In Italy we call them ‘poliziesco’ (‘police’) or ‘giallo’ (‘yellow’) stories: it has been our most popular genre for almost two centuries, be it as books, films or comic books. Not to mention television detective fiction drama or series. Italian television has produced detective stories since its inception in 1954 and gave voices and faces to characters from the pens of some of the best detective authors, from Simenon to Dürrenmatt, from Gadda to Camilleri. The classic detective story was joined by other styles, ranging from the gothic with supernatural elements, to the fantastic, to the noir with bleak settings.
Hot on the Heels of Crime is conceived by Stefano Nespolesi, curated by Maria Pia Ammirati and Peppino Ortoleva. The graphic project is by Rai Direzione Creativa and the scenery by Carlo Canè.
The exhibition sums up almost 70 years of Rai detective series and drama, and this virtual tour will take you around some of its features.
Following the chronological progression of the exhibition, the route extends over two floors, allowing the visitor to move freely through its spaces and discover the development of television detective stories, from black and white to colour, from historical series to more modern ones. On the lower floor you discover the programmes starting from 1954 up to the 1980s, with a focus on genre variations – from gothic to fantasy to noir –, on female detectives, and on literary characters such as Simenon’s Maigret, Gadda’s Ingravallo, and Dürrenmatt’s Bärlach. Moving along, on the upper floor visitors encounter La piovra, continue on to Camilleri’s Montalbano, and conclude with the latest series currently being aired.
For an easier and more enjoyable experience of the virtual tour, we recommend the use of a PC in full screen mode and the latest web browsers.
Directional arrows will guide visitors along the route. To access enriched content, please click on the circle indicators
Italian version
Click here for Italian version
Copyrights
All rights to images and texts and/or other material published on this site are owned or acquired by Rai. The reproduction, even partial, in any form and by any means, of photographs, images, texts and/or other material published on this site is prohibited.
Virtual Tour Credits
A Rai Teche and Rai Centre for Research, Technological Innovation and Experimentation production
Curated by Susanna Gianandrea
Design and Development Luca Vignaroli
Technical support Mauro Zilio
Photos and shooting Luca Vignaroli, Davide Desirello and Maria Baratta
Editorial support Manuela Zulian and Ombretta Novelli
We thank Rai Teche Archivio Diritti and Diritti di Autore
The Virtual Tour contains the following title tracks
“Cento campane” music by Romolo Grano and lyrics by Fiorenzo Fiorentini
and courtesy of Rai Com Music Editions
A che punto è la Notte” music by Nicola Piovani ©&℗ Rai Com
“I bastardi” music by Vito Abbonato Andrea Ridolfi and lyrics by Gennaro della Volpe ©&℗ Rai Com
“Gli amori di Imma” music by Andrea Farri ©&℗ Rai Com/9 April