Movies
Five Giallo Movies to Watch to Get a Crash Course in the Subgenre
What I’d like to share with you here is a quick, five-film crash course in getting to know the ins and outs of the giallo genre. Astound your friends and amaze your peers with your in-depth knowledge once you’ve completed this simple course from the comfort of your own couch!
It’s giallo month here at Horror Press. If you saw that and asked yourself, “What the hell is giallo anyway?” then this is the article for you. In brief, giallo is a subgenre of Italian horror that had its heyday from the late 1960s through the late 1970s and is named after the yellow covers (“giallo” is Italian for “yellow”) of a series of popular pulp crime novels. Giallo movies (referred to in the plural as gialli) are typically murder mysteries that blend whodunits with a proto-slasher vibe, usually following professional or amateur detectives on the trail of a murderer (who is almost invariably wearing black gloves) who stalks and kills an interconnected group of victims (who are almost always beautiful women).
What I’d like to share with you here is a quick, five-film crash course in getting to know the ins and outs of the giallo genre. Astound your friends and amaze your peers with your in-depth knowledge once you’ve completed this simple course from the comfort of your own couch!
A tip: Go ahead and watch these movies in English. You won’t be breaking any cinema snob rules. Italian movies in the 1960s and 1970s were largely co-productions with other nations and featured actors on set speaking whatever language they were most comfortable with, with the intention that every character would later be dubbed into whatever language the audience spoke. So if you speak English, good news! The director intended for you to watch the movie in English. Do you speak Italian? Go ahead and throw on that Italian track and bask in your authenticity. But it’s absolutely unnecessary to seek out subtitled versions of any of these movies, several of which feature English-speaking actors in major roles.
Five Giallo Movies to Watch
Blood and Black Lace (1964)
Mario Bava set the template for the 1970s giallo film with his 1963 movie The Girl Who Knew Too Much. He was very obliging apparently, because after that he set the template for the 1980s teenage slasher film with an extended sequence in his 1971 movie A Bay of Blood. However, as good as those movies are, the Bava movie you need to watch to understand what the giallo was doing in its early years is Blood and Black Lace.
The movie follows a masked killer stalking the models working at a fashion house in Rome to keep a dangerous secret hidden. At least, it’s about that on paper. Frankly, the whodunit doesn’t really make all that much sense. But it doesn’t matter, because the movie is most concerned with presenting the viewer with gorgeous, stylish, color-drenched frames as the murders occur, and at this it succeeds beautifully. Style has not only trumped substance, it has devoured it whole. This approach would come to dominate the giallo genre, for better or worse, but mostly for better.
Deep Red (1975)
You can’t just jump into talking about giallo movies without a Dario Argento title in your quiver. While his debut film, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage would also give you a great idea of what Argento was all about before he started dabbling in more supernatural fare like Suspiria, Deep Red is the quintessence of the director’s signature filmmaking style.
This features so many Argento hallmarks it’s difficult to keep track, including a memorable score by the band Goblin, the protagonist digging into every detail of an important memory to attempt to solve a murder, and oodles of style, style, style. Does it make sense that a porcelain doll has just skittered into the frame? Of course not! But were you freaked out by it? Exactly.
Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972)
For one thing, this movie is important because it features a trifecta of giallo stalwarts in director Sergio Martino (The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh, All the Colors of the Dark, Torso) and stars Anita Strindberg (A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin, Murder Syndrome, The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail) and Edwige Fenech (Five Dolls for an August Moon, The Case of the Bloody Iris, Strip Nude for Your Killer).
For another, it’s an exploration into how giallo can quite easily tip into softcore without sacrificing the genre’s effervescent murder mystery twists and turns. An adaptation of Poe’s “The Black Cat” with a heaping dollop of lesbian erotica on top, Your Vice is a thrilling, jangling, feast for the senses.
Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972)
You also can’t make an essential giallo list without bumping up against Lucio Fulci. While the director is probably best known for his supernatural gore-fests like The Beyond and Zombie, he made quite a few contributions to the giallo genre, usually tawdrier fare like The New York Ripper and Murder-Rock: Dancing Death. While Don’t Torture a Duckling is one of his classier titles, it’s nevertheless got a no-holds-barred approach to its storytelling that is darker and more brutal than quite a few other 1970s gialli.
