A Black Veil for Lisa

"A Black Veil for Lisa" is a decent mystery/thriller with a lot of mysterious murders and combining the elements of intrigue with drama , shocking scenes , jealousy , plot twists and a pretty unexpected, unpredictable conclusion . Atmospheric and oddball Giallo with chilling frames , twisted scenes , taking place cruel killing s , and confusion around a really jealous hubby . This is pretty entertaining stuff deals with a commissioner , Inspector Franz Bulon (John Mills) , a tough narcotics detective who's attempting to find out a series of grisly murders , while bring down a major drug syndicate in Hamburgo town . But Bulon results to be also a possessive husband who hires a murderer (Robert Hoffmann) to kill his unfaithful wife Lisa (Luciana Paluzzi) , but the hunter and the hunted soon begin an affair . However, every time Bulon gets close to a potential informant , the said person has a nasty knack of turning up dead . Bulon's superiors are concerned that his mind doesn't seem to be on the job due to he is being thwarted at every turn . And to a high degree they're alright , that's why Bulon is so preoccupied with keeping tabs on his spouse that he isn't keeping on top of the rest of his work . He also believes that she is having an affair , and is plagued by thoughts of her with other men . He also suspects his spouse Lisa of sabotaging a big narcotics case he's working on . White veils for angels...

An attractive Giallo that focuses on police procedure with usual investigation over the usual murder-mystery antics as well as the dramatic events about a jealous husband . A mystery/thriller in which the starring leading to the edge of sanity and extreme violence , resulting in unpredictable consequences , including spine-tingling intrigue , thrilling events with plenty of shocks , deliciously twisted happenings and brief touches of erotism with brief nudism . Suspenseful and interesting screenplay with mysterious events written by Giuseppe Belli , Vittoriano Petrilli and Massimo Dallamano himself . Although there are various incidents that defy belief , filmmaker Dallamano does a competent work of keeping pace and tension cranked up . Makes for some pretty intriguing and suspenseful moments that somewhat make up for the weak climax . Good film with Giallli overtones and surprising intrigue being well proceeded here and there , along with an unbearably tense in charge of the three adequate protagonists giving top-notch interpretations . Stars the veteran John Mills who gives a terrific acting as the obsessed , abussive usband , the handsome Robert Hoffmann as a tough hit-man , he also starred another good Giallo : Naked Girl Murdered in the Park (1972) and the extremely gorgeous Luzziana Paluzzi of Thunderball. Being an Italy/West Germany co-production shows up secondary actors from both countries , such as Renata Kashe , Carlo Hintermann , Tullio Altamura , Enzo Fiermonte , Jimmy il Fenomeno , among others .

It contains an atmospheric and evocative musical score in the Sixties style from Giovanni Fusco , Richard Markowitz , Gianfranco Reverberi , adding the catching song Melodie de Lisa Words and music by Alan Gordon and Gary Bonner . Here stands out the colorful and brilliant cinematography by Angelo Lotti with a well remastered copy .The motion picture was competently written and directed by Massimo Dallamano or ¨Max Dillman¨ who previously photographed ¨Fistful of dollars¨and ¨For a fistful dollars more. Dallamano managed to make a fluid , witty and agreeable Giallo . He also proved his experience in thriller and other Giallo movies , such as : "What Have You Done to Solange?" , "The Cursed Medallion" ,¨Portrait of Dorian Gray ¨ ,"Colt 38 Special Squad" , "Mafia Junction" , "What Have They Done to Your Daughters?" or "The Coed Murders" , among others . Rating 6.5/10. Well worth watching . The flick will appeal to Gialli fans.

Not the wildest of gialli, if indeed, it really does qualify as one, but a most competent and engaging mystery. John Mills is surprisingly good as the ageing husband to the flirty Bond girl, Luciana Paluzzi and although the bad boy seems far too glamorous for the role, Robert Hoffman does well. Decent script, which always helps and what starts simply enough becomes far more involved as we progress. Indeed we quickly learn who the killer is but not why or just how many are involved. That Mills plays as an Englishman gives this a certain slant that helps make the film different from others of the time and though the music is somewhat flat, seems fitting enough for the drab location. I don't know where this was shot but it doesn't look like Italy so is perhaps Germany or even Austria. No stunning set pieces and the flashes of nudity seem added and likely to not be Paluzzi.

Regarded by some cult cineastes as a relatively unsung Giallo stylist maestro, Massimo 'What Have They Done to Solange' Dallamano ably directed one of the earlier entries in the soon-to-be-blooming Gialli cycle. 'A Black Veil for Lisa' aka 'La Morte Non Ha Sesso' remains a tremendously engrossing, twist-laden 60s terror treat. Exploiting the prototypically menacing Giallo motif of darkly glistering, black gloved killer, it eschews much of the gruesome hysteria, providing a more sombre examination of debilitating paranoia, sexual infidelity and the toxic jealousies it inevitably engenders.

