristocrat becomes convinced her new husband is in fact a coldblooded murderer hiding behind a false identity. An early sound comedy-thriller from director Mario Camerini clearly playing on the success of the 'Giallo Mondadori' series … Continue reading Giallo (1934)

From a technical point of view, it’s a good film, with sharp cinematography, careful editing, and understated yet appropriate set design. Brignone, who has good instincts, understood that the little story about that dead man who isn’t really dead—and those three supposed murderers who can’t remember how they committed a crime that later turns out … Continue reading Darkness/Tenebre (1934)

Una signora della buona società, ex moglie di un ambasciatore Usa, si annoia e si appassiona alle storie poliziesche, leggendo gialli e fantasticando. Finisce per essere rapita per davvero, correndo dietro alle sue fantasie: sarà salvata da un poliziotto che lei crede un bandito... http://www.tototruffa2002.it/biografie/biancoli-oreste.html  

Renowned giallo author Ugo Palffy finds himself in the middle of a creative crisis as he struggles to come up with an idea for his latest novel and, more importantly, get it to his publisher on time. With barely a few hours to go before the deadline and hardly a word written, all hope seems … Continue reading Shiver/Brivido (1941)