When the model Isabella (Francesca Ungaro) is murdered by a masked killer, the models of the fashion house managed by Contessa Cristina Como (Eva Bartok) and her lover Max Marian (Cameron Mitchell) are shaken with the crime. The model Nicole (Ariana Gorini) finds Isabella's diary and late night she borrows the car of her friend Peggy Peyton (Mary Arden) and heads to the shop of her boyfriend Frank Sacalo (Dante DiPaolo) to meet him. However, the masked killer follows Nicole and kills her expecting to find the journal. But Peggy had stolen the diary to destroy pages that compromises her and she is also murdered by the killer. Meanwhile Inspector Silvester (Thomas Reiner) has a list of suspects that includes Frank, who blackmails Marquis Richard Morell (Franco Ressel) to give the necessary alibi to him. Who might be the killer and why the diary is so important to him?

"Sei donne per l'assassino", a.k.a. "Blood and Black Lace" is a giallo film directed by Mario Bava and one of his best movies. The colors, shadows and stylish camera-work give the perfect environment to the gruesome murders. The plot is standard with a masked killer that the police believe that is a sexual maniac stalking and killing beautiful women. The conclusion gives a good explanation to the mystery and the plot is well-resolved. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

Note: On 01 March 2017 I saw this film again. Note: On 07 June 2020 I saw this film again.

Title (Brazil):"Seis Mulheres Para o Assassino" ("Six Women for a Killer")

A psycho dressed a bit like the character The Shadow (but with a stocking style mask) has murdered a fashion model. And, he or she is looking for a diary that might hold incriminating evidence, so they continue to kill the other models--which is a shame, as one of them burned the stupid book early in the film! Oops.

I was surprised when I read through the reviews for this film as I saw a lot of 9s and 10s. Now I am not saying it's a terrible film, but I just can't see it as being THAT terrific a film. Plus, seeing some women horrible throttled in a few scenes seemed a bit disturbing--like the audience was vicariously getting off seeing the brutality. Now I am not necessarily saying the film was bad....just a bit disturbing and lacking the finesse and depth of a film such as "Peeping Tom" (now THAT is a great slasher film). On the other hand, I am not knocking the film either--it did evoke a wonderfully tense and scary mood (the music and lighting really helped) and it was a more intelligent film than the slasher pics of the 1980s (which were just repetitive and gratuitous...and featured teenagers stopping to take off their clothes at the abandoned roller disco and the like). There were a few nice twists as well. Overall, I'd say the film was very well directed and creepy...but a 10?! No--that would place this film with the likes of "The Godfather" and "Gone With The Wind"! Although if the killer had been killing giggly cheerleaders or lawyers, then I might have scored it a bit higher...but still not a 10.

By the way, get a load of the not so subtle epilepsy scene. I think it was intended to be scary but it just made me laugh. Now I did not laugh at the cheesy scars, as by 1960s standards they were actually pretty good.

In Blood And Black Lace Cameron Mitchell and Eva Bartok run both a fashion study and a boardinghouse for models. Probably more beautiful women there than any other spot in Rome.

Then one by one they're all being killed ostensibly to find a diary of blood and mayhem so we answer it with more blood and mayhem. The killer affects a Phantom of the Opera appearance with long coat a faceless mask and a glove that's a claw so he can really enjoy his ripping and tearing.

When you come right down to it, your basic slasher flick, northing special about it. Cameron Mitchell in fact is dubbed in the English version would you believe.

What were you thinking Cameron?