The Killing Game

Glamorous masks and murderous styles in Elio Petri’s La decima vittima



She’s a hunter, he’s a victim. They live in a distant future and move in impossibly modernist environments, recalling at the same time the ambiance of comic books and abstract art. Their Courrèges ian costumes (designed by Giulio Coltellacci in collaboration with the Sorelle Fontana fashion house) are impeccable, and their Technicolor world is filled with superfluous objects. Discover through this talk the glamorous futuristic atelier of illusions created by director Elio Petri in The 10th Victim, a “style film” and a complex artistic achievement with subtle political undertones aimed at satirizing consumer society and modern lifestyles. Don a pair of vintage ‘60s sunglasses and get ready to enter the universe that has vowed sci-fi and pop art fans, photographers, artists, fashionistas and even the House of Gucci.

Anna Battista is a writer, journalist and lecturer. Her articles about culture, fashion, lifestyle, politics and social issues have been featured in publications internationally.

With grateful thanks to the Fondazione Micol Fontana, Rome, Italy, for facilitating this research.