THE DANMAN CAN

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What Have You Done To Solange?  (1972) is an interesting blend of sleaze and social issues (teachers sleeping with students, teenage sex rings, homemade abortions, the patriarchy), yet it seems to linger a bit too long on its frequently nude actresses—and revel somewhat in its excess—to be taken  too  seriously. But this is a giallo after all (so it should be a bit shocking) and it happens to be in my top 10 gialli (see my ranked list below). When you combine the above nitpicks with other ones like some poor dialogue, some so-so acting, very unrealistic reactions by main characters to events that take place, and some scenes that feel clunky, it detracts from the overall quality of the picture—which is a shame because  Solange  is a "deeper" giallo than most, full of great ideas that never quite get explored to satisfactory levels. Despite all of this,  Solange  is a very well-made thriller from director  Massimo Dall...

All The Colors Of The Dark  (1972) was  Sergio Martino 's third of five gialli (and likewise my third favorite of the five), made one after the other from 1971–1973, all of which were written by giallo juggernaut  Ernesto Gastaldi . Colors  is the giallo answer to  Rosemary's Baby   (1968) ( review ) (which Martino has gone on record stating was a big influence to his approach)—a hallucinogenic, psychosexual thriller complete with a Satanic cult.  Colors  also stands out because it doesn't have a high body count or a lot of bloodshed, no black-gloved POV shots, and, while there  is  nudity courtesy of gorgeous giallo queen and lead  Edwige Fenech , the film doesn't ogle its female stars in quite the same way as many gialli. Colors  is lavishly shot—in particular the nightmare vision sequences are striking—and the score by  Bruno Nicolai  features an excellent, catchy choir-lead rock theme. ATCOTD  ...

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Phenomena (1985) is apparently a grower for me. I've seen it at least five times and in two different versions (International and Italian; I've yet to watch the truncated  Creepers  cut). Each time I review it on my blog ( 2011  and  2017 , previously), I've awarded it an additional half star. I think I've become more accepting of the nonsensical storyline, lack of characterization, and laughable dialogue in favor of the gorgeous dreamlike visuals, wonderfully eclectic soundtrack, gruesome kills, and elaborately insane finale. It helps too that the film is now available on 4K UHD, looking simply...phenomenal. You can find my  Dario Argento  Films Ranked  list  here . You can find my  Giallo Feature Films Ranked  list  here . You can find my  Top 20 Directors  list  here .

I've never loved The Howling (1981). I've seen the film at least three times and I like it, but it's never fully captivated me. I've never seen any of the sequels (and holy crap, there are eight   Howling  films?!), but my main draw to the original film has always been  Joe Dante . The blend of comedy and tragedy is an odd one in The Howling , and I think that combination was better accomplished in  An American Werewolf In London   ( review ) (one of my favorite films ever), released later the same year ( Wolfen  ( review ) was also released in 1981—a popular year for werewolf films!).  While I love practical effects in horror, and I do think Rob Bottin 's work is quite good on the whole here, there's a certain goofiness to it, and I feel that with more finesse, via editing, the transformation scene would work better for me. I get that not cutting away was de rigueur for the day but the extended lingering on the f/x (the way that Lucio Fulci wou...

One hundred years on,  F.W. Murnau 's  Nosferatu  (1922) remains an influential and iconic picture that still manages to captivate with its images and emotions. It's my favorite silent movie and one of my  Top 100 Films . "Her eyes scanned the waves and the horizon as she pined for her beloved."

Stuart Gordon  followed up his 2005 departure from horror/sci-fi,  Edmond   ( review ), with another thriller (though one that is definitely horror-leaning), 2007's  Stuck . Inspired by true events , Stuck  is alternately darkly funny, in an EC Comics / Creepshow  (1982) ( review ) way, and macabre, in  Poe -esque fashion. There's some nice squirm-inducing gore and the tension remains palpable throughout the picture's tight running time. A fitting final feature film for an intelligent and genuine director, who is missed. You can find my  Stuart Gordon Feature Films Ranked  list  here .

The Exterminator (1980) is a sleazy revenge flick that doesn't quite live up to the greatness of its theatrical poster or say a Golan  &  Globus -era  Cannon  film. It's not quite a complete rip-off of  Death Wish   (1974), as the setup is different (the titular character is a Vietnam vet), but it's still nowhere near as good as that film—or my preferred vengeance movie,  Vigilante   (1982) ( review ). A few things that  The Exterminator  does have going for it though are unmistakable early 1980s NYC grime, a few genuinely uncomfortable and disturbing situations, outlandish gore and violence, and an actual realistic "everyman" in Robert Ginty (who looks so much like Harry Nilsson in this film that it weirds me out). What it does not have going for it is a coherent storyline, consistent editing, or a satisfactory exploration of PTSD.  I had seen  The Exterminator  once before and it wasn't a waste of time to revisit...

Alligator (1980) is a film I can't believe I didn't see until now. As  Jaws  (1975) ( review ) rip-offs go, I liked this more than  Piranha   (1978) ( review ), which I've seen numerous times. That film and this one share a writer, one John Sayles ( Piranha was his debut script), who also wrote Joe Dante's The Howling   (1981) ( review )—that's a good track record of monster movies!  Alligator is really fun and funny but also has a certain social conscience. The practical effects and gore are super. The cinematography and editing are quite strong. Robert Forster is a delight. The finale is fantastic . I'm not sure what else to say about this one except that it delivers exactly what you'd expect—mayhem and gator carnage, without sacrificing characters or tension. Lewis Teague Films Ranked