The Fifth Cord — The Fifth Cord(Blu Ray)
The Fifth Cord (Giornata nera per l'ariete) was the third film directed by Luigi Bazzoni- its plot is centred around alcoholic & troubled reporter Andrea Bild(Franco Nero), who is trying to catch a killer who is leaving a black glove at each murder scene- and along the way he becomes one of the key suspects. The film features a Morricone score- which aside from a jaunting organ theme, seems him at the more brooding & experimental end of his scoring, and the films lensed in a nicely bleak manner.
Things start off rather promising and unsettling manner- with fish-eyed shots of a party with a creepy male voiceover talking about killing someone. Though from here on things turn decidedly uneven, as we get lots of lengthy conversations often against monolithic tower blocks, concrete staircases & over passers, as well as pan back shots of figures walking down stone staircases & grim walkways. Nero switching between been brutish, troubled, and angry. And a host of not particularly memorable, likeable or distinctive characters/ suspects.
The most effective moments here are the often fairly lengthy stalking scenes- which really see Bazzoni building the tension & uneasy very nicely. With some particular memorable & nightmarish moments like grasping latex gloves coming out of darkness, & breathless knife stalking in a dusk-lit park. Sadly the murders themselves are rather a anti-climax, as there’s little violence, struggle, or blood.
I’m certainly glad to see Arrow are further mining lesser known Giallo’s with the release of The Fifth Cord. And while I enjoy the brooding & often bleak tone of the film, and of course the stalking action- on the whole, it felt too ponderous and drawn-out, with not enough payback for the build-ups
Extra wise we get a very impressive batch of exclusive & new content- so if you’re a fan of the film you’ll be most chuffed. First off we get commentary tracks from genre expert & film critic Travis Crawford- this sees him discussing everything from the directors & actors other works, a brief history of infamous Giallo tipple J & B whisky, the films use of reflections, etc- he certainly covers a bit of ground, though at times is a little erratic in his choice of subjects. Next, we get two new interviews, and each of these run for around twenty minutes- first is with Franco Nero, who fondly discusses the film & his collaboration with the director & other crew members. The other is from the film's editor Eugenio Alabiso- where he talks about the film been one of the most impactful productions he worked on. Next we get a just under half an hour appreciation of the film by author and critic Michael Mackenzie- this was most fascinating, as he gives his honest & balanced option on the film. Lastly, we get an around fifteen-minute video essay by critic Rachael Nisbet- this for me was a bit too highbrow, as she discusses how architecture and space play a role in the film. We also get around three few minutes of deleted scenes, image galleries, and Italian/ English trailer.
While The Fifth Cord didn’t grab me as much as some of Arrow Video recent Giallo reissues- it’s certainly a well made, brooding-yet-bleakly arty addition to the genre. And really once again Arrow are really treating genre fans with the great new & exclusive extras.