Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971)
The third giallo in Argento’s “Animal Trilogy” follows a groovy rock drummer named Roberto (Michael Brandon) who chases down the shady character that’s been stalking him and accidentally stabs him in the process—as a figure wearing a terrifyingly cheerful mask snaps photos at a distance. A perplexing blackmail scheme follows, causing Roberto to seek the assistance of an “eccentric” private detective played by Jean-Pierre Marielle. Cult actress Mimsy Farmer co-stars as Roberto’s wife in a freaky whodunnit full of odd touches—the parrot named “Jerkoff” is one of my favorites, though the fact that the killer is revealed thanks to a “scientific” technique that allows a glimpse of the last thing a murder victim saw as they died is also excellently bonkers.
