Dario Argento was born in Rome on September 7, 1940 to Salvatore Argento, a film producer, and Elda Luxardo, sister of the famous Brazilian photographer Elio Luxardo.
Argento began his film career as a journalist and quickly became a film critic at his publication. His articles immediately revealed his passion for a certain type of "popular" cinema, especially westerns and giallo films. His life and career changed when he met the great Italian director Sergio Leone, who chose him alongside Bernardo Bertolucci to write the screenplay for one of his most successful films, "Once Upon a Time in the West". His work as a screenwriter kept him increasingly busy as Dario collaborated with other important Italian directors like Tonino Cervi and Armando Crispino.
During a brief vacation in Tunisia, he conceived the concept for what would become his directorial debut, "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage". By now Argento was confident in his abilities and unwilling to entrust his creative ideas to others. However, he couldn't convince any producer to finance his film, so he decided to go into partnership with his father, founding S.E.D.A, through which he would produce most of his future work.
"The Bird with the Crystal Plumage" tells the story of an American writer who accidentally witnesses a woman being attacked in an art gallery and takes it upon himself to play detective, convinced the attacker is the same madman who recently murdered several young women.
Argento's directorial debut demonstrates his immense talent and "inaugurates" a new genre—the horror giallo—that would become hugely popular in the seventies. A classic and perfectly executed giallo plot is enhanced by excellent murder sequences that, contrary to the conventions of gialli up to that point, are filmed in meticulous detail and constructed to terrify audiences.
But the most innovative element Argento introduces in this debut is his ingenious "reinvention" of the subjective camera. For the first time, viewers witness the murders through the killer's eyes rather than as detached outsiders, intensifying audience involvement: you don't simply observe the scene—you participate in it. Like in Mario Bava's brilliant "Six Women for the Assassin (aka 6 Women for the Assassin)", the murderer becomes the film's true protagonist, an obscure and menacing presence, undefined yet capable of striking anyone at any moment—a kind of "Bogeyman" that Argento depicts as a dark silhouette wearing a wide-brimmed hat, whose appearance signals death. The score by the great Ennio Morricone is in perfect harmony with the director's vision. Despite its excellent execution, the film didn't achieve immediate commercial success; however, it was soon "rediscovered" and, re-released in theaters (typically at late-night screenings), eventually accumulated a respectable total of one billion lire at the box office. Thanks to this success, Dario Argento quickly found financing and producers for his next two films.
In 1971, he directed "The Nine Lives of a Cat", a story centered on a medical research institute where a shocking discovery is made: individuals with a specific chromosomal makeup are all dangerous criminals. After revealing this finding, the responsible physician is murdered; the police begin their investigation with help from an elderly blind man who had accidentally overheard a conversation between the victim and another man, but when the old man's young niece is kidnapped, things become complicated...
Starring American star Karl Malden (an Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actor for "A Streetcar Named Desire"), this is the second film in what's known as the director's "animal trilogy" and, by Argento's own admission, the least successful of the three. In "The Nine Lives of a Cat", Argento abandons pure thriller territory, contaminating the genre with spy-movie atmospherics, creating a hybrid genre that's harder to pin down.
Only a year passes before Dario is behind the camera again for the third film of this early career phase: "Four Flies on Grey Velvet". The film tells the story of a young musician tormented by a strange nightmare in which he witnesses his own decapitation. One day the young man notices he's being followed; he initially tries to escape but then decides to confront his pursuer and, in the struggle, accidentally kills him. He flees and tries to forget, but days later, a stranger begins blackmailing him. Meanwhile, his marriage seems to be falling apart as well; the strange dream, the murdered stranger, the blackmail, his wife—all are connected by a thin thread of mystery.
This third film from the master, in its settings and plot quite similar to his debut, represents another step toward pure horror. The entire story unfolds in a nightmarish atmosphere where the protagonist exists perpetually between reality and imagination. At any moment, the killer can emerge from the darkness, his presence suggested only by a sinister grin, a sigh in the shadows, an unanswered phone call. As in all of Argento's gialli, the killer's identity is revealed only in the final scene, once again thanks to a revealing "detail", maintaining suspense and audience interest throughout. Worth noting in the cast is the unusual appearance of Carlo Pedersoli, better known as Bud Spencer, an actor audiences were accustomed to seeing in a different genre of films.
After directing a brief series of crime TV films for Italian television, of which Argento only directs two episodes—the first titled "The Tram" (under the pseudonym Sirio Bernadotte), and the other "Eyewitness" (which, though credited to his assistant Roberto Pariante, was actually directed by Argento himself)—the director attempts a brief and unsuccessful departure from the genre that made him famous, with his direction of "The Five Days", a grotesque and dramatic film starring Adriano Celentano.
After this unfortunate detour, Dario Argento begins the second phase of his career, one that has since delivered his greatest works.
In 1975, he directs what many consider his finest film: "Deep Red". The plot is as complex as it is compelling: during a spiritualism conference, a medium senses the presence of a murderer in the room; the following night, the same medium is brutally murdered; an American pianist accidentally witnesses her death but only catches a fleeting glimpse of the killer without seeing his face. From that moment, the man involves himself in the investigation and, with the help of a journalist, attempts to uncover the murderer, who continues leaving a trail of heinous crimes in his wake.
With "Deep Red", Argento reinvents and revitalizes the giallo-horror genre so dear to Mario Bava, elevating it to heights never reached by any other genre director. This is a film without flaws, only strengths—quite simply the finest film of its kind ever produced in Italy and perhaps in the world.
Although essentially a giallo, the increasingly marked inclination toward gothic and pure horror in "Deep Red" is evident from the opening sequences: a child wielding a bloodstained knife set to an eerie children's nursery rhyme, a medium sensing a perverse presence who is then brutally murdered. The giallo slips into the paranormal, into a shadowy zone where nothing is rational and anything can happen. Another clear reference to Italian gothic tradition appears in the sequences set inside a dilapidated abandoned house ("The Villa of the Screaming Child") that seem to evoke, in a curious parallel, another genre masterpiece of the period, "The House with Laughing Windows" by Pupi Avati (notably, both Avati and Lino Capolicchio were originally set to participate in "Deep Red", the former as screenwriter and the latter as lead actor).
Tension, suspense, and terror keep viewers glued to the screen from the opening to the final sequence; the soundtrack composed by Goblin is perfect and alone suffices to create a sense of anguish and fear that lingers long after the film ends; the murder sequences possess such brutality and realism they seem authentic; the cast, including the director's then-partner Daria Nicolodi, Gabriele Lavia, Clara Calamai, and David Hemmings, are all perfectly suited to their roles; and the surprising and unexpected double ending leaves even the most seasoned giallo fan speechless. A truly great film that has inspired many genre directors, including genuine "masters" like John Carpenter for his "Halloween" (1978).
After such a monumental masterpiece, it was easy to expect the usual drop in quality with the next film, yet Argento surprises both audience and critics once again by directing his second masterpiece, "Suspiria" (1977). With this film, Argento temporarily abandons hyper-violent thriller territory to venture into pure horror.
An American girl arrives at a German dance academy where one of the students, encountered by the protagonist at the school's entrance upon her arrival, is savagely murdered that very night. Terrifying discoveries await the young woman during her stay at the academy, culminating in a shocking final revelation.
As stated, we're witnessing another masterpiece from the master, who definitively moves into pure horror with this film. For more than half the movie, you might believe you're watching another brutal Argento giallo (murders committed with cutting weapons wielded by a vaguely defined character wearing the "usual" black gloves), but the ending reveals there is no homicidal maniac and no rational explanation. Though, to be fair, Argento hints at the story's supernatural inclination well before the finale, both through the sequence where the blind pianist is assaulted and savagely mauled by his loyal guide dog for no apparent reason, and in the detail of the gnarled, clawed hand that pushes the girl against the window glass during the first murder sequence. The use of the soundtrack, composed (as with "Deep Red") by the great Goblin, is once again fundamental, featuring obsessive, omnipresent, and terrifying music. Add to this one of the finest murder sequences ever filmed (the film's opening), Argento's expert hand behind the camera delivering genuine "directorial inventions" (such as the shots of the plaza during the blind man's assassination scene), and an inspired lead performance by Jessica Harper.
