The Girl in the Yellow Pyjamas is an oddball entry in the Giallo cycle as it veers away from so many of the key elements of the style. The most obvious difference between this and the rest is that the body count is amazingly scarce, featuring only three murders; none of which are very bloody. Furthermore, we don't have a black-gloved killer to follow, and the majority of the film follows just one murder - which actually takes place before the film begins! The plot is split into two halves; first of all we've got the investigation into said murder, and this is backed up by a story told in flashbacks of the murdered girl's life up until it ended. The way that director Flavio Mogherini implements these two stories works well in a way, as it gives us a different angle than featured in most Giallo films and it allows us to identify with the victim despite the fact that we already know she's dead - but on the other hand, it's often confusing as to exactly what is going on because it's never really made clear that we're watching flashbacks, and the girl's life really isn't all that interesting; which made me continually want the film to get back on track with the police investigation.
At the start of the film, we see a young girl find a horrifically mutilated corpse on a beach. This then leads to an investigation into the murder, which is most notable for the fact that the body is put on public display in order to allow the body to be identified! The Australian setting is well realised by Mogherini, and makes for an interesting place for a Giallo to take its scene as the majority of fans are so used to seeing them set in Italy. The sun drenched locations help to set the scene, and this is excellently offset by the sleazy atmosphere, which is propped up by scenes of prostitution and voyeurism. The majority of Giallo fans will be used to seeing the story take place in a lush vibrant world of colours; and that is something lacking here. Prior to this movie, Flavio Mogherini was the art director for a few well known Giallo films; but it seems that the style's preoccupation with tension and thrills didn't wear off on him. The film is held together by Ray Milland, who stands out as the old detective investigating the case. He is joined by a talented cast of Italian performers, including an excellent Dalila Di Lazzaro in the title role. Overall, this isn't the greatest Giallo and fans of the more macabre entries may be disappointed; but if you ask me, The Pyjama Girl Case is definitely worth a watch.
At the start of the film, we see a young girl find a horrifically mutilated corpse on a beach. This then leads to an investigation into the murder, which is most notable for the fact that the body is put on public display in order to allow the body to be identified! The Australian setting is well realised by Mogherini, and makes for an interesting place for a Giallo to take its scene as the majority of fans are so used to seeing them set in Italy. The sun drenched locations help to set the scene, and this is excellently offset by the sleazy atmosphere, which is propped up by scenes of prostitution and voyeurism. The majority of Giallo fans will be used to seeing the story take place in a lush vibrant world of colours; and that is something lacking here. Prior to this movie, Flavio Mogherini was the art director for a few well known Giallo films; but it seems that the style's preoccupation with tension and thrills didn't wear off on him. The film is held together by Ray Milland, who stands out as the old detective investigating the case. He is joined by a talented cast of Italian performers, including an excellent Dalila Di Lazzaro in the title role. Overall, this isn't the greatest Giallo and fans of the more macabre entries may be disappointed; but if you ask me, The Pyjama Girl Case is definitely worth a watch.