 As in many of Argento 's films , which tend to <unk> the murder of beautiful women , gender , sexuality and power are major issues foregrounded by the film . The fictional novel within the film is described as being " about human perversion and its effects on society " . Male and female sexual deviancy are a central theme , with the victims being sexually liberated women who the first killer – conservative TV presenter Cristiano Berti – refers to as " filthy , slimy perverts " . The first victim is a sexually promiscuous shoplifter , and his next two are the lesbian reporter and her bisexual lover . Berti murders the comparatively normal Maria only because she inadvertently discovers his twisted compulsion . His " moral crusade " is inspired by – and in his mind given credibility by – Neal 's novel . Neal 's own motivations for becoming a killer are revealed in " Freudian flashbacks " . As summarised by <unk> these flashbacks " expose how the misogyny evident in his books actually stems from being sexually humiliated by a beautiful woman in his youth . " McDonagh also notes that Tenebrae expands on the themes of sexuality and <unk> found in Argento 's earlier films , The Bird with the Crystal Plumage , The Cat o ' Nine Tails , Four Flies on Grey Velvet ( 1972 ) , and Deep Red ( 1975 ) , but believes that Tenebrae 's " overall sensuality sets it apart from Argento 's other gialli . " She says that the film 's sexual content and abundant nudity make it " the first of Argento 's films to have an overtly erotic aspect " , and further notes that " Tenebrae is fraught with free @-@ floating anxiety that is specifically sexual in nature . " Gracey notes that in several scenes the victims gaze directly into the camera , which demonstrates Argento 's " preoccupation with voyeurism and spectacle " . 
