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 cinema career as a journalist and quickly became a film critic for his publication. His articles immediately revealed his passion for a certain type of "popular" cinema, particularly westerns and giallo films. His life and career changed when he met the legendary Italian director Sergio Leone, who chose him alongside Bernardo Bertolucci to write the screenplay for one of his greatest films, "Once Upon a Time in the West". His work as a screenwriter kept him increasingly busy, collaborating with other important Italian directors like Tonino Cervi and Armando Crispino.
During a brief vacation in Tunisia, he conceived the idea for what would become his directorial debut: "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage". Now confident in his abilities, Argento decided he no longer wanted others bringing his ideas to the screen. Unable to convince any producer to finance his film, he formed a partnership with his father, establishing 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 witnesses an assault on a woman in an art gallery and becomes an amateur detective, convinced the attacker is the same maniac responsible for recent murders.
Argento's directorial debut showcases his tremendous talent and inaugurates a new subgenre—the horror-tinged giallo that would flourish throughout the 1970s. A classic and perfectly executed giallo plot is enhanced by outstanding murder sequences that, contrary to the conventions of the time, are shot with meticulous detail and designed to terrify. The film's most innovative element is Argento's ingenious reinvention of the subjective camera: for the first time, audiences witness murders through the killer's eyes rather than as detached observers, dramatically increasing viewer involvement and turning the scene into a kind of participation. Like in Bava's magnificent "Six Women for the Assassin", the killer becomes the film's true protagonist—an ominous, menacing, undefined presence capable of striking anyone at any moment, a sort of "Boogeyman" that Argento depicts as a dark silhouette wearing a battered hat, whose appearance signals death. The score by the great Ennio Morricone perfectly complements Argento's direction. Despite its excellent execution, the film initially failed at the box office. However, it was soon "rediscovered" and, when re-released in theaters (usually at late-night screenings), eventually reached a respectable one billion lire in revenue. This success allowed Argento to secure funding 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 genetic makeup are all dangerous criminals. After revealing this finding, the doctor leading the study 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. When the old man's young niece is kidnapped, complications mount.
Starring American star Karl Malden (Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner for "A Streetcar Named Desire"), this is the second film in what's called Argento's "animal trilogy", and according to Argento himself, 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 an awkward hybrid.
Just a year later, Dario was back behind the camera for the third film of his early directorial period: "Four Flies on Grey Velvet". The film follows a young musician haunted by a strange nightmare in which he watches his own decapitation. One day he notices he's being followed; initially he tries to escape, but then decides to confront his pursuer. During the struggle, he accidentally kills the man. He flees and tries to forget, but days later, a stranger begins blackmailing him. Meanwhile, his marriage seems to be falling apart. The strange dream, the dead stranger, the blackmail, his wife—everything is connected by a thread of mystery.
This third film, similar in setting and plot to his debut, represents another step by Argento toward pure horror. The entire narrative is steeped in a nightmare atmosphere, with the protagonist constantly suspended between reality and imagination. At any moment, the killer might emerge from the darkness, his presence suggested only by a sinister grin, a whisper in the dark, an unanswered phone call. As in all Argento's thrillers, the killer's identity is revealed only in the final scene, thanks once again to a telling detail, maintaining suspense throughout. Notable in the cast is the unusual presence of Carlo Pedersoli, known as Bud Spencer, an actor audiences were accustomed to seeing in a different genre.
After directing a brief series of giallo TV movies for RAI—of which Argento only directed two episodes: the first titled "The Tram" (under the pseudonym Sirio Bernadotte") and the other "Eyewitness" (officially credited to his assistant Roberto Pariante, though actually directed by Argento)—the director attempted a brief, unsuccessful departure from the genre that made him famous, directing "Five Days", a grotesque and dramatic film starring Adriano Celentano.
After this unfortunate detour, Dario Argento entered the second phase of his career, which would yield his greatest works.
In 1975, he directed what many consider his masterpiece: "Deep Red". The plot is both complex and compelling: during a spiritualism conference, a medium senses the presence of a murderer in the audience. That night, the medium is brutally killed. An American pianist witnesses her death by chance but only glimpses the killer in passing, unable to see his face. From that moment, the man becomes involved in the investigation and, with help from a journalist, attempts to identify the killer, who continues leaving a trail of savage murders.
With "Deep Red", Argento reinvents and revitalizes the giallo-horror subgenre so dear to Mario Bava, elevating it to heights no other genre director has achieved. This is a flawless film, a masterpiece—arguably the finest giallo ever produced in Italy, and perhaps anywhere. Though essentially a thriller, the increasingly marked inclination toward gothic and pure horror is evident from the opening scenes: a child wielding a blood-soaked knife to an eerie nursery rhyme, a medium sensing a sinister presence before being brutally murdered. The giallo slips into the paranormal, into a shadowy realm where nothing is rational and anything can happen. Another clear nod to Italian gothic tradition appears in sequences set within the crumbling, abandoned house ("The House of the Screaming Child") that seem to echo, in curious parallel, another genre masterpiece of the period: "The House with Laughing Windows" by Pupi Avati (notably, Avati was originally slated as screenwriter and Lino Capolicchio as lead actor for "Deep Red").
