Death Steps in the Dark (1977) User Reviews (16)

Stepping into the dark.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 7/10 · 14 October 2015]

Taking a look at a mountain of gialli DVDs,I spotted a title which appeared to take the unusually step for the genre of setting the movie in Greece instead of the "traditional" Italy surroundings ,which led to me getting ready to step into the dark.

The plot:

Getting set to step off the Istanbul to Athens train,a passenger's pearl necklace breaks.Using a pen-knife as a bookmark, (what a typical bookmark!) journalist Luciano Morelli puts the bookmark aside,and starts helping his fellow passengers to gather up the pearls.Suddenly,the train enters a dark tunnel which covers the carriage in darkness.

To their horror,the passengers find out that a mysterious stranger used the darkness to kill the women with Morelli's pen-knife.Seeing his face splashed across the papers as the lead suspect,Morelli decides that he must track down the murderer.As Morelli tries to clear his name, 2 fellow passengers keep a tight grip on a black glove that they found near the body,as they set their sights on blackmailing the killer.

View on the film:

Kicking off with a lava lamp title sequence backed by a tense jazzy score from Riz Ortolani,co-writer/(along with Arpad DeRiso)director Maurizio Pradeaux & cinematographer Aldo Ricci hit the movie with some groovy groves,as some surprisingly graphic sex scenes are overturned in favour for the killer to get revealed in a weird acid nightmare.Along with the Acid Jazz dashes,Pradeaux Pradeaux gives the outdoor on-location filming in Greece a rustic Film Noir appearance,which is given a rough edge by Pradeaux splashing the Giallo with vibrant blues & reds which gives the film a lively atmosphere that is lit up by each of Pradeaux's elegantly stylised set-piece killings.

Starting in an Agatha Christie-style train,the screenplay by Pradeaux & Arpad DeRiso brilliantly use Comedy to give the title a delightfully off-beat, playful edge,as Morelli (played by a very good Leonard Mann,who shows Morelli really out of his comfort zone) and his friends trip up every time they get close to locating the killer.Along with the comedic notes,the writers also give the film an excellent dark, cynical twist,as 2 of the passengers decide to use their knowledge of the murderers identity to their financial advantage,as Morelli steps into the dark.

Quite ludicrous

[christopher-underwood · 6/10 · 13 November 2013]

Quite ludicrous but bright and breezy enough to be likable this is, wait for it - a comic giallo. I know, obviously, we are on dangerous territory straight away because, what with all the twists and turns and often daft denouements, gialli, are sometimes laughable enough. Yet here we have a particularly complicated one, albeit with simple enough start, Agatha Christie style with six people in a railway carriage, light goes out, one dies, who dunnit? But this is complicated by the fact that one gets involved in blackmail and then maybe another and there are characters chasing characters, we are struggling to keep up only for the characters to start making jokes (sometimes amusing, sometimes not). On the positive side, it looks tremendous, great costumes and furnishings with the girls not afraid to slip off their clothes, the killings are fairly gory and the score keeps things bobbing along as the cast seem to be genuinely enjoying themselves. Just wish I had as much fun watching.

Murder (and other goofiness) on the Istanbul-Athens Express!

[Coventry · 6/10 · 5 May 2008]

Personally I don't think horror fanatics are people without a sense of humor. We're merely just finicky about our humor and particularly skeptical when it comes to horror movies that simultaneously attempt to be comical. Horror-comedies customarily suck, and the Italian Giallo most certainly isn't a sub genre that lends itself for humorous situations, because basically these movies handle about vile and sadistic murders committed by perverted individuals with preposterous motives. The only directors that dared to insert jokes and goofy situational humor into their Gialli were acclaimed and experienced veterans, namely Dario Argento ("Four Flies on Grey Velvet") and Sergio Martino ("Suspected Death of a Minor"). Maurizio Pradeaux is fairly unknown in the Giallo industry and yet "Death Steps in the Dark"; his second Giallo effort after "Death Carries a Cane" (which I haven't seen yet), shamelessly blends the accustomed ingredients of the sub genre with downright absurd stereotypes and even sheer slapstick. By no means is this a terrible film, but it certainly ain't easy to convince people there actually is a compelling and thrilling whodunit premise hidden between all the ridicule dialogs and dumb blond jokes.

