Black Belly of the Tarantula
1971 · Movie · R · 98 min · ★ 6.1 · 56% critics
A weary inspector investigates a string of murders in which victims are immobilized before being killed, uncovering links to blackmail, infidelity, and a fashionable spa scene. As the case grows more tangled, the hunt becomes a tense mystery with a cruelly distinctive method.
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Streaming on AMC+, Full Moon and Shudder.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Original title
- La tarantola dal ventre nero
- Years
- 1971
- Release date
- 1971-08-12
- Language
- Italian
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 98 min
- Critic score
- 56/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.1/10 (96 votes)
About
If you enjoy classic giallo mysteries with lurid suspense, blackmail twists, and a sleazy 1970s vibe, this is worth a look alongside Tenebrae or The Psychic; Not for you if nudity, slow patches, or tangled plotting put you off.
Pros: creepy central premise; tense mystery elements; stylish 70s atmosphere | Cons: convoluted plotting; slow middle stretch; uneven suspense
Themes
- hat
- escape
- light
- victim
- knife
- stalker
- punishment
- whodunit
- spa
- tarantula
- wasp
- lust
- +2 more
Cast & crew
Giancarlo Giannini
as Inspector Tellini
Claudine Auger
as Laura
Barbara Bouchet
as Maria Zani
Rossella Falk
as Franca Valentino
Silvano Tranquilli
as Paolo Zani
Annabella Incontrera
as Mirta Ricci
Ezio Marano
as Masseur
Barbara Bach
as Jenny
Stefania Sandrelli
as Anna Tellini
Giancarlo Prete
as Mario
Directed by Paolo Cavara