The Perfume of the Lady in Black

This 1974 production from writer-director Francesco Barilli (Massimo D'Avak shares credits for story and screenplay) reworks the Italian giallo style into a psychodrama of repressed memories and nightmarish hallucinations. American actress Mimsy Farmer—a chilly blonde icon of Italian horror—does Tippi Hedron/Mia Farrow duty here as Silvia Hacherman, a professional chemist who is haunted by visions and flashbacks of past trauma while a small chorus of increasingly intrusive characters poke at her fragile mental state. While it references both Alice in Wonderland (notably in flashbacks of Silvia's little girl self in a white dress) and Psycho, the film is closer to the paranoia of Rosemary's Baby or Marnie. The story's plunge down the rabbit hole of sanity doesn't always add up—logically speaking—but the alternating reality and fantasy is part of the fun. A minor but interesting thriller with an emphasis on madness and a satanic twist that adds to the mystery, the DVD release of The Perfume of the Lady in Black has been long awaited by fans of European horror. DVD extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette. A strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)