Having enjoyed director Andrea Marfori's other films , mostly for the artist's somewhat confusing Evil Dead cash-in "Evil Clutch" (1988) and his light-on-the-erotic thriller "Desperate Crimes" (1991), I decided to dig deeper into more of his work.

Nestled somewhere in between both productions, Marfori and producer Agnese Fontana decided to shoot the drama/giallo hybrid "Perduta" (Lost, 1990). I was both optimistic and hopeful that more of the usual exploitation thrills would be discovered within this little-known film. I was sadly let down.

We begin the film with an intriguing, if long-winded, narration about the body of a homeless woman being discovered in an attic in Verona. We are told she was strangled by her killer. Cool, this could get interesting! But nay. Instead the audience sits through a poorly conceived mystery/love story that never truly accomplishes any real thrills, tension, or logic.

When people finally end up dying, the storytellers seem to have forgotten how the woman in the attic was supposedly killed. What was supposed to be a plot twist of sorts was completely baffling and nonsensical. It appears the film was never finished entirely (I could be wrong) and a quick kill sequence was slapped on just to call it a wrap.

I wish there was more here to chew on. I was left completely hungry for more with no real concept of what I just watched.

Italian cinema has deeply influenced world cinema through its socially conscious realism and modernist experimentation, but it also flourished in popular genres like peplum (sword & sandal), giallo thrillers, and broad comedies. Its narratives often weave together politics, contemporary social change, class consciousness, and family dynamics, balancing artistic ambition with entertainment that resonated widely.

Lamberto Maggiorani in Bicycle Thieves (1948)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The thriller genre features suspense, tension, and excitement. These stories are known for keeping audiences on the edge of their seats and delivering intense emotional experiences by revolving around high-stakes situations, dangerous conflicts, and the constant anticipation of unexpected events.

The tragic story of a runaway girl in the 1970s in Verona.

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Perduta

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