‘What Could Have Been’ is a continuing look into the reels of film history, analysing movies that could have been something special, but due to problems with script, production, budget, or any other type of issue, did not reach its full potential.
Lt. Arnold: “I could put you all away for this.”
With an idea of fusing a semi-futuristic, sexy gialli murder mystery plot into the world of the ever growing MTV music video era that kicked off in 1981, producer Jacques Goyard hired music video director Piccio Raffanini to co-write and direct these loose ideas into what became Obsession: A Taste for Fear (1987).
Basically looking like an hour and thirty-two minute music video infused with a hint of a mystery thriller plot, the cinematography and camera work actually frequently looks great, but Raffanini’s talent at what he does best cannot properly translate into a cinematic language. If you’ve seen your fair share of gialli, you’ll know that outside of the often entertaining if somewhat convoluted plots, there are moments of dread and terror every fifteen or so minutes. . . scenes that keep ratcheting up the tension as these pictures build towards their final climactic reveal. Before we truly get started, it must also be mentioned that despite being an Italian production, it was filmed in English.
High end nude fashion photographer Diane (Virginia Hey – Bond girl Rubavitch in The Living Daylights), surrounded by her entourage, including her disgruntled yet smitten assistant Valerie (Gioia Scola), flamboyant technician Paul (Dario Parisini), lingering ex-husband and fellow kink photographer Georges (Gérard Darmon), as well as numerous other makeup artists and models, spends her posh days getting embroiled in her sexy job, and her glamorous nights attending drug-infused parties hosted by Georges.
Of course, people around Diane, mostly her models, keep turning up dead, which leads snarly officer Lt. Arnold (Carlo Mucari) to her doorstep – many a time. As the endangered group becomes ever more incestuous – Georges still loves Diane while assistant Valerie is also vying for her attention, Diane is instead falling for the cop, Paul simply gazes upon it all with starry-eyed confusion, so on and so forth, one thing is clear. . . someone within the edgy photography world must be the killer, but who could it be? And better yet, who cares?
It’s hard to believe that this sci-fi giallo tinged mystery with an unknown killer on the prowl and more than a hint of nudity could be seen as boring, but that is exactly what it is. Despite having touches of star power, which is certainly an added bonus in Hey – who also starred in The Living Daylights the same year and in The Road Warrior opposite Mel Gibson earlier in the decade, and in spite of having the pizzazz of music video style lighting, it sadly has little more. Funnily enough, some might wish that the quote this piece started with actually happened – as everyone being arrested could have saved a bit of time.
Yet, you could see how Obsession: A Taste for Fear, in the right hands, might have been salvageable – as there is a premise in there somewhere, so with the right cinematic style and a better script (though it does give Hey a Live and Let Die quote – kudos for the Bond reference), it could have felt like an actual movie. Still, for completists who want to see every giallo, maybe fans looking to explore some of the fringe catalogue of a James Bond actress, or those who want to see an edgier snapshot in time echoing the 80s MTV music video era, you might want to take a chance on this feature – though the odds are likely that you’ll be safe from it becoming one of your obsessions. It must also be noted that musician Kid Creole makes a cameo as the Bookmaker. So, brave some 80s tech, titties, and tedium, though explore at your own risk.