''A Black Veil for Lisa' has a gripping, Krimi-like narrative, wherein a slick, shadowy hit-man (Robert Hoffman)is hired by vicious drug dealers to bump off all those who might expose their malign activities. His executions come to the attention of troubled, increasingly paranoid Inspector, Franz Bulon (John Mills). Bulon's valiant investigations fatefully propose a coolly logical, devastatingly immoral solution to his marital torment! John Mills is on compellingly terse form as the cuckolded inspector, and, Robert Hoffman is sinfully suave as the blue-eyed libidinous hitman. The preternaturally luscious, dazzlingly beautiful starlet, Luciana Paluzzi making for memorably luminous eye candy! Doing little more than sultrily slink about in a salacious serenade of risqué regalia, this tantalizing auburn-haired temptress does it with an eye-boggling élan!

Maestro, Dallamano directs his engaging 60s Giallo with real cinematic verve, and the garotte taut narrative wickedly wends its thrilling way to a genuinely desperate, nerve-flayingly dramatic conclusion! Evocatively shot in picturesque Hamburg, 'A Black Veil for Lisa' remains a rewardingly refined late-night entertainment. This visually stylish, stiletto cool, psychologically tweaked thriller has credible performances and is all together cinematic. A Black Veil for Lisa's somewhat incongruent obscurity belies an engrossing, beauteous-looking Martini-age Giallo classic!

Inspector Franz Bulon (Sir John Mills) is a veteran Hamburg police detective in charge of a drugs investigation, but is finding it hard to break the case, his mind is elsewhere…on his beautiful young wife Lisa (Luciana Paluzzi) that is, a former criminal herself, though never convicted, a fact that Bulon's colleagues never let him forget, Bulon's problem is that he suspects Lisa of cheating on him a fact he can't quite prove, until one day he thinks he has caught her out and sets about hiring a local killer Max Lindt,(Robert Hoffman) the man behind the killings of witnesses in his drugs investigation, to kill his wife in return for him hiding the evidence building against him.

A Black Veil for Lisa deviates from normal giallo practice by telling us who the killer is, much like Luigi Cozzi's The Killer must kill again. The story is driven by the man (Bulov) who hires the killer to do his dirty work, as a result, Dallamano replaces the lack of mystery with some decent character development, Mills is excellent and portrays well Bulov's obsessiveness with his wife's cheating, which ultimately leads to his own self destruction.

This film operates not as a thrill machine, but as a meticulously arranged character study wrapped in the expensive veneer of a crime picture. Robert Hoffmann's performance as Sexy Max is the gravitational center, the unquestionable highlight of the production; he channels a dangerous, charismatic energy that immediately captivates the viewer. His portrayal is a captivating blend of suave arrogance, deadly efficiency, and detached professionalism, which makes the audience actively root for the killer over the wildly incompetent and self-destructive detective pursuing him. Luciana Paluzzi, though often underused, ensures her Lisa is never simply a victim or a cipher, lending the character a cool, calculating intelligence and goddess-like aesthetic that defies the narrative's attempts to box her in.

The pace is certainly deliberate, often feeling "leisurely" when compared to the high-velocity, visceral giallo entries that would soon dominate the genre. This slower rhythm, however, is a choice, allowing the toxic and convoluted relationships to truly simmer, building a unique tension rooted in psychological decay rather than simple jump-scares. Dialogue successfully conveys the creeping moral rot of its central players, particularly the increasingly unhinged Bulon, making his downfall entirely earned.

This picture is undeniably well-shot, featuring the polished visual signature of Joe D'Amato, a cinematographer whose talent is clear and refined here. Craft is prioritized; the cinematography emphasizes clean lines, controlled lighting, and visual texture, creating an atmosphere of sleek, expensive crime. Production design favors modernist European spaces and stylish, era-defining costuming, framing the action with cool detachment and sophistication. The overall soundscape underscores a pervasive noirish mood, never succumbing to overly dramatic musical cues but instead letting the polished surfaces reflect the dark intentions lurking beneath.

One visually arresting moment involves the extreme close-up framing of Bulon's paranoid gaze, often reflecting his distorted face in glass or metal, which expertly communicates his rapid descent into destructive obsession. Another standout sequence is the initial, charged meeting between Max and Lisa; the scene subtly vibrates with unspoken desire, manipulative intent, and mutual acknowledgment, immediately elevating their dynamic above a simple affair and setting the true, romantic conflict in motion. Hoffmann's smooth, self-assured killer, swanning around in his gorgeous tan leather trenchcoat and rollneck sweaters, feels like a stylish precursor to the morally flexible anti-heroes found in 1970s European cinema, embodying that dangerously charming prototype. The film's overall preference for psychological drama over visceral excess aligns it more closely with the sophisticated, character-driven Italian crime thrillers, such as the foundation works of Elio Petri, than the full-blown, graphic excesses of later genre directors.

Viewers craving extreme gore, complex, rapid-fire plot mechanics, or the breakneck pacing typically associated with classic giallo may find this experience challenging; the film simply does not operate on pure shock value. However, those who appreciate stylish 1960s European crime thrillers, character-focused dramas built on moral ambiguity, and strong, deliberate cinematography will connect deeply with this film. It is a rewarding, handsome watch for cinephiles interested in the foundational stages of the Italian genre movement, appreciating the film's undeniable visual polish, its confident style, and Hoffmann's captivating presence.