Nino Vingelli Movies

This frightening horror-thriller stars Giancarlo Giannini as Inspector Tellini, chasing a killer whose victims are paralyzed with a poisoned acupuncture needle, forcing them to watch helplessly as their stomachs are ripped open with a sharp knife. This method duplicates the habits of the black wasp in slaying tarantulas, explaining the title. Much of the film is spent on a wild goose chase involving Silvano Tranquilli, the husband of the first victim (Barbara Bouchet). All of the suspects soon turn up dead and Giannini turns his attention to an upscale health spa, frequented by each victim, which is a front for blackmail and cocaine smuggling. The mystery itself is fairly obvious, but director Paolo Cavara includes a good deal of action and Ennio Morricone's score is effectively chilling. Among the cast are such genre favorites as Annabella Incontrera, Stefania Sandrelli, Claudine Auger, Rossella Falk, and Giancarlo Priete, and --as in many Italian thrillers of the period -- voyeurism is the primary motif. Barbara Bach and Carla Mancini appear briefly. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

Bill (John Phillip Law) grows up to seek revenge on the gang that killed his parents. He meets up with Ryan (Lee Van Cleef), a veteran gunslinger seeking his own revenge for the ones who put him in prison. The two proceed to shoot everything that moves in this violent spaghetti western. Bill eventually discovers Ryan was there when his parents were killed and is torn between killing Ryan and letting him ride off into the sunset. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

The Russo/Italian coproduction Attack and Retreat was titled Italiano Brava Gente in Italy and Oni Shli Na Vostok in the USSR. This "solidarity" war epic hinges on the plot device of Italian and Soviet WWII troops forming a united front against their one-time ally, the Germans. To drum up business in America, the producers hired two Hollywood stars: Arthur Kennedy (as a fascist leader) and Peter Falk. In some prints of this film, Kennedy and Falk's highly distinctive voices have been dubbed by anonymous actors. Attack and Retreat was gorgeously filmed on location in the Ukraine with an international team of cinematographers. Originally released at 156 minutes, the film has been severely pared down for subsequent reissues and TV showings. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Jules Dassin, blacklisted during the McCarthy era, directs this routine, ostensibly romantic tale that really courts an underlying theme of the misuse of power. Based on a popular French novel and set in a small Mediterranean town, the story involves a small group of men and the woman several of them desire. The men gather around in the local tavern each evening to play a rather vicious game called "The Law." One man is chosen to dictate to the others, and they have to do what he says, no matter how humiliating. Marietta (Gina Lollobrigida) is the gorgeous servant of Don Cesare (Pierre Brasseur), desired by Francesco, the son of a crime boss (Yves Montand), and by her brother-in-law. She herself has fallen in love with Enrico (Marcello Mastroianni), a poor engineer. Determined to get a dowry and thereby be able to marry Enrico, Marietta turns the tables on the men who play "The Law." ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

3DLa Sfida3D (3DThe Challenge3D) marked the directorial debut of former screenwriter Francesco Rosi. Based on a true story, the plot concerns a young man named Vito (Jose Suarez), who harbors a grudge against the Neopolitan Mafia. At great personal risk, Vito vows to smash the mobsters who control the region's fruit and vegetable distribution. Unfortunately, the local Mafia chieftan (Pasquale Cenammo) proves to be just too powerful and well-armed for Vito to succeed. Rosanna Schiaffino contributes a powerhouse performance as Vito's wife (and, ultimately, his widow). Despite official protests from certain "business interests", 3DLa Sfida3D earned a Special Jury Prize at the 1958 Venice Film Festival. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This routine drama set in post-war Italy is the first feature by novice director Sergio Capogna and is based on a best-selling novel by Vasco Pratolini. The story centers around one main protagonist, a young man (Massimo Tonna) who in addition to growing into adulthood, has to come to grips with the post-war conditions in the country. Not overly long on morality at first, he opts for seducing an older widow with the sole intent of stealing as much from her as he can. He follows his plan all the way to the end, with tragic consequences that he did not foresee -- and a lesson learned, too late. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi