XhcnoirX

Dave 'Richard Diamond' Janssen goes deep into Chinatown to investigate who's using an antiques dealers imports for smuggling heroin. The 2nd appearance of familiar character actor James Hong ('Blade Runner', 'Big Trouble In Little China') on this show, and it's a good one. Excellent cinematography as well by Harry J. Wild ('Murder, My Sweet') and Janssen practicing his karate skills make this is another fun episode.

Dan 'Richard Diamond' Janssen is asked by King Calder to find his daughter Bethel Leslie, whom he suspects has plans to kill herself. But it's even worse, as she hired someone to kill her, but she no longer has a death wish and no idea who the person is. Janssen is determined to help Leslie, but things are not what they seem...

Another great episode of this iconic series, with a few familiar faces. Calder wasn't well-known but his face will ring a bell for sure. And noir heel Marc Lawrence makes a welcome appearance in another shifty role. Fast-paced, with a tense scene in a dark alleyway where Janssen barely escapes death, and a few twists along the way, this is a keeper.

Foreign journalist Jean Sorel finds himself locked inside his 'dead' body, unable to communicate with the outside world. As doctors prepare to perform an autopsy on his body, he recounts the events leading up up his predicament. It all started when his girlfriend Barbara Bach disappeared and he goes in search of her...

The plot of this a-typical giallo is intriguing, and director Aldo Aldo, who also wrote the screenplay, manages to keep the tension going. Yes, the movie is fairly slow-moving, and it lacks the creative and gory murders and setpieces you'd find in a more conventional giallo (altho 'convential giallo' sounds wrong on so many levels!), but it's utterly fascinating, and beautifully shot. And there is a lot going on, as Sorel uncovers more and more details related to Bach's disappearance... Definitely pay attention! The musical score by Ennio Morricone is also pretty nice and atmospheric, adding to the overall unique mood of this movie. The final 20 minutes or so are a trippy, and then the movie ends in a 'wow' moment. A top-notch giallo!