Cocky, invasive, sex-pest photographer Carlo (Nino Castelnuovo) has no problem stripping nude empty-headed attention seeking poser Lucia (Femi Benussi) under the pretence of an ‘in depth’ interview. Her first words to him are, “That thing’s making me nervous, put it away.” Luckily, she’s talking about his camera.
Not untypically for a giallo film, the main characters are dislikeable, before the forthcoming perils they face gradually earn them the sympathy, even empathy, of the viewer. And as the title of this film hints, there is much pale flesh on display. Equally, the soundtrack is dreamily excellent (except for what sounds like the flapping of a plastic ruler foreshadowing the next murder).
The most appealing character is probably Magda, who is played by Edwidge Fenech. Fenech had proven so effective in what was effectively a vehicle for her, ‘The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh (1971)’. Initially, her role here seems a minor one, but grows as the story progresses.
This is a fairly regular giallo. Lots of twists, lots of red herrings and a fairly satisfying reveal. It is also more typical than most of early 1970’s styles, both in terms of fashion and our attitudes to one another. The lifestyle of the characters seems casually sadistic – and that’s just the ‘good guys.’ The past isn’t always rosy!