Fresh off of directing The Neighbor episode of Dario Argento’s Door Into Darkness, Luigi Cozzi co-wrote and directed, The Killer Must Kill Again. The film was shot in 1973 but released theatrically two years later in 1975.
George Hilton stars as Giorgio Mainardi, the husband of a wealthy socialite (Tere Velasquez) in an unhappy marriage. One night he comes across a man (Michel Antoine), pushing a car with a dead body into a canal.
Seizing upon the opportunity to solve his problem, and inherit a ton of cash in the doing, he blackmails the murderer to murder his wife or else he will go to the police with what he knows. This setup echoes Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, and the killer even has a distinctive lighter, as does Robert Walker’s character in Hitchcock’s film. In this case the lighter is emblazoned with the initials “D.A.” a nod to Cozzi’s mentor and friend, Dario Argento.
This is an untraditional murder mystery, as we are in on the plot and we know whom the killer is from the start. The source of suspense and interest here isn’t who done it, but will they get away with it? Much in the way that Hitchcock makes the audience sympathize with Norman Bates’ plight in Psycho, Cozzi uses the same trick, but for the length of the entire film. Once Giorgio sets the wheels in motion he can only wait and see if the plot will come off as planned. Of course, with a set up this clean, it has nowhere to go but bad.
George Hilton, the top billed star, has a very small part in the film, but he does the most with the role. The real star here is French actor Michel Antoine who plays the killer with a great intensity. Blessed with a face only a mother could love, he is an effective force on screen and it is a shame he only made a few other films after this.
Mondo Macabro’s DVD looks fantastic. A new transfer that has been struck from the original camera negative, there is hardly a blemish to be found. The nice cinematography is given a chance to shine, and it’s doubtful the film will look much better than this presentation. The disc contains the English and Italian dub, and both are fine since the film was shot with the cast speaking English and dubbed in post either way.
Now to the fun stuff! We have a rather informative commentary with Luigi Cozzi in English, and don’t worry he speaks just fine. An interview with Cozzi, shot at Dario Argento’s Profondo Rosso shop is a great watch, as Cozzi talks about his career at length. Two surprising features here are a short tribute to Dario Argento’s films, and a short documentary about the giallo genre created for a British release of another film. The usual assortment of trailers and an image gallery round things out.
If you are a fan of gialli, this really is a much-overlooked gem. The film has a great deal of dark humor in it that should appeal to many as well. And it’s quite fun to spot the various nods to other films that Luigi Cozzi clearly holds dear. Do yourself a favor and give this one a watch. Be sure to visit the Profondo Rosso shop in Rome when you’re in town to chat with Mr. Cozzi, as he runs the store for Argento, and also sells several books he has written, all of which have been translated into English. You can also visit www.profondorossostore.com
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