Viewing the genre through the lens of such a distinctive filmmaker – who generally has such a gleeful disdain for the notion of “good taste” – is an important way to glimpse the wider breadth of the genre. The gialli were never here to class up the joint, but sometimes when you’re watching a Bava or Argento movie, you can be forgiven for mistakenly thinking so.
StageFright: Aquarius (1987)
StageFright: Aquarius comes from director Michele Soavi, who came to prominence too late to direct many proper gialli, though he was an assistant director on several Argento movies and made appearances in early ’80s Italian offerings including Argento’s Tenebrae (also excellent), A Blade in the Dark, and the aforementioned The New York Ripper. However, that’s the thing that makes StageFright special. It’s a movie that’s deeply in conversation with the American slasher boom of the 1980s (which had pretty much crowded out the by-then venerable giallo genre), yet doesn’t sacrifice any of its innate Italian-ness.
Following an owl-masked killer murdering the cast members of a theater production, it’s a terrific, weird, compelling movie that blends top-shelf gore with eye-rattling imagery that is sometimes chaotic and sometimes elegant, but always absolutely gorgeous to behold.
Halloween season is over, and many streamers have forgotten about us horror kids. While they take their 11-month hiatus from the genre, we can be grateful that we still have an app that cares. We are so lucky that Shudder remains that girl year-round. Whether you’re finishing their new original show Guts & Glory, catching up on The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans, or running at some of their deep cuts like I am, Shudder has your best interests at heart. As usual, she has quite a few titles fighting for our attention. Which is why I am here with five titles I think should be at the top of all of our watch lists this November. So, cancel your holiday plans and pick up your remote because we have got horrifying things to watch.
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
Habit (1995)
An alcoholic unwittingly enters into a relationship with a succubus in New York City. If you ever wondered what Larry Fessenden was getting up to in his youth, you need to see this ’90s gem. I lucked out and caught it at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival last year, and I lived my best life. While watching it on the small screen will not be the same, I plan to hit play anyway. Mostly because I love to see 1990s succubi leaving their mark on men…and also the horror genre. Shudder is also adding The Last Winter and Depraved, so we can spend a whole day with Uncle Larry’s work.
Sew Torn (2024)
A seamstress happens upon a failed drug deal and steals a briefcase. She soon finds herself caught in a deadly situation where all roads lead to death. I caught Sew Torn at SXSW last year and have been wondering what happened to it. So, I am very happy this odd little bird has found her way to Shudder. I cannot wait to make my friends who are looking for something cute and deadly watch. I knew nothing when I hit play on this, and I encourage you to know as little as possible, too. I fear I have already written too much in this blurb to be completely honest.
You can watch Sew Torn on November 1st.
The Retreat (2021)
A couple goes on a pre-wedding retreat and unwittingly becomes targets of a group of serial killers. We have seen too many movies about retreats, and I thought this one would be more of the same. This title does not completely reinvent the wheel, but it does set itself apart within this oversaturated subgenre. The Retreat is a surprisingly fun and tense little thriller that feels made for the winter watches. Come for the lesbian characters leading the film, and stay for the violence. I also encourage you to check it out while it is on Shudder, because it is usually on apps with ads.
You can watch The Retreat on November 1st.
The Creep Tapes (Season 2)
Peachfuzz returns with more tapes, chaos, kills, and WTF moments. Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice have reentered the TV arena and are making things weird again. If award shows were real, this duo would be leading the Emmys charge. I saw the first three episodes, and Josef/Peachfuzz is still the serial killer after our own hearts. Our Wolfie is still cutting up (literally and figuratively) in the most amazing ways. Guest stars in danger this season include David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Katie Aselton (The League), and Robert Longstreet (The Haunting of Hill House).
You can watch The Creep Tapes (Season 2) on November 14th.
Krampus (2015)
A kid accidentally summons demons during the holidays in this horror comedy. Krampus remains one of the top-tier Christmas horror titles for me. It is also my favorite Michael Dougherty film. Not only because it has the star power of Adam Scott and Toni Collette, either. This movie is wicked, and even the kids are in danger. I do not have many holiday horror movies I revisit every year, but Krampus is one of the very few. It still holds up, and I cannot wait to rewatch it with a festively boozy beverage.
You can watch Krampus on November 15th.
