Subplotly
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ALL SHELVES·
Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) poster

Four Flies on Grey Velvet

dir. Dario Argento · 1971

Feature
Psychological Horror
Mood
Dark / Tense
Look
vibrant colors contrasted with shadowy, claustrophobic spaces
Structure
nonlinear with flashbacks and dreamlike sequences
Plot

Roberto, a drummer in a rock band, keeps receiving weird phone calls and being followed by a mysterious man. One night he manages to catch up with his persecutor and tries to get him to talk but in the ensuing struggle he accidentally stabs him. He runs away, but he understands his troubles have just begun when the following day he receives an envelope with photos of him killing the man. Someone is killing all his friends and trying to frame him for the murders...

Why watch

Roberto, a drummer in a rock band, finds himself ensnared in a web of paranoia after a violent encounter leads to a series of mysterious phone calls and the murder of his friends. As he grapples with the consequences of his actions, the film immerses viewers in a world where trust is shattered and reality blurs with nightmare.

Talking points
  • the role of the artist in society
  • the nature of guilt and innocence
  • the impact of trauma on relationships
  • the evolution of horror in cinema
Cultural context
1970s Italian cinemathe rise of giallo genreexploration of male identitythe influence of rock music culture

Where this shelves

every shelf · back to the store