He firmly believed that the success of the first film was due to his unique stylistic approach and because it was typically Italian. The Cat o’ Nine Tails can be approached as sequel, of sorts-it has similar thriller elements and a puzzle-plot, though Argento quickly became disillusioned with the producers, resenting the pressure to Americanise the production. The producers were keen to build on the international appeal and insisted on a sequel with a cast led by two big-name American actors. This ensured that there would be a quick follow-up to keep Argento busy. When given a second chance in Italy with a general release, box-office takings rapidly reached $1 million, earning back twice its production budget. It performed very well in the US and attracted a significant international audience. After an abortive initial release, it started to attract a cult following and soon a handful of cinemas were showing it, every night, to full-house audiences. Although the cinematography by Erico Menczer is solid throughout, it’s more restrained and there’s less of the purely visual pleasure that giallo fans have since come to expect from their maestro.Īrgento’s first film and seminal giallo, The Bird With the Crystal Plumage (1970), had become a huge hit in Italy. You won’t see lingering shots of ostentatious architecture thrown into relief by red and green spotlighting here. Also, the settings, though atmospheric and perfectly suited to the story, are a little pedestrian and realistically lit. The murders here are blunt and brutal expertly shot and edited, but not the extended, baroque set-pieces that Argento became known for.
Perhaps that’s because it’s relatively subdued. Though an important giallo, The Cat o’ Nine Tails seems to be the most underrated, and least mentioned, of Dario Argento’s formative films.
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