Who Saw Her Die? Blu-ray and Digital Review

4 star restoration of a dramatic Italian whodunnit.

Who Saw Her Die? is an Italian giallo film written and directed by Aldo Lado (Love Ritual, Alibi Perfetto).

Originally released in 1972, it has enjoyed a 2K restoration and will be available on Blu-ray and Digital on Demand from 26th August 2024 courtesy of Shameless Films.

“Mommy, there are hundreds of pigeons to play with and Venice is much more pretty than I would have imagined it, you know.”

It’s 1968 and at the ski resort of Megeve, France, we see an excited young red haired girl who wanders away from her carer and is brutally murdered by a mysterious woman in a black veil.

Jump ahead to 1972 and in Venice, we see Franco (George Lazenby – A Queen’s Ransom, Star of Jaipur) waiting at the airport. Recently separated from his wife Elizabeth (Anita Strindberg – Puzzle, The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail), he has arranged for his beautiful young red haired daughter Roberta (Nicoletta Elmi – Deep Red, Demons) to stay with him in Venice. She loves the city and he wastes no time in introducing her to his friends, the journalist Cuman (Piero Vida – Stage Fright, Nostalgia) and fencing expert Philip (Peter Chatel – Fox and His Friends), as well as local priest Father James (Alessandro Haber – Caravaggio’s Shadow, The Unknown Woman).

Everything is turned upside down when Roberta goes out to play with some local children while Franco is at home with his new girlfriend Gabriella (Rosemarie Lindt – Carnal Circuit) and goes missing. When her body is found floating in the canal, Elizabeth flies to Venice to join him and the two begin to investigate. But, who can they trust, the shady Serafian (Adolfo Celi – Thunderball, Monsignor), his secretary Genevre (Dominique Boschero – Full Hearts and Empty Pockets) or the highly suspicious lawyer Bonaiuti (José Quaglio – The Conformist)? All of a sudden everyone seems like a suspect.

“I’m sure we’re on the right track. That man knows more than he was letting on.”

Who Saw Her Die is an excellent example of the Giallo genre. It’s dramatic and well made and makes very good use of the setting. The canals and back streets of Venice look both beautiful and sinister in the expert hands of cinematographer Franco Di Giacomo (The Postman, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly). It is also enhanced by a haunting and evocative choral score from Ennio Morricone – The Cat O’ Nine Tails, Revolver), featuring the voices of children. It is jarring, unsettling and occasionally quite intrusive and goes a long way towards creating a sense of anxiety and impending doom.

While some of the acting performances may not seem the best, that may be due to the fact that as with most giallo films, the voices are dubbed post production. It’s something you just have to get used to.

This is a really good conversion, the film looks and sounds great and this package also boasts lots of special features, including an interview with director Aldo Lado, who sadly passed away last year. If you’re a fan of giallo then this one is well worth adding to your collection.

“The mother nearly went crazy when the little girl was found dead. Poor soul, she kept insisting she cold see Mariella’s ghost. Such hallucinations.”