Il tuo vizio è una stanza chiusa e solo io ne ho la chiave (1972)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Sergio Martino

Writers:

Adriano Bolzoni (screenplay)
Ernesto Gastaldi (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

4 August 1972 (Italy)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Oliviero is a burned-out writer, living at his estate near Venice, his dead mother dominating his imagination...

Plot Keywords:

Cat | Revenge | Killer | Lesbian Sex | Lesbian Interest

Cast

Edwige Fenech	...	Floriana
Anita Strindberg	...	Irina Rouvigny
Luigi Pistilli	...	Oliviero Rouvigny
Ivan Rassimov	...	Walter
Franco Nebbia	...	Inspector
Riccardo Salvino	...	Dario
Angela La Vorgna	...	Brenda
Enrica Bonaccorti	...	Hooker
Daniela Giordano	...	Fausta
Ermelinda De Felice	...	Bordello Owner
Marco Mariani	...	Libraio
Nerina Montagnani	...	Mrs. Molinar
Carla Mancini
Bruno Boschetti
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dalila Di Lazzaro	...	Girl who strips on a table in party's

Directed by
Sergio Martino

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Adriano Bolzoni		screenplay
Ernesto Gastaldi		screenplay
Luciano Martino		story
Edgar Allan Poe		story "The Black Cat"
Sauro Scavolini		screenplay
Sauro Scavolini		story

Produced by
Luciano Martino	....	producer

Original Music by
Bruno Nicolai

Cinematography by
Giancarlo Ferrando

Film Editing by
Attilio Vincioni

Production Design by
Giorgio Bertolini

Costume Design by
Oscar Capponi

Makeup Department
Iolanda Conti	....	hair stylist (as Jolanda Conti)
Giulio Natalucci	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Lamberto Palmieri	....	production manager
Furio Rocchi	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vittorio Caronia	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Bruno Moreal	....	sound mixer
Roberto Moreal	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Francesco Narducci	....	still photographer
Bruno Pellegrini	....	camera operator
Adolfo Troiani	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Mario Cinotti	....	assistant editor
Luciano Vittori	....	color consultant

Other crew
Mirella Malatesta	....	script supervisor (as Mirella Roy)

Production Companies

• Lea Film

Distributors

• Cinefear (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Lamberto Forni Film (LF) (Italy) (VHS)
• NoShame Films (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Digitmovies Alternative Entertainment  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Excite Me
Eye of the Black Cat
Gently Before She Dies
Your Vice Is a Closed Room and Only I Have the Key
Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (USA) (DVD title)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Italy:VM14 (DVD) (original rating) | Italy:VM18 | Italy:VM18 (DVD) (new rating)

Filming Locations:

Elios Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Lea Film

Trivia:

The title is a reference to Sergio Martino's earlier giallo Lo strano vizio della Signora Wardh (1971) ("The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh"), in which the same phrase appears in a mysterious note apparently sent by a killer.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Morte sospetta di una minorenne (1975)

Your Vice is a Locked Room

Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

This giallo from Italian director Sergio Martino mixes up various genres, which were staples in Italy during the 1970s. You've got a sexy thriller mixed with horror elements with the typical giallo style killings and all of it is centered around Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Black Cat" with a pinch of "The Tell Tale Heart" thrown in for good measures. The film centers on a drunken writer (Luigi Pistilli) who is constantly embarrassing his wife (Anita Strindberg) by making fun of her or even raping her in from of their maid. One day the writer's mistress is killed and soon the maid is brutally murdered and all the signs point to him but his abused wife stays faithful anyways. Soon another maid (Edwige Fenech) is brought in and more bodies start to pile up. This is a very hit and miss giallo that has a lot of things working for it but at the same time none of its greatness can really overcome the rather drawn out screenplay. Martino directs this thing with a lot of style and a good pacing but the screenplay is so weak that it isn't too hard to figure out who the killer is and once the secret is revealed, it's not too hard to figure out what's going to happen next. Even though the screenplay is very weak there's still a lot here to love including the three lead performances, all of which are wonderful. Strindberg is terrific in her role as the abused wife and while this type of character has been seen before in films like this I can't think of anyone who does a better job with her. She must go through all sorts of emotional states in the film and she perfectly nails each of them. Pistilli is also very good as the abusive husband and makes for a great person to hate. The scene stealer for me is Fenech who is one of the most famous names from this genre. Her cute charm and devilish good looks add a lot to the film and each scene is certainly a lot better when she is in it. There's plenty of nudity to keep the film going with these beautiful actresses and the violence is also very high, although the effects really aren't that good. In the end this turns out to be a middle ground giallo, which is a shame because the performances are so great.