The Third Eye

Whilst much of this b/w film is well shot with interesting angles and perspectives, I didn't feel that the director truly had a grip on things. There are good moments and frankly duff moments and despite the presence of franco Nero there were times when I wondered if I was even going to stick with this. First real problem is that as things get under way we are introduced to the overpowering mother of Nero's character, played by Olga Solbelli and she is fantastic, like some Fellini grotesque and , of course, the splendid, EriKa Blanc, and they both disappear from the picture. Almost in the blink of an eye the best are gone and we are left with a struggling Nero and a conniving maid. Nero works very hard in his role as a latter day Italian Bates but the director doesn't seem to help and he sometimes seems to overdue things, to become just too 'crazy'. Worth a look as a supposed forerunner to D'Amato's Buio Omega and it probably features the longest struggle towards a ringing phone in movie history.

Although I only saw this movie once and over 25 years ago, the imagery and disturbing feel have stayed with me. Sure, the production values weren't up to current standards and the acting is not top drawer, but somehow what makes it to the screen gets under your skin and makes it crawl. True horror buffs should be fighting to get a copy of this for their collections - and I don't understand why it hasn't received more play in the USA. (OK, so it's foreign and involves cannibalism and other nasty things; is that any reason to pass it over?!) The young Franco Nero in this feature shows the acting promise of the later movies he appeared in, a number of them made for US audiences.

The Third Eye has been pretty much forgotten; but many fans of Italian horror will have heard of the film it heavily influenced; Joe D'Amato's notorious exploitation effort Beyond the Darkness. This one does not have the gore and savagery of the later film and it has to be said that Mino Guerrini's film is rather more arty than horrific. The film is also often seen as a precursor to the Giallo genre, though the links between the two are weak at best. Personally, I would describe this film as Gothic horror, and a precursor to later Italian exploitation. The plot focuses on Mino; a young nobleman that lives in a big house with his mother and their maid. His fiancée, Laura, is not well liked by either the mother or the maid, who seem jealous of her presence. The mother, therefore, decides to sever Laura's brakes and this results in a car accident that kills Laura. Meanwhile, the mother and the maid have a fight and the mother dies are being thrown down the stairs. This leads Mino into madness and murder; he kills a couple of women, before Laura's twin sister arrives at the house...

The film stars the great Franco Nero in an early lead role and of course he delivers an excellent performance that mirrors the one he would go on to play a few years later in Elio Petri's A Quiet Place in the Country. The atmosphere is also a major part of the film and the central location is a great place for a Gothic horror film to take place; director Mino Guerrini makes good use of it and creates a claustrophobic feel for the film. The influences for the film are clear; with Edgar Allen Poe and Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho being foremost among them. The Third Eye features some really rather morbid elements such as necrophilia, but through the way it's shot, the film always manages to retain an artful feel and this is a bit of a downer in my opinion as the film could have used a bit more impact. It does remain interest for the duration, however, and everything eventually boils down to a fitting conclusion. Overall, this is a rare film and sourcing an English language version is not easy; but it's well worth the effort for Italian horror fans.

I was extremely astonished to find out that this virtually unknown italian Giallo is actually the original version of the famous BUIO OMEGA. No book on italian horror movies has written anything about this movie and it certainly holds a lot of surprises for those interested in the history of italian exploitation cinema. First, it was made in 1966, black and white, 1:1,66 widescreen. Second as gore goes it's on par with Bava's Sei Donne, so it`s pretty brutal and has an uneasy sadistic subtone. Third Franco Nero (here credited as FRANK Nero) plays the lead role, the necrophil count who has lost his wife. Fourth, theres animal snuff in there. Fifth, a quite explicit rape scene. Anyone who knows Buio Omega will be very familiar with the plot. It's virtually the same. So it is a hidden gem? Yes, absolutely. Is it a classic? Hm ... the acting ranges from wooden to ridiculous and the whole movie looks and sounds and moves more like a teleplay. So it's not really a technically good one (unlike Sei Donne). But anyway, if you have the chance to see this film, get it. Out on DVD currently in Germany with a nice, crisp print (das dritte Auge), but language only in german...

I recently watched the Italian gem 🇮🇹 The Third Eye (1966) on Tubi. The storyline follows a wealthy count who lives under the influence of an over-possessive mother and a maid who secretly desires him. His mother believes no one is good enough for her son, but when he falls in love and plans to marry, tragedy strikes-his bride is mysteriously killed. Grief turns to madness as the count begins inviting exotic women to visit... women who are never seen again.

This film is directed by Mino Guerrini (The Mines of Kilimanjaro) and stars Franco Nero (Django), Erika Blanc (Kill, Baby...Kill!), Gioia Pascal (Italian Way of Life), and Olga Solbelli (Mill of the Stone Women).

The writing is fantastic and channels a Hitchcockian style, with clear Psycho vibes. It's more of a psychological thriller than a traditional horror film. A young Franco Nero gives a standout performance. The film includes some clever twists and turns-from a laugh-out-loud parrot corpse scene to a chilling meat clever moment and a fantastic beach finale. There's a lot to appreciate here.

In conclusion, The Third Eye is a smartly written and skillfully executed psychological thriller that's well worth your time. I would score it a 7/10 and strongly recommend it.