As said, the plot is rudimentary Giallo material. Six people sit together in one compartment on the Istanbul-Athens express, seemingly minding their own business, yet when the train comes out of a dark tunnel suddenly only five of them are still breathing. A young nervous woman has been murdered and a young photographer promptly becomes the main suspect because the victim got stabbed with his letter opener. Another train passenger witnessed something peculiar but, instead of alarming the police, he and his girlfriend prefer to blackmail the killer resulting in – thank God – a much higher body count. The police investigation moves too slow, and in order to clear his name Luciano flees and starts his own private search for the culprit, along with his extremely dim-witted Swedish girlfriend and a female amateur safe-cracker. Pradeaux clearly opted for exaggeratedly foolish comedy instead of tension-building and an atmosphere of disturbance. Perhaps because the Giallo was already old news in 1977 and he single-handedly wanted to introduce something different? Or maybe because he thinks laughter and thrills form a better combination than just thrills and more thrills? Fact remains that a lot (and I do mean a LOT) of potentially great suspense sequences are prematurely interrupted with dumb remarks and lame gags. Luckily our oddly ambitious director left the gory and bloodshed intact. "Death Steps in the Dark" contains quite a likable amount of vicious murders committed with a razor, so you can imagine the mess that makes.

As for the climax and revelation of the killer's identity: (warning! Here be major spoilers) nice try but you definitely don't need to be a Giallo-expert in order to predict the outcome. It's just a matter of basic elimination. There are five suspects with an equal chance of being the culprit. The script subsequently draws portraits and gives background information on four of them, yet one of them remains a mystery… As if the writer is afraid to accidentally reveal too much about him/her. It's too simple, really. Some characters are just too dumb to commit murders, others behave so exaggeratedly suspicious they can't possibly be the killer and one constantly remains on the background. Then who's the killer?

Disappointing if still watchable giallo

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 6/10 · 18 February 2018]

While traveling to Greece on a train, the murder of a passenger in their compartment forces the group into the police's investigation of the incident, and when they zero in on a photographer he and his girlfriend race to clear his name and unmask the real killer continuing his spree.

This was a serviceable enough giallo effort. What this one manages to do rather nicely is utilize an intriguing old-school feel for the main investigation which is carried out here. The opening onboard the train with the lights going out to allow the killer to strike in the darkness gives this a completely old-school feel, and with the majority of the film playing out with the investigating inspector going around trying to piece together the clues to the crime gives this a stellar murder-mystery setup that plays like traditional gialli did earlier in the genre's history. That provides the film ample opportunity for some stellar stalking scenes that get played out here, from the killer striking in an abandoned building while expecting someone else attempting to blackmail them, a stylish sequence of a victim encountering the killer in a darkened apartment where an open window creates a drafty environment replete with billowing curtains or a shocking follow-up where a victim is picked off in a bathroom that plays much like so many other scenes here. With the final taking place in the drawing-room style mysteries of gathering everybody together and exposing the killer through trickery, it has even more old-school flair that has some enjoyment here. As well, the only other piece of enjoyment to be had is the frequent nudity which is nicely supplied throughout here. Still, even with these fine points, there are some issues with the film. The main point holding it back is the rather dull and languid pace that really doesn't do this one much favor by being duller than reasonably necessary. This isn't an interesting group of characters who we're following around waiting for the next strike to occur and it just leaves this one feeling draining as this one goes around with either him in drag trying to clear his name or the airheaded girlfriend getting distracted with everything around her as they put a plan into motion to clear his name. That they're never believable as a couple with the way he seems exasperated with any of her comments regarding how they're supposed to go about matters doesn't do this section much help, and when it goes beyond them to the other passengers this one just feels endless with characters either getting a divorce or going through bland scenes in a nightclub. That relegates the killer to a few places and not being an important aspect makes it hard to remember the type of genre-piece this really is and really disappoints this one especially once it delves into the final half where very little of interest happens until the reveal. The comedy could also be problematic for some who aren't that interested in the affair since it's way too hit-or-miss to be effective, and overall lower this one significantly.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Full Nudity, Language and sex scenes.

A Giallo spoof

[Prof-Hieronymos-Grost · 6/10 · 18 April 2008]

Luciano is a press photographer travelling to a photo shoot on the Istanbul-Athens express with his girlfriend. While passing through a tunnel, his girlfriend is stabbed to death with Luciano's dagger. He is naturally the prime suspect for the murder, but he believes he can solve the case himself and so goes on the run to clear his name. On the face of it a classic giallo theme, but what we have here is a film that is an odd mix of authentic Giallo, black comedy and at times, outrageously bawdy comedy, in the vein of Airplane movies, the killer leaving his fingerprints in $hit might give you an idea of its level. Still though, some of the humour is spot on and never reaches the level of being tiresome, there are also enough gruesome murders and suspense to keep real Giallo enthusiasts intrigued.

