and her romp with Barbara Bouchet did not damage my opinion of her! Also, what a powerful personality. If she had accepted the studio invite to come to Hollywood in 1955, I think she would have been a much bigger star!
shareShe's nice but has some stiff competition such as Edwige Fenech, Barbara Bouchet & Nieves Navarro.
shareYou just named the top women if Italian genre film, without a doubt. Here are my thoughts.
Edwige Fenech - An amazingly beautiful woman with an absolutely fantastic body. From all interviews she seems very sweet and was perfect for her typical roles as the vulnerable and tormented female, especially in Martino’s films. I would say she is the undisputed queen of giallo.
Barbara Bouchet - Her best asset, in my opinion, was her slutty demeanor off and on camera. Very hot and beautiful blond. My favorite performance of her’s was Amuck (1972) and for a rough one, try Cry of a Prostitute (1974).
Nieves Navarro - A little lesser looks than her peers but a smoking body, especially as she got older. Great actress and was well suited for spaghetti westerns. She just had that look. Top female in Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals (1977), and that’s saying a lot.
Rosalba Neri - Not only was she drop dead gorgeous, but her attitude puts her over the top for me. She frequently played the devious, snarky and bitchy lady who knew just how hot she was. Then on top of that add her athletic body and her eyes, and she is the number one pick for me. Fenech wins in the body department but Neri’s matches her attitude. Did you see her fire that shotgun in Amuck? She’s the perfect zombie apocalypse companion, one hundred percent. Check her out in Di Leo’s Slaughter Hotel (1974). It’s hard to find, but worth the watch.
You're more well versed than I am. The movies I've seen them in;
Edwige Fenech;
Five Dolls for an August Moon (1970)
The Strange Vice for Mrs. Wardh (1971)
All the Colors of the Dark (1972)
Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972)
Strip Nude for Your Killer (1975)
Barbara Bouchet;
Amuck (1972)
Smile Before Death (1972)
The Red Queen Kills Seven Times (1972)
Don't Torture a Duckling (1972)
Nieves Navarro;
The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion (1970)
Death Walks on High Heels (1971)
All the Colors of the Dark (1972)
Death Walks at Midnight (1972)
Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals (1977)
Rosalba Neri;
Smile Before Death (1972)
Amuck (1972)
For now I'd have to go Fenech > Bouchet > Navarro > Neri. I was only exposed to Neri just last night and I've only seen her in two movies so she's at a disadvantage right now.
Amuck was great, thanks for the suggestion, I think it's probably broke into my top 10 giallo.
You’re actually not that far behind me in how many of these actress’s films you’ve seen, and It’s great that you liked Amuck. It really doesn’t get the praise it deserves, it seems.
“I have Lady Frankenstein (1971) on my watchlist”
If you like Hammer films, you like this one. I first saw it on a crappy streaming site with commercials and I thought it was just “ok.” Later I got it on Blu-ray and it was a different experience. Great ending.