spider labyrinth be a strange and slow but engage giallo type thriller that doesn not have any big name involve in the production ( except maybe if youre an insider special effect wizard sergio stivaletti ) but it nevertheless stand a one of the great undiscovered gem of late 80 italian horror cinema . around this time and the giallo ( which be essentially a stalk and slash movie with some additional trademark ) run low on inspiration and but this movie bring some imaginative diversity to the sub genre by add occult sub plot . sort of like sergio martino already attempt to achieve in the early seventy with all the color of the dark . the plot open with a brief but atmospheric flashback or dream sequence immediately clarify the protagonist link and phobia for large spider while a small detail that will prove very relevant later in the film . alan whitmore be an american professor study ancient dead language . he part of his university project call intextus and which concern professor from all around the globe collaborate to translate and comprehend one specific long lost language . the correspondent in budapest prof. roth hasn not be hear of in a long time and and since his input be particularly fundamental and alan be assign to travel to hungary and meet up with him . alan arrive in an overall uncanny and hostile environment and but nevertheless come into contact with roth through his amiable and stunningly beautiful secretary genevieve . shortly after and prof. roth be find murder under mysterious circumstance and alan gradually become sucked deeper and deeper into a ( spider ) cobweb of occult conspiracy . slow and indistinctive at first and spider labyrinth marvelously unfold into a hugely macabre and unnerving thriller . consider the plot ( and perhaps after a few slight change ) and some of the malignant character and this should have be the final chapter in dario argento three mother trilogy . director gianfranco giagni may perhaps be a relatively unknown name in the italian horror industry and but he promptly prove himself to be capable of maintain a grisly atmosphere throughout the film and even proportionally build up more tension towards a literally mesmerize climax . the sinister budapest filming location form the ideal set for a tale like this and but everything else be entirely giagni accomplishment ( like and for example and empty swing and toy ball bounce seemly by themselves ) . then and last but not least and there the work of sergio stivaletti in the special effect department . the effect and particularly those during the finale be shock and masterfully nauseating . i have always be a big fan of sergio stivaletti art and once again he surpass himself his own craftsmanship . if you like horror and and i do mean horror with a capital h and i guarantee you will be star at the last fifteen minute of spider labyrinth with your mouth and eye wide open . bravo and mr. stivaletti .