This despite the fact that Argento had to contend with the wishes and reservations of distributors, especially Fox, which had financed much of the film, and which forced him to "revise" the screenplay, moving the setting from an academy for girls to one for young women, whereas the Roman director would have preferred it set in a school for children. To stay true to his original vision, Argento employs certain "expedients" (such as positioning the academy's door handles at an unnaturally high height, approximately where a six- or seven-year-old child would find them) and "nuances" in the girls' behavior and dialogue, making them seem more childlike than adolescent.
With these two works, Argento becomes famous worldwide and begins to boast a large number of admirers and supporters even among so-called "high" criticism.
"Suspiria" achieves enormous success abroad, especially in France, the United States, and Japan, where it's even broadcast, thanks to special and extraordinarily expensive equipment, in a stadium packed with over thirty thousand people!
The Roman director decides to continue in pure horror and in 1980 directs "Inferno", which is essentially a sequel to "Suspiria": the witch who tormented poor Jessica Harper in Argento's previous film was none other than one of the three Mothers, Mater Suspiriorum, protagonists of this new film. "Inferno" tells the story of a New York girl who discovers that the house where she lives is home to one of the three Mothers of Hell (while the other two are located in Rome and Germany). The young woman dies horribly but manages to warn her brother, who eventually manages to end the reign of the three queens of the underworld.
Argento benefits from the collaboration of the legendary Mario Bava and creates a film we might define, given its themes, as fantasy-horror; though this isn't his preferred territory, Argento nonetheless manages to direct an excellent production. It's a shame that the film falters somewhat toward the end, not so much in the plot's development as in the visual depiction of the "three sisters". Worth noting in the cast is an excellent Eleonora Giorgi.
The audience doesn't appreciate the director's "innovative" effort, and "Inferno" is something of a flop, especially when compared to the stratospheric box office of the two previous films. Argento then decides to return to telling stories of savage and heinous murders with the next "Tenebre" (1982).
It's the classic "Argentoesque" story where a mad murderer claims a series of victims, killing them all according to methods described in a famous horror novel. Moreover, the killer seems to be following the movements of the novel's author. The police are left fumbling in the dark as deaths continue to mount.
The plot is engaging and, as usual, the murder sequences are perfectly "choreographed" by a soundtrack again courtesy of the legendary Goblin. The cast features solid performances from, in addition to the always-capable wife of the director, Daria Nicolodi, a young Giuliano Gemma and Anthony Franciosa. A curiosity: toward the film's end, there's a sequence where the killer uses an axe to sever a woman's arm—actress Veronica Lario—a scene never broadcast in the TV version of the film and absent from the V.M. 14 rating video edition. One of the few uncut versions of "Tenebre" is the recent Mondadori VHS reissue or the imported DVD version (both V.M. 18 rating). We present below the "incriminated" sequence.
"Tenebre" returns Argento to success, and with the next film "Phenomena" (1985), he attempts a stronger blend of horror and giallo. The story once again centers on the exploits of a terrible and relentless murderer who spreads death and panic across a quiet Swiss canton. But this is enhanced by certain "paranormal" elements so dear to the master, particularly through the character of Jennifer, a young sensitive who possesses the power to communicate with insects and who, thanks to these very abilities, manages to unmask the culprit.
Among its strengths: an exceptional cast featuring Donald Pleasence, Daria Nicolodi, and the young and talented Jennifer Connelly, plus excellent special and makeup effects; consider that to film the scenes featuring an enormous swarm of flies, the Roman director, lacking digital effects at the time, used real flies, which he "cultivated" directly on set, allowing kilos and kilos of meat to rot! Add to all this an intriguing plot and sequences that are, at times, terrifying. What more could you ask for? Argento seems to be in great form again, giving us one of his finest films. Worth noting is the unforgettable sequence in which the protagonist Jennifer approaches a crying child, places her hands on his shoulders, and when he turns around... not to be missed!
With "Phenomena", Argento's golden age comes to a close. After collaborating as producer on the two "Demons" films (1985/86) directed by Lamberto Bava, he returns to giallo-horror with "Opera", a film that doesn't live up to his previous work. The story revolves around "Macbeth", an opera considered by many to be cursed; indeed, a madman begins to pursue the young female lead of the production, but he doesn't target her directly—instead, he kills everyone around her in the most atrocious ways. The show's director will unmask the killer with the "unwitting" help of some ravens.
