OK I tried, really I did but I could not get into it. I love horror but this is not my style of horror. I was hoping this one was more of a spider creature feature and not a soft-core porn slasher. It's a very early stereo-typical slasher film of the 1970s - that all this movie is. If you are into soft-corn porn and watching beautiful women get slashed then here's your film! I had to keep fast-forwarding through this film - and I saw nothing of interest to me contained within. Nothing that made me wanna stop to watch the film in full, or should I say normal viewing speed.I'm not saying this is an awful horror film - I'm just saying "it's not my type of horror".1/10

A not so great giallo with a very over-inflated reputation. Giancarlo Giannini is trying to track down a lunatic who's been injecting women with the paralyzing agent of a wasp. The victim then gets to watch her own murder. While the idea is compelling, the film, directed by Paolo Cavara, is not particularly intriguing. There's very little build up to any of the crimes therefore there's no suspense. The acting is fine, particularly by Giannini as a world weary police inspector. The supporting cast includes such beauties as Barbara Bach, Barbara Bouchet, and Claudine Auger. The great Stefania Sandrelli plays Giannini's wife and Ezio Marano plays a creepy blind masseuse. The music is by Ennio Morricone.

As a fan of the genre, I picked this movie up on DVD after finding it listed among the "top ten" Giallo films of all time. The trailer seemed a tad murky but I'm generally easy to please...so I gave it a shot.Big mistake. "Black Belly of the Tarantula" is one of those films whose synopsis sounds so good...but the film is a mess. It is unbelievably tedious and un-involving with a disjointed plot that makes you wonder if the script wasn't tossed into a blender before being filmed.Only the leading man (detective) role is defined. The other characters are just part of a dizzying parade of faces you never get to know. Don't ask me what it's about--although I sat through the whole thing, I never understood any of it. I can tell you that between agonizing passages of boy meets girl babble, there is the occasional "throw-away" perfunctory murder.These murder scenes are described as wildly diabolical and violent in all the reviews--why? They are very brief and consist of one quick injection with an acupuncture needle, followed by one slow cut by a half-knife. So what? There's no suspense and you don't know or care about anyone whose dying.For me, the only interesting aspect was the inclusion of actor Montgomery Glenn, who appeared in several '60s Italian thrillers with Barbara Steele and here plays a small supporting role. They give him very little to do.The Big Finale was a huge pile of nothing...quite underwhelming. No spoilers here, but suffice it to say it will leave you saying "huh?" just like the rest of this snore-inducing epic.Right up there with the equally indifferent yawner, "Case of the Yellow Scorpion."

A rubber-gloved killer is preying on jaw-droppingly beautiful and sinful Italian women.He kills his victims by inserting a long acupuncture needle into the back of their necks and mutilating their bellies with a knife.It's up to Inspector Tellini to catch an elusive slasher..."Black Belly of the Tarantula" is one of the most well-known Italian giallos of early 70's.It has three sadistic,misogynistic and very stylish murder sequences including my favourite one set in a fashion boutique.The plot is complex and the acting is pretty good.The killer in trenchcoat and hat is truly creepy.So if you are a fan of gialli you can't miss this cult classic.8 tarantulas out of 10.