DVD Collectors Online

The Girl Who Knew too Much, a review by Achim

Title: La Ragazza che sapeva troppo
Year: 1963
Director: Mario Bava
Rating: NR
Length: 86 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.77:1
Audio: Italian: Dolby Digital Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles: English

Stars:
John Saxon
Leticia Roman
Valentina Cortese
Titti Tomaino
Luigi Bonos

Plot:
'Bava's' fourth film as credited director was his first contemporary narrative, a slyly Hitchcockian thriller that scholars cite as the first true giallo. 'Leticia Roman' stars as an American tourist in Rome who witnesses a serial killer's latest slaying and convinces a charming young doctor ('John Saxon') to help her investigate the city's 'Alphabet Murders'. Co-written by Bava and his final feature shot in black & white, its inventive camerawork, masterful compositions and wily humor combine to create one of the most surprising and satisfying film in Il Maestro's career.

For the first time anywhere, this presentation includes Bava's original uncut Italian-language International Version LA RAGAZZA CHE SAPEVA TROPPO/THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Trailers
Gallery
Production Notes
Interviews



I was very pleased that we got something entirely different with this film and how effortlessly Bava made the switch. This is a murder mystery which is very captivating, although it drags a little in the middle (I also might simply have been too tired when I watched it) and lingers on the ending ever so slightly too long.

The film has a young woman, Nora, arrive in Rome to live with her aunt(?) for a while. In the airplane someone you unknowingly receives a few marijuana cigarettes. Her aunt dies shortly after her arrival and since the phone doesn't work she leaves the house to walk to the hospital to find the friendly doctor who had taken care of her aunt earlier in the evening. On the way she gets mugged and when she falls to the ground bumps her head, rendering her unconscious. When coming to her she apparently witnesses a murder. ...and this s only the first 12 minutes of the film. We follow Nora and the young doctor (an underused John Saxon) around trying to clarify whether Nora actually saw a murder or dreamed it all up. Cranking up the tension is the fact that she is could be the next victim.

Wonderful black &white photography of the criminally underused location Rome and lots of shadows make for a creepy investigation until the truth is eventually revealed. The ending was neither simply what I expected nor an eye-rolling experience, certainly worth mentioning and a bit out of the ordinary. The story provided some (unexpected) turns along the way which kept things exciting. The acting was good, although John Saxon was trying a bit hard at times.



(From Mario Bava marathon on June 23rd, 2009)

Still Small Voice, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: Still Small Voices
Year: 2006
Director: Mario Azzopardi
Rating: NR
Length: 87 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: N/A

Stars:
Catherine Bell
Mark Humphrey
Damir Andrei
Deborah Grover
George Buza
Eugene Clark

Plot:
When 911 operator Michael Summer (Catherine Bell, Army Wives) returns to work after suffering a personal tragedy, she receives a mysterious call from a frightened child begging for help. She soon begins having visions of a young girl believed to have been a drowning victim. The visions lead Michael to the town of Starlight, Pennsylvania, where she uncovers the story of a girl who went missing years before. Though the girl was written off as a drowning victim, Michael believes she was kidnapped. Threatening her own health and sanity, Michael launches her own investigation, uncovering a startling secret that shatters everything she knows to be true about herself.

Extras:
Scene Access
Closed Captioned

My Thoughts:
This is a made for TV movie that originally aired on Lifetime. This came up as a recommendation at Amazon when I ordered The Good Witch... and when I watched the TV Spot on Youtube I knew I had to see it as it dealt with the supernatural as Michael (Catherine Bell), the 911 operator got ghostly calls from a little girl. I have been a big fan of Catherine Bell every since I first saw her on the TV series JAG. And I absolutely loved her in this movie. As much as I recently enjoyed her in the movie The Good Witch... I enjoyed her even more in this one. This one had me glued to the TV from the very beginning to the very ending. And without saying much to give it away... I will just say I loved how they ended this one. A thrilling movie from the start.... with a touching ending. I can easily see myself watching this movie again.





(From What Movies I Been Watching on February 19th, 2011)

"Due South" marathon, a review by Tom

1.02 Diefenbaker's Day Off (1994-09-29)
Writer: Paul Haggis (Created By), Kathy Slevin (Writer)
Director: Joe Scanlan
Cast: Paul Gross (Constable Benton Fraser), David Marciano (Detective Ray Vecchio), Beau Starr (Lt. Harding Welsh), Daniel Kash (Detective Louis Gardino), Tony Craig (Detective Jack Huey), Catherine Bruhier (Elaine), Madolyn Smith-Osborne (Mackenzie King), Brendan Kelly (Charlie), Azura Bates (Lucy), Tony Cacciotti (Vince), David Eisner (Dr. Howard), Marvin Karon (Warren Knoop), Angela Moore (Head Nurse), Richard Hardacre (Mercedes Driver), Eric Fink (Maitre 'D), William Dunlop (Irishman), Kevin Frank (Animal Control Officer), Rebecca McLaughlin (Dr. Mason)

Another fun episode. It's nice to see that Fraser can count on Ray (aquisition of the "wolf" license).

I never get tired hearing the opening theme song.

Rating:

(From "Due South" marathon on June 23rd, 2009)