Tenebre (1982)

Peter Neal, an American writer of violent horror novels, visits Italy to promote his latest work, Tenebrae. He is joined in Rome by his assistant Anne, and his literary agent Bullmer. Unbeknownst to Neal, his embittered fiancée Jane McKerrow has vandalized his suitcase in JFK and followed him to Rome. Hours before Neal’s arrival, young shoplifter Elsa Manni is killed with a razor by an unseen assailant. Detective Giermani and Inspector Altieri question Neal because Elsa’s mouth had been stuffed with pages of Tenebrae. Neal receives an anonymous letter, deemed by Giermani a prelude to an impending killing spree.

The film is punctuated hereafter by visions tormenting an unseen man. Implied to be flashbacks, they showcase a young woman flirting with several male youths in a beach. One of them slaps her and is then chased and held down by the others while she kicks and orally rapes him with red high-heeled shoes. Later, POV shot flashbacks show him stabbing her to death in revenge.