Thursday 15 March 2007

Fairground attractions

I was watching A Dragonfly for Each Corpse a couple of nights ago. Its inclusion of a fairground ride as backdrop in one sequence got me wondering how many times ghost trains, rollercoasters and suchlike appear in gialli, having also seen them in Rings of Fear, Eyeball and Naked Girl Killed in Park.

Admittedly this list is not as long as one of the number of gialli featuring fashion houses or modelling agencies, but I presume there must be others I have not thought of or seen – does Suspicious Death of a Minor also include one, or am I just thinking of its slapstick comedy elements? – and its recurrence seems more than mere coincidence.

The question then arises is why. Though I do not want to over-analyse, we might speculate that it ties in with the “primitive” / “cinema of attractions” dynamic that elsewhere emerges in the shocking set-piece – too many to list – and the exhibitionist stage routine – Case of the Bloody Iris, Death Walks on High Heels, Strip Nude for Your Killer etc.

1 comment:

Tiffany said...

I think you pretty much nailed it?
The idea that something horrible can happen in a place like that is so unexpected? Screams drowned out by laughter?

No one takes anything seriously, a corpse can fall at your feet and it must be part of the show? (Of course I would run for the hills!) so wrapped up in their big happy bubble.

I have not seen any of the movies you have listed but plan to now.

Pardon my ramble.
Caffeine pills!

Do you have a Netflix account?