Those are a few reasons I am grateful for Shudder this holiday season. While the rest of you are fighting with your family and friends, I will be parked in front of my TV. You can have your turkey because I would rather gorge myself on episodes of The Creep Tapes anyway.
Let me know what Shudder shenanigans you have got your little eye on. I am nosy and want to make sure I am not missing anything on my favorite streamer.
The year is winding down, and I don’t know about you, but I am trying to pack in as many 2025 horror movies as I can. Is this because I love making end-of-the-year lists? Yes. Is it because I am an unhealed overachiever? Also, yes. So, I am assuming some of you are also cruising the streamers to see what you may have missed. While Netflix has had my favorite new slasher Heart Eyes for a bit, and I have mentioned that in previous streaming guides, they also have other new horror titles to show you.
I do not talk about them as much because I did not have a good time with them. However, that does not mean you won’t enjoy some of these titles. That’s why I am taking the high road and finding something to be grateful for about each of them. That way, you will know there is a silver lining if you do watch them. Allow me to help you figure out what to prioritize this month and what to skip. Check out this chaotic Netflix hitlist below!
The Best Movies to Stream on Netflix This Month
28 Years Later (2025)
A group of survivors on a small island has built a fortress to protect them from the rage virus. However, a young boy discovers what is really outside the walls of their community and sets off to find a cure for his sick mother. We all loved 28 Days Later, and some of us liked 28 Weeks Later. So, 28 Years Later was never going to live up to the hype with almost thirty years of anticipation. While I didn’t love it, I did enjoy seeing Danny Boyle helm another zombie installment. What he does in the subgenre is top-tier, and we are welcome (even if the script left me wanting more). That might have gotten buried in all the talk about the dicks seen in the movie, though.
Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025)
A group of girls competing for prom queen starts disappearing, leaving the underdog to figure out what is happening to her competition. I had a lot of thoughts about this lackluster installment in Netflix’s Fear Street adaptations. As someone who grew up reading Fear Street books and wanting to adapt them myself, I do not understand how this movie came out so badly. Which made it hard to find something nice to say about this title. However, the soundtrack slaps, and it is not the soundtrack’s fault that it was wasted on a low-energy bottom-tier slasher. So, if you hit play on this, you can at least look forward to hearing some retro bangers selected by music supervisor Nora Felder. If you are familiar with her work on Yellowjackets and Stranger Things, you know Felder does not miss.
Maa (2025)
To battle a demon’s curse, a mother transforms into the legendary goddess Kali. As usual, Netflix did not advertise an international horror movie that seemed to have some potential. If they had told us Maa was an Indian Hindi-language mythological horror movie, most people who yell for intersectionality and originality would have run at it. Instead, we had to find out about it months later while looking for something we hadn’t already seen on the app. This movie is too long, and I cannot say it is good by any stretch of the imagination. However, it also made me realize how little I know about the goddess of destruction. If you are a nerd like me, this might lead you down a cool rabbit hole. You can also say you gave a view to a horror movie starring Brown people. Who knows, maybe you could be one of the few who enjoy this chaotic film.
Until Dawn (2025)
A group of friends find themselves trapped in a time loop where they keep getting killed in gruesome ways. I love the video game and was so bummed this adaptation was so bad. However, the practical effects are very cool and should be celebrated more. I think the stuff that the SFX team pulled off might be the only reason to watch the movie personally. I’m happy the actors whose work I enjoy got paid, and that’s another positive thing I can say. However, if we want to see young people in deadly time loops, we have so many movies that do it better. Excuse me as I look right at Happy Death Day and all of the movies that have tried to copy her.
Ziam (2025)
A Muay Thai fighter battles through a zombie apocalypse to save the woman he loves. Netflix fumbled the advertising for this one too, because who doesn’t want to see a Thai zombie film? So, I was excited to watch it, but then sad I did not like it. However, I think this one is on me. It is an action-horror with a lot of heartfelt moments, and that’s not my bag. I wanted more violence and zombie action because I am a broken and heartless ghoul. So, Ziam might be the only movie on this list that does not deserve my bombastic side eye. I am waiting for other people to watch it and let me know if they have a better time with it, though.
While I was not the audience for these movies, I am assuming some of you will dig them. Worst-case scenario, you cross off a few more 2025 horror movies and have something to talk about at Friendsgiving. Happy Horrordays! I will see myself out now…
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