Apart from the, as always, perfectly executed murder sequences, the film offers little else to remember it by and has its greatest flaw in a senseless and implausible double ending. "Opera" would likely have been the most brutal film of the Roman director had Italian censorship not deemed it "necessary" to cut the film of its most violent scenes, much to the dismay of Argento himself, the public, and all cinema lovers! Unfortunately, "Opera" in its "complete" version (what the director intended) is unavailable, as the film was released worldwide in the same "cut" Italian version. A real shame!
Between October 1987 and January of the following year, Argento participates in the television program "Giallo – Your Fingerprint on Friday" hosted by Renzo Tortora on Raidue. In addition to presenting a special "corner" with guests and clips from his most celebrated thrillers, the director produces the crime series "Night Shift", entrusting its direction to Luigi Cozzi and Lamberto Bava.
The director himself oversees the direction of several mini-films titled "Dario Argento's Nightmares", each about three minutes long. Among these, some stand out for their brutality: "Night Rituals", which deals with voodoo rites, "Love and Death", centered on rape, and "The Witch" (the most successful), which, drawing inspiration from Ray Bradbury's famous story "October Game", depicts a girl's birthday party during which her father massacres his wife and then "plays" with her corpse. Finally, "Sammy", in which Santa Claus becomes a horrible monster.
Between the late eighties and early nineties, Argento returns as producer, investing in two horror films that turned out to be rather mediocre, directed by his friend Michele Soavi, "The Church" and "The Sect". In those same years, Argento "emigrates" to America to direct a two-part film with his friend George Romero (for whom, in the late seventies, he had overseen the Italian version of his horror masterpiece "Zombi"), adapted from two of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous stories: "The Truth About the Case of Mr. Valdemar" and "The Black Cat". Argento handles the adaptation of this second story, directing an excellent work, enhanced by an inspired performance by Harvey Keitel.
We thus arrive at 2000, the year that was supposed to mark Dario Argento's grand return to giallo with the highly anticipated "Sleepless". The story follows the classic Argentoesque formula: retired elderly commissioner Ulisse Moretti finds himself involved in a new investigation into a series of murders that mirror the patterns of killers he investigated seventeen years earlier. The man believed responsible for the previous murders was a dwarf, later found dead. Together with Giacomo, whose mother the killer murdered before his eyes, Commissioner Moretti spends his sleepless nights following threads of memory that surface slowly, trying to solve the mystery and reveal the identity of the mad murderer.
Whenever Dario Argento directs a genre film, it's inevitable to draw parallels with his masterpiece "Deep Red", and more so than ever in this case given the many elements they share: starting with the Turin setting, the same city where he shot his masterpiece, moving through a children's nursery rhyme (written by his daughter Asia) that inspires the killer's crimes, and continuing with the staging of the murders (a victim's drowning in water and another's face smashed against walls, deaths that closely echo two of the heinous murders in "Deep Red"). But there are many other self-references and allusions (from Goblin's music to one of the actors, Gabriele Lavia) with which the director fills this "Sleepless", which, despite these devices, fails to recreate that perfect blend of tension, anguish, and fear that the director had achieved in the now-mythic "Deep Red". The reasons could be many, starting with the poor performances of some actors, with the exception of the commendable Max Von Sydow, Gabriele Lavia, and Rossella Falk; the performances of the other cast members, including the insecure protagonist Stefano Dionisi, are forgettable; the Goblin's soundtrack can be called competent but falls far short of the levels reached in other Argento films. Good, however, are the special effects by Sergio Stivaletti and the screenplay, on which crime writer Carlo Lucarelli also collaborated. In sum, even setting aside uncomfortable comparisons with "Deep Red", one cannot deny that Argento seems to have lost some of his shine: "Sleepless" almost seems like a knockoff of his splendid giallo-horrors that made him so beloved by audiences and critics. The tried-and-tested double ending, an element that characterizes practically all the director's thrillers, begins to feel repetitive and perhaps predictable (if you pay attention to details, you'll figure out who the real killer is within the first twenty minutes). Genre enthusiasts and fans of the director will nonetheless find blood-soaked victims, some excellently realized sequences (particularly notable is the train scene of the first murder and the theater murder sequences), and the unmistakable directorial stamp of Dario Argento, managing to appreciate the film nonetheless.
(FIRST PART OF THE RETROSPECTIVE ON DARIO ARGENTO. SECOND PART COMING SOON!)
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