Spoiled by stupid humor

[rundbauchdodo · 5/10 · 24 October 2001]

Maurizio Pradeauxs second Giallo has not only got a similar title (the first one is "Passi di Danza su una Lama di Rasoio"), but it also recycles many elements of his first one. As in his other genre outing, the killer murders his/her victims with a razor. The killings are quite nasty, but the special effects are unable to convince completely. The most interesting aspect of this film is its setting: The story takes place in the Greek capital Athens.

Sadly, Pradeaux makes a big mistake: While his first Giallo focuses on suspense, this one boosts stupid gags and one-liners to "relax" tension and suspense. Even worse, the gags are often shamelessly sexist, leading to the impression that all female characters are at least slightly dumb. And it's mainly this fact that makes the whole movie a letdown.

So, if one has to watch one of Pradeauxs two Gialli, "Passi di Danza su una Lama di Rasoio" is a better choice than "Passi di Morte Perduti nel Buio".

DEATH STEPS IN THE DARK (Maurizio Pradeaux, 1977) ***

[Bunuel1976 · 7/10 · 19 February 2010]

This is another little-known but well-above-average giallo, in its case a latter-day entry; again, we have here an American actor – Robert Webber as an Inspector having to contend not just with a series of murders but a constantly upset stomach! – sparring with the protagonist, Leonard Mann (Italian despite the English-sounding name). Atypically, the film intercuts the genre's trademark intensity with a good deal of humor (including the hero fleeing detection in drag!); while it may feel uneasy at the start, the mix soon becomes acceptable and, in fact, proves considerably entertaining. In this respect, Mann's dumb girlfriend proves a bit much – having said that, there is one other kooky female character, a young safecracker who aids them in unmasking the villain of the piece! As usual, the film concludes with a rushed, muddled and rather banal explanation of the killer's motives (incidentally, the original murder cleverly occurs in a train compartment just as the vehicle enters a tunnel!) – which, however, is atoned for by one last delightful joke involving the inexperienced petty criminal. Like I said, its light mood notwithstanding, DEATH STEPS IN THE DARK (nicely shot in Greece, by the way) certainly does not hold back on blood-letting – since this had become pretty much the norm following Dario Argento's vicious face-lifting of the genre with DEEP RED (1975); still, there is one additional incongruous (and, in hindsight, unnecessary) element in the few – albeit surprisingly explicit – sex scenes (notably a lesbian coupling seen in extreme close-up!)...

Open razor throat slashing and dumb humour - like oil and water.

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 22 October 2020]

After the murder of a young woman on a train from Istanbul to Athens, five people are questioned by the police, the main suspect being photographer Luciano (Leonard Mann). With the law breathing down his neck, Luciano tries to prove his innocence while the killer continues to rack up the bodies.

Death Steps in the Dark has got a convoluted plot, a killer who wears black gloves and uses an open razor, plenty of attractive young women, bright red gore, gratuitous female nudity, and cool close-ups of the murderer's twitchy eyeball - but it's still not a typical giallo: in addition to the usual genre ingredients, this one also includes quite a lot of comic relief. The tongue-in-cheek humour is incongruous with the nasty slayings - one second we have a graphic shot of a razor slicing through flesh, and moments later there'll be some daft comment from the hero's ditzy Swedish girlfriend Ingrid (played by Vera Krouska - easy on the eye, but oh-so-irritating) or some craziness that involves the police's prime suspect dressing in drag. No matter how hard director Maurizio Pradeaux tries, his mixture of sadistic killing and silly comedy doesn't work

The murders are well-handled by Pradeaux, but the actual story is a mess, so much so that that it is necessary for some lengthy exposition at the end, courtesy of the police inspector (Robert Webber), so that the viewer can make some sort of sense out of what they have just seen. That said, no amount of explanation could make the final scene seem less asinine: Death Steps in the Dark has one of the most ridiculous climaxes ever, so stupid that it almost makes one admire its chutzpah.

4.5/10, rounded up to 5 for IMDb.

