[6]

An alcoholic news reporter is determined to catch a murderer after he becomes a suspect for the assailant’s weekly attacks. For a giallo flick, Luigi Bazzoni’s The Fifth Cord lacks a compelling mystery or any memorable death scenes. But Bazzoni and three-time Oscar-winning cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now, The Last Emperor) damn near make up for it in their exquisite framing and painterly lighting. This film is unbelievably gorgeous to look at. Storaro bathes every scene in controlled, vibrant colors, often throwing glass and reflections into the mise-en-scene. Bazzoni’s choice of locations, both interior and exterior, add to the visual splendor. So does hunky leading man Franco Nero (Django, Camelot). Pretty face, pretty locations, pretty lighting, pretty framing. If only Ennio Morricone’s music could have matched the visual efforts, this could have been a total triumph of style over substance. A valiant effort, but Dario Argento retains the giallo crown.