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Nothing Underneath
Carlo Vanzina died and a message arrives "Why you never talked about
his films?". Yeah, true, ten years have passed since this site was born
and we never wrote about a film by Vanzina. Why? Because his cinema is
not part of our idea of trash and obviously even less independent. In
short, we simply do not like it, apart some beautiful comedy means ("I
Fichissimi" or "Eccezzziunale ... veramente" to say).
So we are not among those who have launched in surprise praise for his
death, but given the question that they asked us, we saw through our
memories and especially in his filmography, finding some films that
yes, can interest us.
First of all is this " Nothing Underneath ", the second thriller of the
Vanzina brothers after "Mystère" of 1983 and predecessor of less
fortunate incursions in the genre and sequel and remake of this film. A
film loosely based on a homonymous novel by Marco Parma and clearly
inspired by Dario Argento and Mario Bava, given the presence of leather
gloves and scissors and above all (almost plagiarism for the music of
Donaggio) by Brian De Palma of "Body Double" . A film that has a great
value: that of perfectly framing the superficiality of the eighties and
the "Milan da bere". And then yes, it flows without boring.
Well, there is also another quality that certainly saw the genre, the
theme and the director, certainly can not miss, that is the presence of
beautiful actresses / models that occasionally show tits and asses and
that are led by Danish Renée Simonsen at the time superstar of
the catwalks and interpreter of only two films both of the Vanzinas
(this and "Via Montenapoleone")
Having finished the merits it must be said that while Carlo Vanzina
reaches his peak in this genre shows not to be at ease in the thriller,
limiting to copy ideas here and there, with inevitable murders in the
bathrooms of luxurious apartments or hotel rooms and little compelling
attempts to spread the doubts on all the characters.
The lowest point is touched with a sepia flashback that shows the
absurd and deadly game that triggers homicidal madness, without
forgetting a rather absurd ending.
The worst flaw, however, is the total absence of violence, a definitely
commercial choice that leads us into murders witnessed by crying and
the bloody scissors of the killer. And a thriller without violence is
like a cinepanettone without farts.
Tom Schanley who already had a part in "Fame" and who will continue in
the future with other roles in the TV series, plays Bob Crane, a cool
ranger who runs on the inevitable pick-up in the woods of the United
States. He is the twin brother of Jessica (Nicola Perring) who moved to
Milan to make the photomodel with great success.
Thanks to the twins' mental contact, Bob sees a scene in which his
sister is about to be killed. And he leaves for Milan. Jessica has
disappeared and he, who becomes Wyoming for the inspector starts to
investigate living in the fashion world. To help him there is the
beautiful Barbara (René Simonsen) and Commissioner Danesi
interpreted by none other than Donald Pleasence.
Meanwhile, the killer hits in a delicate way, we could say with much
pity, killing the models that parade on the Milanese catwalks.
The killer is under the eyes of everyone from the first minutes and so
yes, you just have to look at the models and be afraid seeing the style
and life of the time.