Breezy and likable comic giallo

[Bloodwank · 7/10 · 24 January 2011]

The giallo has since the genre began employed humour, from at least the time of Bava's The Girl Who Knew Too Much spots of comedy have leavened the intrigue and stylised violence. Not a bad thing either in my book, gialli operate in a realm outside of normal human experience and to pursue their concerns with deathly seriousness is not always the best approach. Still, there aren't many substantially comic gialli, perhaps because the earthy nature of a lot of Euro exploitation comedy of the time was ill fitting with the rarefied nature of the giallo. Death Steps In The Dark is an example of a substantially humorous giallo and it actually works out pretty nicely, while never especially funny the film carries its humour with an unforced daftness that is a little charming, and only grating in a short sequence of the hero in drag. Then again I've never been a fan of drag humour and others may think more of it. The general plotting is serious stuff and fairly convoluted, whilst travelling through a tunnel the lights go out in a train and a nun is murdered, suspicion falls on fashion photographer Luciano and he must prove is innocence, murder and intrigue continuing all the while. Maurizio Pradeaux of the similarly lesser seen Death Carries A Cane directs here, bringing style and colour, the pace is quick and there are some memorable moments including a use of defiantly unerotic ultra close up during a sex scene that could pass for one of Jesus Franco's craziest dalliances and a particularly fine murder with nice bloodshed. The suspense scenes are for the most part taken seriously with good use of killer POV shooting, and while never especially gory the kills get a bit of the red stuff flowing, satisfying enough in a film like this where the tone is lighter and the emphasis not so much on shocks. Acting is generally decent, Leonard Mann sympathetic as the confused and somewhat frazzled hero, Vera Krouska a delight as his dim witted girlfriend and Robert Webber suitably dry as a police inspector just trying to get the job done, despite plot convolutions, idiots around him and heartburn. The Riz Ortolani score is solid too, has a smooth and romantic feel to it that works with the surroundings and general style. There are a couple of drawbacks here, one easy to point out and one less so, but they conspire to bring the film down a few notches. Though often amusing the humour is pretty basic and tends towards sexism, it may all be in good fun but the lack of sophistication is pretty glaring. And the explanation for events is based on information that doesn't appear anywhere in the prior proceedings, the film lays clues as to its killer, but the ultimate explanation is pretty left-field and its a bit of a downer that it wasn't hinted at earlier, it feels a bit of a cheat. Still for the most part this is fun stuff and giallo completists could do worse than check it out.

Not a favorite giallo

[BandSAboutMovies · 3/10 · 15 June 2020]

Maurizio Pradeaux only directed one other giallo, Death Carries a Cane. The translation for this is off, as Passi di Morte Perduti nel Buio really should be Death Steps Lost in the Dark. It has a bigger name American actor, Robert Webber (The Silencers) in it.

Leonard Mann, who was in The Humanoid and Night School before retiring to work in prison reform, plays Luciano, a reporter whose train trip to Greece is interrupted when a woman is killed with his letter opener. Working with his Swedish girlfriend (Vera Kruska, Assignment Skybolt), he must solve the murders and clear his name. There's also another couple who find the murderer's glove and try to blackmail him or her.

Oh yes - our hero also has to hide out in drag.

This isn't my favorite giallo, due to too much comedy and not enough fashion or pure craziness.

a comic giallo!?! Yes!!!!

[andrabem · 8/10 · 2 June 2008]

Many people have trashed this film on account of it being a strange mixture of thriller and comedy. "Passi di morte perduti nel buio" (Death steps in the dark) has all the ingredients of a good giallo and I think that the comic moments don't spoil the suspenseful ones.

"Death steps in the dark" starts as an homage to Agatha Christie. In a compartment of the Istanbul-Athens express train, a girl is fumbling nervously with her necklace. The train passes under a tunnel. When it emerges from the tunnel this girl has a letter opener sticking in her chest. The letter opener belongs to Luciano Morelli (Leonard Mann), a fashion photographer. He'll be one of the main suspects of the police. Luciano along with his naive girlfriend Ingrid (Vera Krouska) will investigate on his own the murder(s) and try to find out the killer - this is the only way to clear himself. Luciano (and Ingrid) will live many adventures and so will the killer (someone - maybe more than one person - is trying to blackmail him/her!). But beware! The film has many surprises in store.

"Death steps in the dark" was shot in Athens - It's very colourful and it has, as it's usual in many gialli, pretty girls (and some nice lesbian touches), stylish camera work and editing, very well-staged killing scenes and a wonderful soundtrack. It also features a very beautiful romantic scene. All in all, "Death steps in the dark" is full of "joie de vivre" - the actors are very natural and seem to be enjoying themselves.

The comic moments are provided mostly by Luciano and his naive and beautiful girlfriend Ingrid, and also by the Detective Inspector in charge of the case (Robert Webber), with his eternal stomach problems.

If you don't take the film too seriously you might enjoy it like I did.

I've seen the film twice already.

Interesting twist on the genre

[bensonmum2 · 7/10 · 17 July 2017]

As a train passes through a tunnel, a woman is murdered in a seating compartment. There are five other passengers in the compartment, so the police have several suspects. The police seem to be focusing on one man - a photographer named Luciano Morelli (Leonard Mann). It was his letter opener / bookmark used in the murder. To clear his name, he decides to try to unmask the killer. Also, the murderer dropped a pair of gloves on the train and one of the passengers decides to blackmail the killer. Not a wise move. As the gloves change hands, the body count goes up.

Let's take Death Steps in the Dark and compare it with a standard giallo checklist: a black gloved killer - yes, straight razor - yes, nudity - yes, copious amounts of blood - yes, violent deaths - yes, someone other than the police doing most of the investigation - yes, close-ups of eyeballs - yes (what's up with all the eyeballs in these films), J&B - yes, European locations - yes, comedy - huh? Death Steps in the Dark is the only purposefully comedic giallo that I can remember seeing. From what I've read around the internet, I know the comedy elements put some people off. Initially, I thought I'd dislike it too, but, it started to grow on me. The scenes with the ditsy model, Ingrid, or the safe-cracking in the finale were very funny. For me, the contrast between the comedy and the brutal murders really made the movie that much more effective. I'm not saying that I want comedy in all my gialli, but it did make for an interesting change of pace.

Other than the strange, but interesting, inclusion of comedy, the rest is what you'd expect from an above average giallo. The acting is good. Both Mann and American actor Robert Webber give solid performances. The film has a nice flow to it thanks in large part to director Maurizio Pradeaux. For me, Death Steps in the Dark is a much better, more enjoyable film than Pradeaux's better known Death Carries a Cane. The cinematography is quite nice, with everything from vibrant colors and to well shot night scenes. The deaths are as brutal as any you'll see in a giallo. The blood has that unrealistic bright red tone to it that I always associate with these films. Finally, the locations are gorgeous. Here, we're treated to Greece instead of the usual Italy. My biggest complaint is with the ending. Like a lot of gialli, it's rushed and doesn't really feel well thought out. If you're paying attention, it's not hard to spot the real killer among the five suspects. Hint: Focus on the one you learn the least about.

Eh

[nick121235 · 5/10 · 17 July 2018]

The best part about this film is that it's shot in Greece. The city looks very nice and it's fun to see a giallo shot in Athens. Gialli are known for their exotic locations but I don't think I've ever seen one set in Greece. Unfortunately, the rest of the film is a bit of a letdown. Incoherent, confusing story-line with more than a few rabbit holes, a bad balance of comedy and horror, even after expecting the usual bad dialogue I still came away amazed at the sheer awfulness in this one. I'll chalk that up to translation but that doesn't fix anything. One thing that I did enjoy is the inclusion of a traditional black-gloved killer with a shaving razor. I've seen quite a few of these films and this trope really isn't as common as those who stereotype the sub-genre would lead you to believe. It's always cool to see. The camera work is more than adequate but the score is unmemorable. I found myself thoroughly bored. One note though, that gold bust actually is hilarious. I wish I could have that as a decoration in my house.

Whoopsy with a hint of BOING!

[Bezenby · 8/10 · 27 September 2018]

Another giallo, but this time we get a delightful mix of murder, great visuals, nudity, and comedy! It's not a comedy per se, but it really does have its tongue in its cheek. If films had tongues. No you shut up.

On a train from Istanbul to Greece, a compartment contains one victim and five suspects. The victim is a young French girl about to be stabbed in the chest with a letter belonging to our first suspect, photographer Leonard Mann. The other suspects are a suspicious looking man, an angry looking woman, a priest, and a dopey Swedish model who is Leonard's girlfriend and who also will be delivering some of the broader humour of the film. There are also two people out in the corridor important to the plot - a young fella and his girlfriend, both of which witness the killer going to the toilet to cut the electricity (please don't think about that or anything else that occurs in the film because you'll get a nose bleed). The killer also drops a pair of gloves, quickly snatched by this duo in order to do some blackmailing later.

