The Police are Blundering in the Dark

Director - Helia Colombo 

Starring - Joseph Arkim, Francisco Cortez, and Richard Fielding

Release Date - 1975

Genre - Thriller

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I spent my New Year day binging some horror movies.  With my recent Vinegar Syndrome package hitting my door steps recently I decided it was time to finally check out the Forgotten Gialli Volume 1 set that they released several months ago but before I get into Volume 2 I decided to spin the first one.  Trauma was a strong start to this one and the next one I pulled out was 1975's The Police are Blundering in the Dark.

     The film follows a disabled photographer who finds himself in the middle of a murder spree when beautiful young models go missing.  A journalist is investigating the murders and the disappearance of a female friend which sends him into the home of the photographer.

     Most of the giallos that I truly enjoy are not listed as horror.  In fact, most of the traditional gialli, or giallo, tend to be murder mysteries that flirt with drama.  Sure, murder is the premise for all gialli but most of the film would not be considered horror.  Trauma was more of a horror tale while The Police are Blundering in the Dark was more of a murder mystery.  The story did not really flow like a typical horror tale but it did work as a gialli.  The acting in this one was solid but I found myself laughing on occasion as the cast's mannerisms.  Some of the more serious scenes are very underwhelming due to how the cast acts.  The unintentional humor does make the story miss it's mark at times.  With that being said, some of the characters were very well done aside from the few "blundering" moments.  The story for this one is a true murder mystery but with the gialli style.  We get some beautiful shots with very effective lighting, the killer's point of view, and plenty of suspense and atmosphere.  The way the story unfolds here it really works and the killer is not that predictable.  I thought I had a good guess as to who it was but I was wrong.  Finally, if you are expecting a bloody mess of a film you will be disappointed.  Like most giallo from the mid-70s we get several slasher like kills with sharp instruments but the practical effects are very limited.  The deaths work for the film but they are rather unforgettable.  Overall, The Police are Blundering in the Dark is a solid giallo by numbers murder mystery.  It's visually pleasing but there is a few moments where you catch yourself gigling at the performances.  It's definately worth a shot so check it out.