It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

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

Someone is bumping off sexy women, inserting a venomous acupuncture needle into the back of the neck to render the victim helpless yet lucid, before getting busy on them with a knife. Investigating the series of grisly murders is Inspector Tellini (Giancarlo Giannini), who has serious doubts about his chosen career, and who unwittingly drags his own wife Anna (Stefania Sandrelli) into the web of murder and intrigue.The Black Belly of the Tarantula is a textbook giallo that does little to distinguish itself from countless other Italian murder mysteries of the day: there's the mysterious killer in black fedora, raincoat and gloves (albeit rubber gloves); a bevy of beautiful victims, most of whom get nekkid (some before they are killed, some after); stylish '70s architecture and interior design; a convoluted storyline with plot threads that go nowhere; a lush Ennio Morricone score; and a really dumb twist that takes an awful lot of swallowing.For many this tick-list of genre clichés will be enough, but I couldn't help but feel a tad underwhelmed by the film, which lacks the visual acumen of a director like Argento or Bava, the gory excess of Fulci, and not nearly enough of those weird touches that make certain giallos stand out from the pack. While it's impossible to be too hard on a film that features so many gorgeous Euro-babes in a state of undress (including a buck naked Barbara Bouchet and a topless Barbara Bach), the by-the-numbers nature of proceedings means that I cannot rate this higher than 6/10.

In most of the Giallo movies I have seen so far,there was always this gimmick that made the movie distinguish itself in the genre. While there is such a gimmick used here it nearly isn't as interesting as it sounded. The gimmick of course is the killer using acupuncture needles to paralyze the victims like this special wasp does to the black tarantula. And that is it. The title sounds more intriguing than it is. The movie contains enough moments to maintain a certain tension. But without red herrings it is actually pretty easy to pick out the killer. In good Giallos they often give hints and clues in making you think who the suspect is and then hit you with this amazing twist that turns everything upside down and still make sense. "Black Belly..." lacks serious suspects so basically everyone could be the killer. Very sloppy or lazy and no fun whatsoever. This movie doesn't even try to make sense of the killer's actions which usually should be the key element in unfolding the killer's identity. Apart from the beautiful women this movie isn't special. Is it a waste of time then? No,not really. But one familiar with the genre does expect more creativity. The main character also starred as Matis in the last two Bond movies which sort of gives this movie more glamour. Overall this movie just lacks the punch I expect to be in a giallo movie.

On the box of my (Blue Underground) DVD the quote "The best giallo ever made" shouts out from the back. Is it? No, not by a long shot, but still a very enticing little film - if a little over long in parts.As many others have touched on, I think the flaw in the lagging running time is down to one too many scenes focusing on the detective's domestic life, frankly these scenes are boring. The ending, as with many gialli, also falls somewhat flat - but then this does tend to be a typically style over substance genre.Bad bits, aside, what is good? There is plenty to love about this film; the brilliant cinematography, the menacing scene with a spider dangled over the detective, the horribly perverse gloves and menacing acupuncture needle of the killer. The music score is also one of Ennio Morricone's finest, and it certainly adds a decidedly chilling air to the film.Oddly, or not so, I was reminded of Aldo Lado's "Short Night of the Glass Dolls", also from 1971, also featuring Barbara Bach...and also with a strong theme of paralysis and murder. I'd say Lado's film carries the theme off with more aplomb - with it's truly horrific ending, so I'd advised all who've seen this to give that a go.