Our Staff Picks column takes you back to a time when video stores reigned supreme and the "Staff Picks" section was the place to find out what films were worthy of one's time. Of course, our version of Staff Picks has a decidedly skintillating angle, as we suss out which films from a particular subgenre are the best to find great nudity. This week let's cover one of the best kinds of films to watch during Spooky Season: Italian Horror.
Giallo is the word often used to describe Italian horror. It features classic horror and mystery elements infused with a ton of gore and a touch of sex. I know some readers might be squeamish, so I won't be including images drenched in TOO much blood (sorry, Deep Red).
Here are our Staff Picks for classic Italian horror films with hot scenes:
Suspiria
Does Suspiria have any nudity in it? No, but I would be remiss if I did not suggest it. Dario Argento's colorful classic is just plain good. The film takes place at an elite dance academy where a new student discovers that the women who run the dance school are actually witches who have nefarious plans. As I said, there is no nudity, but this is perhaps the best-known film in this genre and the Italian stars really are molto bella.
The Bloodstained Shadow
Suspiria star Stefania Casini stars in this classic giallo film, too. Antonio Bido directed this film in which a young man hooks up with Sandra, played by Stefania. He falls in love and lust with her after their highly erotic encounter and the pair plan on a sexy vacation. When he goes to meet up with her again, a woman is strangled. The body count rises in this film that leaves him trying to figure out what is happening and if it is somehow connected to him or Sandra.
Tenebrae
And now for another Dario Argento film. To answer any questions from people who do not know, Dario was indeed the father of actress Asia Argento. That might explain why she always seemed so devilish! Dario was a prominent and prolific Italian Giallo director who churned out so many classic films. He pretty much helped define the genre!
This film follows a novelist whose biggest fan turns out to be a psycho killer who is also stalking him. Of course! His fan is murdering women and using his favorite writer's books as inspiration and even as a weapon, going so far as to stuff pages into the victim's mouth. This violent mystery features sexy babes like Mirella Banti and Mirella D'Angelo. They even french kiss.
Tenebrae is one of his best films. Watch Eva Robins slip her virginal white dress off of her body to tempt a group of men. They certainly are tempted as they surrounded Eva and her bare naked breasts in this skintastic scene.
The Cat O' Nine Tails
Hi, sorry, one more Dario Argento film! I should just do another Staff Picks of all Argento movies, huh? Anyway, this 1971 horror film follows a blind puzzle maker and his niece who live a peaceful life together. It all turns around when he goes on a walk and overhears two men talking about genetic engineering and some devious plans.
The blind man wants to figure out what is happening and see if he can't uncover an evil plot. Puzzling, no? We could speak volumes about Catherine Spaak who gives the film its only nude scene. She looks so skintastic when she shows off her 70s suck sacks!
Zombie Holocaust
Marino Girolami directed this 1980 zombie flick that brings us a little bit of everything: cannibals, zombies, blood, and guts - oh my! Plus there are some truly sexy nude scenes from the blonde and beautiful Alexandra Delli Colli who plays Lory Ridgeway.
This film follows an anthropologist, Lory, who travels to an island that is rumored to engage in some cult rituals that involve mutilating corpses. She and her assistant and a reporter all go to the island and are instantly attacked. They get rescued by a doctor who turns out to be even worse than the people that attacked them! The doctor wants to use them for some gory experiments.
The nudity in this movie is top-notch. Alexandra gets tied to a stone table with flowers painted on her body. Her flower is left unshaven and we get to see it when she spreads her legs.
Blood Link
This 1982 film from director Alberto De Martino gives us boobs and blood - a horror fan's favorite! A man is murdering gorgeous naked women which means that we get to see the gorgeous naked women before they become victims. It's a classic slasher film with more nudity than you can bat a boob at. Is that a phrase? I'm making it a phrase.
Playmate Martha Smith stars and shows off her yabos. Penelope Milford also gives us all a thrill when she reveals her rack in the movie.
Naked, You Die
Legendary director Antonio Margheriti did not include too much nudity in his films, but this color flick from 1966 is a skintastic exception. A psycho killer is stalking the halls of an elite school's all-female dorm hall. The killer has a goal in mind: killing a wealthy heiress played by Eleanora Brown. On the way to that goal, he winds up killing others, of course.
Malisa Longo gives us a memorable shower scene that might give Psycho a run for its money. She starts with her back to the camera, but when she turns to the side, we get to check out Longo's bongos.
Castle of Blood
Antonio Margheriti also directed this atmospheric horror film shot in chilling black-and-white. Castle of Blood is an early haunted house film in which Silvia Sorrente exposes her massive mams when she takes off her corset and undergarments. You will be haunted by those hooters!
Barbara Steele stars who also starred in the Mario Bava classic Black Sunday. There is no nudity in that film, but I just suggest people watch it because it is truly creepy and Babs is beautiful. Barbara was the scream queen of her day and it's not hard to see why when you take a look at this seductive, dark-haired beauty. She'll leave you hard as Steele!
