Sette Scialli Di Seta Gialla (aka Crimes of the Black Cat) (1972)

After a young model (Isabelle Marchall) seemingly dies of a heart attack, her lover (Anthony Steffen) and his butler (Umberto Raho) begin their own investigation into the death and soon find an intertwined series of serial murders, all involving a black cat and a yellow shawl. Directed by Sergio Pastore, this is an above average giallo clearly influenced by Dario Argento's BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE but it also has much in common with the 1956 thriller 23 PACES TO BAKER STREET. So much so that I'd be surprised if the screenwriters hadn't seen it as a couple of scenes are lifted from it. It's stylish and atmospheric although a graphically brutal murder in the shower is so detailed that I thought it went too far and I had to close my eyes until it was over. I watched it in Italian but in the English language version, Steffen is dubbed by Edmund Purdom. The effective score is by Manuel De Sica (GARDEN OF THE FINZI CONTINIS). With Sylva Koscina, Giacomo Rossi Stuart, Shirley Corrigan, Renato De Carmine and Susan Leclerc.