A Blade in the Dark (1983)

Initially planned as a TV mini-series with a death every 30 minutes, A Blade in the Dark is everything a giallo should be: sexy, bloody, mysterious and shocking. While working on a horror movie score in a secluded villa, Bruno (Andrea Occhipinti) begins to uncover a series of murders perpetrated under his very nose. The psycho sexual clues are very sparse as the plot moves at a snail's pace. The film best utilizes each character's potential to be the killer. It's a bare bones affair, so with a limited cast it never becomes convoluted. The tortuous deaths should appease the fans of sleaze, but will turn off most others. At its best it's a compelling thriller, but it shits the bed in the final act with a contrived conclusion. 

3 bloody tennis balls out of 5