The cops think Leonard did it and when there's a strange coincidence involving two separate illegal $10,000, he has to go underground, living in a fishing shack next to a railway line. This is after he dresses in drag for a bit, which may give you an indication of where this film is in tone. The killer gets blackmailed and kills the blackmailer with a straight razor to the neck, but what he/she didn't reckon on was that the blackmailer's girlfriend was having an affair with half the population of Athens, which complicates things greatly.

Character wise, you have a heart-burn suffering cop and his daft sidekick, Leonard and his really daft Swedish sidekick, the remaining suspects (the priest isn't a priest and the angry woman is going through a divorce), the local crime family also being daft as brushes and owning a Minah bird who calls everyone an asshole. The suspicious guy follows everyone around and is basically the red herring and the kidnapper's girlfriend has rather a lot of nude scenes. This weird mix of nudity, gore, great visuals and slapstick really works. We even get a song in the middle of the film and the cinematography is amazing. The stupidity lasts right up until the last second and I'm still not sure if the method used to catch the killer was genius or borderline racist. Who knows? This is a really outstanding entry into the giallo genre. For those who have a sense of humour.

'Death Steps In The Dark' still sparkles seductively in the gaudy pantheon of Vintage Italian terror!

[Weirdling_Wolf · 8/10 · 23 January 2014]

Infrequently discussed, the playful blood-spiller 'Death Steps In The Dark' still sparkles seductively in the gaudy pantheon of Vintage Italian terror! While maestro Maurizio Pradeaux's no less watchable 'Death Carries a Cane' is better known, I found his 1977 outing to be far more entertaining than the latter. Not only do you get the requisite full-frontal nudity so ubiquitous in the genre, including a gloriously prurient Sapphic montage near the opening of the film! Pradeaux's compelling thriller is suffused a light, comedic touch not generally found within the idiom; so amongst all the black-gloved, razor-wielding, fear-flocked frenzy, the narrative is leavened by a welcome sardonic tone, admittedly far-from subtle, it nonetheless adds an amusingly quirky sheen to the generally humourless genre.

Graphic razor-slashings, gratuitous nudity, plentiful guzzles of J&B whiskey, the veritable elixir of Italian exploitation! And a mesmerizing, booty-humpin' jazz-funk score by sound master Riz Ortolani makes 'Death Steps in the Dark' one of the more memorable and re-watchable Italian thrillers. Whether Pradeaux's delightful film was specifically designed as a Giallo parody certainly doesn't detract from the myriad lurid pleasures the hyperbolic genre is infamous for; since 'Death Steps In The Dark' actively remains an exciting briskly-paced, scintillatingly sanguineous 70s whodunnit, not oft mentioned, this high quality, full-blooded Giallo is well worth rediscovery!

Carry On Giallo!

[The_Void · 8/10 · 21 March 2007]

I saw Maurizio Pradeaux's other Giallo effort, Death Carries a Cane, and thought it was lacklustre. This film is another lacklustre Giallo from a director who obviously isn't one of Italy's best - but if you look at it as a comedy instead of as a Giallo, what you actually have here is an enjoyable little romp with some amusing characters and humour. Of course, this is unlikely to please most people going into this film and expecting a gritty and macabre gore-fest - but the film really should be taken for what it is. The Giallo style was obviously drying up a little by 1977 anyway, and Pradeaux obviously thought that a spoof would add something new. The film opens with a woman murdered on a train. The carriage passes under a tunnel and when they emerge, the unlucky lady has a letter opener belonging to Luciano stuck in her chest. This obviously makes him the chief suspect in the investigation. Luckily for him, however, he's a master of disguise (or not); and after dressing up as a whore, he manages to evade the police and buy himself some time to catch the real killer.

The film takes in all of the Giallo's standard elements, including black gloves and a lackadaisical police investigation. The jokes come thick and fast for pretty much the entire running time, and while it's possible that they're there for comic relief - I find it hard to believe that any scriptwriter could be so misguided, which makes me think that Death Steps in the Dark is spoofing the Giallo style on purpose. The humour is rather funny, however, although the ditsy girlfriend gets a bit tiresome after a while. Director Maurizio Pradeaux obviously thinks that bloody murders are important in a Giallo, as both this one and his earlier film feature some brutal killings. The razor blade slashing here are rather nice, but they do feel out place as the film puts so much focus on humour. The director doesn't have the star quality of Susan Scott to rely on this time round, but Leonard Mann is a good sport in the lead; and the lass who plays 'Little Blatto' is definitely a highlight. Overall, I can certainly see why this film isn't regarded as a classic of the genre; but if you take it with a pinch of salt, you should have fun with it. I did.