Blood and Black Lace (1964) Review

The Models are dying sudden violent and gruesome  deaths at the Fashion House of Christian. There is a fashion show scheduled on a stormy night and one of the models arrives late.   On her way in, Isabella, is attacked by a masked Killer who wears a Black Trench Coat and Black Gloves.  Isabella is found bloody and very dead shortly later in a closet by the owner of the Fashion House, Madame Como.  She phones the police and an investigation into the murder is started.

 One of Isabella's friends and Fellow Models finds her diary and tries to take it home, but it is stolen before she can read it,  she is followed and attacked by our masked friend again.  The stolen diary is then taken home by another Model and she tries to burn the diary in whole to hide the terrible secrets written about her.  She is unfortunately followed by the black gloved killer and meets a very grisly death also.

 Soon, the police start rounding up the usual suspects in order to stop the murders.  But the bodies keep piling up because there is more to this mystery than it seems.  Fashion Models start disappearing left and right with no trace and it's all because Isabella's diary has gone missing.

 Blood and Black Lace is full of gory and shocking death scenes.  The bathtub scene and hot stove scene in particular are quite grisly to watch, especially for the 60s.  It must have seemed quite shocking at the time.  The film is directed by Mario Bava, who is well known for the classic horror films Black Sunday, The Whip and the Body, Black Sabbath,  and Twitch of the Death Nerve.

 Blood and Black Lace is one of the earliest Giallos, an Italian murder mystery film, and one that certainly influenced later films like it.  It almost plays out like a modern Slasher with a very high body count and uses the killers point of view throughout the murders.  Blood and Black lace is one of the most stylish, entertaining, and beautiful Giallos from a masterful director in his prime.  The 60s French Fashion World is a nice and surprising visual contrast to the violent gory death scenes.  The Models are all stunning and very en-vogue in their 60s Fashion and there is a good mystery to solve as well, making this film such a pleasure to watch all the way through.