Four Times That Night (1972)

To me, this movie is perfection.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

It's not the most obvious idea in the world to rework Akira Kurosawa's 1950 classic Rashomon as a sex comedy. But that is effectively what Italian legend Mario Bava has done here. This is not a genre that I am particularly familiar with, the Italian strand in particular I know nothing of. So I can't say I exactly knew what to expect here, especially seeing that Bava's output was mainly in horror and thrillers. Well, the verdict is that it's great, what else can I say? Like other films in the director's back catalogue like Danger: Diabolik and Five Dolls for an August Moon, this one is very pop art. The sets, costumes and overall look are vibrant, colourful and sexy. Perfect for an erotic comedy. And in the hands of a master stylist like Bava it's a visual delight.The story is about a first date gone wrong. The guy ends up with a scratched head and the girl with a torn dress. How did it happen? Well, we have her story, his story, the janitor's story and finally the analysis of a psychologist. At the end we are really none the wiser and left to decide for ourselves.It stars Daniela Giordano, a former Miss Italy. And she sure is a knock-out; a very sexy girl who happens to constantly be in either slinky outfits and/or in a state of undress. Well, you'll get no arguments from me on that score. She is the real focus of the movie with good reason. Bava himself is the other trump card of course. While the story is confined to very few locations, he always keeps things looking great with a great eye for colour. There's a little bit of psychedelic action in the dance-club too which never gets old in my opinion. The film's multiple story structure means that it moves at a cracking pace and never bores. It's not especially funny to be honest but it is quite sexy and more than a little bit cool. An unexpected triumph.

Dashing playboy John Price (handsome Brett Halsey) meets sweet virgin Tina Brandt (ravishing brunette knockout Daniela Giordano, who was Miss Italy 1966) in a park. The two strike up an immediate rapport and go on a date which goes disastrously wrong. Depending on the person relating the incident, the date went down like this: 1) amorous cad Price attempted to rape the innocent Tina, 2) shameless and insatiable nymphomaniac slut Tina aggressively came on to the hapless John, or 3) Tina was seduced by predatory lesbian Esmeralda (a memorably spiky Pascale Petit). Director Mario Bava relates the amusing story at a constant quick pace and expertly maintains a playfully light and bouncy good-natured tone throughout. Antonio Rinaldi's crisp, polished cinematography fills the screen with lots of rich, vibrant colors while Cariolano Gori's frothy, groovy score totally hits the swinging spot. Moreover, this amiably silly and innocuous fluff further benefits from charming performances from attractive and personable leads Halsey and Giordano. Co-producer Dick Randall is a real hoot as the sleazy voyeur doorman. The delectable Brigitte Skay, the ill-fated skinny-dipper in "Bay of Blood," has a sexy bit as naive bimbo Mumu. Bava even manages amidst all the delightfully inane tomfoolery to make a relevant point about how individual perspectives radically vary from person to person. A cute little romp.

A great looking couple share an evening of dancing and groping. But just what happened isn't exactly certain as she has one version of the evening's happenings, he has another and the pervy concierge has yet another tale to tell. And finally there's "the truth" which is explained away be some shrink. Or is it the truth? Well, this could have been a disaster of a film. Luckily it isn't as Mario Bava, one of Italy's finest visual directors, imbues the film with enough striking imagery, beautiful set design and fluent camera work to keep viewers interested. It's not particularly funny but it has a strange kind of charm to it. But hey, if you're a nut about light sex farces you may find it great.One thing's for sure; the leading lady (Daniela Giordano, a former miss Italy) is one of the most striking eye candy ever to grace the screen. She also delivers a spirited performance and American Brett Halsey is also quite lively.Give this a spin on a slow night.

Mario Bava is best known for his dark, morid horror films, but he also worked outside of the genre on many different occasions. One such occasion yielded QUANTE VOLTE. . . QUELLA NOTTE, a delightful sex comedy patterned after Akira Kurosawa's 1950 classic RASHOMON. The story tells of a date gone awry, and the different perspectives on what in fact led to the man (Brett Halsey) having scratches on his forehead and the girl (Daniela Giordano)'s brand new dress being torn. Those viewers only familiar with Bava's horror films need to seek out this little known gem -- it reveals a more playful side of Il Maestro, and is an entertaining and endearing film in its own right. *** out of ****