Giallo #2: "Blood and Black Lace" (1964)

Whereas director Mario Bava introduced the more fragile psychological elements of giallo in "The Girl Who Knew Too Much," with "Blood and Black Lace," he racks up the body count in this highly influential slasher film, an early incarnation of the masked serial killer formula.
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But what particularly distinguishes "Blood and Black Lace" (and by extension, the giallo genre as a whole) from the slasher film's significant uptick in the late 70's and early 80's is its more literary roots, particularly its influence of classic mystery fiction, chiefly the work of Agatha Christie. 
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As Bava maneuvers his camera adventurously around the vibrant, devious fashion house (epicenter of this bloody whodunit), he pauses on all manner of models, artists and photographers who could credibly be persuaded of their guilt, enough so that you might feel compelled to shout out names, locations and murder weapons like a sporting game of Clue. 
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The killer, who here wears a trench coat, hat and white stocking mask, seems to be targeting hapless, beautiful fashion models and one pesky, slippery red diary. Each murder is carefully, brutally plotted, including a prolonged cat-and-mouse session in a cavernous antique shop.
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But "Blood and Black Lace," not only set the standard with its soon-to-be-timeworn body-count structure, but also with its technical ingenuity and nifty camerawork, which would serve as inspiration for the later masters, namely the always bold Dario Argento. 
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Bava wheels, slithers and zooms his camera around his interiors with both a subtle grace and a spirited naivety. It seems to serve his purpose less as a genuine method of fright and more as a mere showcase, and the film, for as many bodies that seem to pile up, eventually becomes tedious. "Blood and Black Lace" is certainly influential in giallo circles, but as a standalone piece of filmmaking, it's quite honestly, a technically resourceful drag. [C]