Camp as its title may sound, this creation from the Italian horror maverick Mario Bava is considered a quintessential giallo thriller and a masterpiece, and has a cult following among the likes of Quentin Tarantino. Filmed under the working title “The Fashion House of Death”, it revolves around dubious secrets involving a group of nerve-wracked fashion models, and a certain red diary. Like the sumptuously baroque fashion salon, the murder scenes are meticulously staged, with bodies often re-arranged for yet more breathtakingly spectacular effect. Son of Eugenio Bava, an accomplished cinematographer in Italian silent cinema, Mario himself was a brilliant and innovative technician, highly regarded for his use of colour and lighting.
All fans of “cinematic” fashion photography, watch this space!