Even with all of my shelves overflowing with home media, it is extremely difficult for me to choose something to watch each and every time I sit down to enjoy a movie. There are certain moods one has to be in in order to watch certain sub-genre of horror cinema. Tonight struck me as the perfect time to watch Sergio Martino’s All the Colors of the Dark.
The Plot
After a car accident that caused the loss of her baby, Jane experiences an increasing amount of nightmares that shake her to her core. After seeking professional help, her haunting visions turn into an even more frightening reality, one full of black magic, blood orgies, and murder.
My Thoughts
Within seconds of the opening credits completing, All the Colors of the Dark thrusts its audience into a nightmare world of trippy visuals. Immediately, the stage is set with one of the most haunting scores I’ve ever heard in any giallo and drug-like sequences that occur quite often throughout the film’s entirety.
A tad bit more confusing than many other gialli I’ve seen, All the Colors of the Dark left me feeling just as crazy as our main character, Jane. Played by the lovely Edwige Fenech (Strip Nude for Your Killer, Hostel: Part II), Jane can’t tell what is real and what is just another paralyzing dream.
I couldn’t help to feel the same way, as director Sergio Martino filled my screen with witches, ritualistic sacrifices, and more. Like all good giallo films, things aren’t fully explained until we are met with a few twists and turns, before finally reaching our resolution in the film’s closing moments.
Also like other staples of the sub-genre, All the Colors of the Dark features some of the best cinematography — from tight, in-your-face closeups to overhead bird’s-eye shots. These techniques are present in virtually all gialli worth your time, but are still always a welcome experience, especially when they add another effective layer to the overall story, as they do here.
The Verdict
All the Colors of the Dark is a solid entry in the annals of Italian horror cinema, more specifically the giallo sub-genre. It features acting on par with what we’ve all come to expect from the 70’s fright scene, an eerie score, and beautiful cinematography.
Severin Films has outdone themselves once again with their newest home release of the film. It is a perfect companion to another of their recent titles, the documentary entitled All the Colors of Giallo, which tells the history of the great Italian films we’ve all come to love so dearly.
The Blu-ray release, which is available now, includes some fantastic bonus content, including an interview with the maestro, Sergio Martino, himself. Additionally, the limited edition of only 2500 pieces features a bonus CD containing the film’s soundtrack. It is a beautiful package and should be on the shelves of any and all giallo fans!
Although confusing at times, overall All the Colors of the Dark is an entertaining watch. I give it 3.5 black mass rituals out of 5.
