The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion

This is a slightly unusual giallo. In fact, it is debatable whether it is actually a giallo at all, as there is no knife-wielding black-gloved assassin and there are no murders to speak of. Strictly speaking, this is a mystery movie with a giallo feel. The gialloesque elements come in the form of an eye-catching title, stylish camera-work, great interior decor, a Morricone score, a convoluted mystery, sleazy undertones and the usual quota of beautiful looking women and hideous looking men. In other words, its great fun. The cast is very small, including giallo regular Pier Paolo Capponi, but the undoubted stars of the show are the leading ladies. Both Dagmar Lassandar and Susan Scott look very alike, and this is no bad thing as they are both stunning. Susan Scott is particularly effective here, she has a great screen presence and truly shines in this film - it really is hard to take your eyes off her. The Morricone score is pretty varied, from dreamy lounge to cheesy Euro-pop. It isn't necessarily one of his better soundtracks but it certainly has kitsch value. There is also some incredibly un-PC dialogue and the plot itself is not exactly coming at us from a feminist angle! However, this is to be expected from a 70s giallo movie and its one of the reasons why we love them. They are time-capsules of a different era. I would recommend this film for giallo completists and lovers of obscure Italian movies. Its unusual and camp fun. But if you are expecting an Argentoesque violent thriller you may be best served looking elsewhere.

(1970) The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion DUBBED PSYCHOLOGICAL CRIME DRAMA

Co-produced and directed by Luciano Ercoli that has a stranger (Simon Andreu) informing wife, Minou (Dagmar Lassander) married to an important diplomat, Peter (Pier Paolo Capponi) he has an incriminating recording of her husband involved in murder. At first, he tells her he wants money, but what he actually want is to court her any way he can. Only after she lets him has his way with her by convincing her to sleep and make out with him. He then hands her the incriminating tape cassette. Then afterwards he tells Minou that he concocted the tape cassette to make her believe her husband was involved in murder but that he made it all up. And then he tells her the reason he slept with her is so that he can take photos of them together for the intention he can extort her some more. She also obtained a photo from her "supposedly" friend, Dominique (Susan Scott) of the culprit, but we find out later she may or may not be in on it as much as some of the others intent to drive Minou in the mental house.

This is not actually a slasher Giallo movie per se but it is reminiscent to the Giallo equivalent of "Gaslight".

The dull Minou (Dagmar Lassander) is spending a couple of days in her house nearby the beach. When she goes to a restaurant to have dinner, she is harassed by a stranger (Simon Andreu) riding a motorcycle that tells that her husband has killed a business investor. Minou calls her husband Pier (Pier Paolo Capponi) and they return home. Pier is a businessman near bankruptcy and former lover of Minou's best friend Dominique (Susan Scott). Soon Minou receives a phone call of the stranger that tells that he has a tape of Pier killing an investor. He proposes to trade the tape for kinky sex with her, and Minou accepts the proposal to protect Pier. But soon she learns that she was victim of a scheme and Pier did not kill the investor. Further, the stranger now has photos of their sex and blackmails her, and she confides everything to Dominique. What will they do?

"Le foto proibite di una signora per bene", a.k.a. "The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion", is a flawed and erotic thriller with a great plot point in the end. The actresses are extremely sexy and gorgeous, and the erotic tension is kept along the story. However, their characters are silly and shallow. The story has many flaws to misguide the viewer, but the final twist is unexpected. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Fotos Proibidas" ("Forbidden Photos")

My old buddy Rob, who knows more about psychotronic movies than anybody I know, was the one who turned me on to one of my favorite film experiences of 2006, "The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh" (1970), so when he recently raved about another giallo thriller from 1970 that he'd just seen, "The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion," I made a mental note to check it out as quickly as possible. And boy, am I glad I did! In "Forbidden Photos," Dagmar Lassander plays the part of Minou, a woman who is being sexually blackmailed by a man who has incriminating evidence of a murder her hunky businessman husband supposedly committed. Lassander looks a bit like a redheaded Debra Messing here, and her character is indeed quite the mess even when we first meet her, smoking and drinking too much and popping tranquilizers the way I'd pop Pretzel Nuggets. Needless to say, the events she must go through in this sexy, stylized thriller push her ever closer to the cracking point. Anyway, while gorehounds may be a tad disappointed by the lack of extreme violence in this picture, there are abundant joys to be found. Luciano Ercoli's direction is impeccable; the script by Ernesto Gastaldi (who seems to have written every other giallo that I see!) is one made to keep you guessing (although, plotwise, the film is much more straightforward than many other gialli); and Susan Scott, playing Minou's best friend, is remarkably sexy. But the single best element of this picture, for me, is yet another superb score by the maestro, Ennio Morricone. Isn't it remarkable how many hundreds of outstanding film scores this man is responsible for? I'm just in awe of this friggin' dude! I promise that you'll have this film's catchy theme song bouncing around in your head for days...and won't be forgetting this little giallo picture too quickly, either. Thanks, Blue Underground, and thanks again, Rob!

This unusual giallo starring Dagmar Lassander (Hatchet for the Honeymoon- The House by the Cemetery) and Susan Scott (Death Walks at Midnight- Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals) is one of the best of the genre! The movie follows a middle age married woman (Minou) who is almost raped by a psycho inform her that her husband is a murderer. The madman blackmails Minou into sleeping with him. A few days later she receives a letter with photos of her and the blackmailer in bed together! The movie is unusual to the giallo as it doesn't have violent murders or explicit nudity. Instead, director Luciano Ercoli (Death Walks on High Heels- Death Walks at Midnight) give us an interesting story, a lot of style, wonderful Ennio Morricone score, and great acting by the four leads in a film that will keep you interested till the end .

Very recommended if you are into the wonderful world of giallo. 9/10.