gridoon2018 "Puzzle" poses a number of questions, the most burning of which may be: is it possible to forget that you are married to Senta Berger, EVEN IF you are suffering from amnesia? Senta has put on some muscle since her earlier years and, IMO, she looks better here than she ever has before - she is breathtaking in some shots. More of a crime thriller than a giallo (which is what the DVD cover advertises it as), "Puzzle" manages to stay at least moderately interesting most of the way, until its suspenseful and quite bloody climax. The Italian locations (Portofino) help a lot. It's not a "must-see" picture, but for Senta Berger fans especially it is worth a look. **1/2 out of 4.

Coventry Duccio Tessari really ought to be applauded for this truly proficient but sadly still neglected Giallo-achievement! I sincerely hope this film receives a properly legit and worldwide DVD-release soon, because avid fans of the genre are guaranteed to get a kick out of it. "Puzzle" is already available in France (or at least in the French speaking part of Belgium; where I got it), even though the transfer to disc is fairly rudimentary and inconspicuous. "Puzzle" embraces all the regular elements Giallo-devotees anticipate, like convoluted plot twists and a couple of bloody murders, but truly remarkable is the high number of nail-biting suspense moments. Tessari invokes a nearly indescribably nerve-racking ambiance from the start of the film and gradually builds up the edginess towards a masterful climax. Even some of the widely acclaimed directors in the genre, like Dario Argento or Sergio Martino, never managed to include this much genuine tension in their masterpieces. And yet, the basic plot outline of this film isn't *that* original or revolutionary. In fact, the plot largely exists of typical and even clichéd themes, like a protagonist suffering from amnesia, the involvement of beautiful women and a large scaled drug-smuggling crime network, but somehow Ernesto Gastaldi's screenplay continuously feels refreshing. The fairly complex structure and unexpected plot twists also always stay several steps ahead of you ... indeed, like a hard-to-solve puzzle. I wouldn't even think of elaborating on the plot too much, as it's really convoluted and twisted and I don't want to be the one spoiling it for you. I can briefly mention that the lead character, Edward, has been living in England for at least the past eight months and, as the result an accident, he remembers absolutely nothing of his past. He's lured to Italy, where he apparently also has a gorgeous wife, by a suspicious individual who repeatedly forces Edward to remember stuff. Who is this man and why does he so desperately want to bring Edward's memory back? What vicious affair was Edward involved in to begin with and is his lovely wife Sara honestly as innocent as she pretends? "Puzzle" is a non-stop challenging and solidly scripted Giallo highlight, and even if the plot contains some holes or improbabilities (which it probably did), I personally was too excited and entertained to make notice of them. The film surprisingly enough doesn't feature any sexual footage, but the soundtrack is wonderful and particularly the exterior filming locations are stunning. "Puzzle" also isn't as gory as most contemporary Giallo, but nonetheless there are some noteworthy peaks of brutality (the slaughter of a harmless little dog) and massive bloodshed (chainsaw-finale, anyone?). Supreme acting performances as well, with Poliziottesco-regular Luc Merenda ("The Violent Professionals", "The Kidnap Syndicate"), beauty queen Senta Berger, and a brief but important appearance by Giallo princess Anita Strindberg ("A Lizard in a Woman's Skin", "Who Saw Her Die?") … Oh, and Duilio Cruciani is probably my pick for the LEAST annoying child-actor ever. He's actually quite good and convincing. Highly recommended!

rundbauchdodo This fine Giallo tells an unusual story in an unusual way, and even though not much happens in the first half of the film, director Tessari manages to grip the viewer's attention from the beginning through stylish directing and really thrilling and creepy moments. In the second half, as the plot thickens and the parts of the puzzle begin to fit into a whole (i.e. as the main character starts to remember more and more of his past), there are also some fairly violent scenes, e.g. as a villain falls over a cliff or beautiful female lead Senta Berger swings a chainsaw. But, most importantly, even though the plot is a quite complicated net of strings that has to be lead together to the climax, the story remains plausible until the end, which isn't always the case in films of this genre.Apart from the convincing performance by Berger, Luc Merenda is also well casted in the title role, as is Umberto Orsini in the main supporting role. Look out for Giallo regular Anita Strindberg in a small but crucial role. The lush sound track is also very cool and adds to the viewing pleasure. The only shame is that, as with too many other Italian films of the 1970s, this memorable Giallo is quite rare and hard to get. Rating: 8 out of 10.

f.gimenez I was just amazed when I finished watching this Italian thriller. Inspired in quite a few American and European movies of this kind, it gets you intrigued from the start till the end. Strange events, mysterious characters, (including the main one who is an amnesic man who doesn´t know who he is or why someone is trying to kill him), the right rhythm and really thrilling moments make this movie one of the best Italian thrillers I´ve ever seen. Absolutely recommended.