By the late eighties, the Giallo genre had almost completely dried up with only the great Dario Argento's releases, along with a handful of other films, being anywhere near seeing. One film that is certainly a part of the worthwhile non-Argento efforts is this one; as while it's a ling way from being perfect, what we do have here is a strong mystery storyline fused with a good atmosphere - and what more could you ask for from a Giallo? The original Italian title is a cause for confusion as it suggests the film to be a sequel to the (also rather good) 1985 Giallo Nothing Underneath; although the two films are unrelated. Too Beautiful to Die focuses on the production of a music video for a band named 'Blade'. Naturally, the director wants the video to involve blades; and several shiny blades take centre stage. The star of the show later resists the advances of a powerful man in a Jacuzzi, and she soon winds up dead. The police begin to investigate; and it's not long before more people involved with the production turn up as corpses.
Director Dario Piana creates a really good atmosphere for the film and clearly has a good understanding of what the Giallo genre is all about. There's a blue tint that features throughout and the director makes good use of the post-apocalyptic style of the music video at the centre of the film. It's also very much a product of the time it was made; the film features that 'trashy eighties' style throughout and the director is not afraid of implementing some extremely tacky eighties music as well. Of course, it's the murders that will have most viewers tuning in; and while they're not on par with the goriest of the genre, they are none too shabby either and plenty of the red stuff gets spilled in inventive ways. It has to be said that the film is a bit messy and certain moments can drag more than a little bit; but there's always a tense chase scene or gory murder just around the corner to keep things exciting. It all boils down to a well thought out and somewhat surprising ending that has the added advantage of actually making some sense! I can't say that this is an absolute must see for genre fans, but it's certainly well worth tracking down. Recommended.