Tension, suspense, and terror grip viewers from first frame to last. The soundtrack by the Goblin is perfect, creating a sense of dread and fear that lingers long after the film ends. The murder sequences are so brutal and realistic they seem authentic. The cast, including the director's girlfriend at the time Daria Nicolodi, Gabriele Lavia, Clara Calamai, and David Hemmings, all inhabit their roles flawlessly. The surprising and unexpected double ending leaves even seasoned giallo fans speechless. A truly great film that inspired many genre directors, including masters like John Carpenter with his "Halloween". (1978).
After such a masterpiece, a decline in the next film would be expected, yet Argento stunned audiences and critics again with his second masterwork: "Suspiria". (1977). With this film, Argento temporarily abandons hyper-violent thriller territory for pure horror.
An American girl arrives at a German dance academy. One of the students she meets at the entrance is brutally murdered that night. Terrifying discoveries await the young woman during her stay at the school, culminating in a shocking revelation.
This is another masterpiece, one in which Argento fully embraces pure horror. For more than half the film, viewers might believe they're watching another violent Argento giallo (murders committed with blades wielded by the "usual" black-gloved figure), but the ending reveals there is no serial killer and no rational explanation. Though Argento does hint at the supernatural turn well before the finale—in the scene where a blind pianist is inexplicably attacked and mauled by his loyal guide dog, and in the detail of the withered, clawed hand pressing the girl against the window during the first murder. The use of the soundtrack, composed (as with "Deep Red") by the great Goblin, is once again essential, with obsessive, omnipresent, terrifying music. Add to this one of cinema's greatest murder sequences (the film's first), Argento's expert direction behind the camera delivering genuine directorial innovations (like the plaza shots in the blind man's murder scene), and an inspired lead performance by Jessica Harper.
This despite Argento having to accommodate the wishes and hesitations of distributors, particularly Fox, which financed much of the film. They forced him to revise the screenplay, setting it in a dance school for young women rather than a school for girls, as Argento had originally intended. To stay true to his vision, Argento employed certain "tricks"—positioning door handles at unnaturally high heights, roughly the level a six or seven-year-old child would reach—and adopted subtle touches in the girls' behavior and dialogue, making them seem more childlike than adolescent.
With these two works, Argento became famous worldwide and gained admirers even among critics and intellectuals. "Suspiria" achieved enormous success abroad, especially in France, the United States, and Japan, where it was even broadcast in a packed stadium to over thirty thousand people using special, expensive equipment!
The Roman director decided to continue with pure horror and in 1980 directed "Inferno", essentially a sequel to "Suspiria": the witch persecuting poor Jessica Harper in Argento's previous film was one of three Mothers, Mater Suspiriorum, protagonists of this new film. "Inferno" follows a New York girl who discovers her apartment is home to one of the three Mothers of Hell (the other two located in Rome and Germany). The young woman dies horribly but manages to warn her brother, who eventually succeeds in ending the empire of these three infernal queens.
Argento collaborated with the legendary Mario Bava on this film and created what we might call a fantasy-horror production. Though not his preferred territory, Argento still manages to direct an excellent film. Unfortunately, the finale falters somewhat, not in plot development but in the visual depiction of the "three sisters". Eleonora Giorgi gives a fine performance.
Audiences didn't appreciate the director's "innovative" effort and "Inferno" was a moderate flop, especially compared to the stratospheric box office of the previous two films. Argento then decided to return to stories of brutal, savage murders with "Tenebre". (1982).
It's the classic "Argentoesque" story: a mad killer murders victims according to methods described in a famous horror novel. Moreover, the killer seems to be following the novelist's movements. Police grope in the dark as murders mount.
The plot is engaging, and the murder sequences are, as always, expertly "orchestrated" by a score from the legendary Goblin. The cast includes strong performances from the director's ever-capable wife Daria Nicolodi, as well as young Giuliano Gemma and Anthony Franciosa. A curiosity: near 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 on television and absent from the V.M. 14-year video release. One of the few uncut versions is the recent Mondadori VHS re-release or the imported DVD version (both V.M. 18 years). We present the "incriminated" sequence below.
"Tenebre" restored Argento to success. With his next film, "Phenomena". (1985), he attempted a stronger blend of horror and giallo. The story again centers on a terrible, unstoppable killer spreading death and panic in a quiet Swiss canton. But added to this are certain "paranormal" elements dear to the master, especially through the character of Jennifer, a young sensitive girl with the power to communicate with insects, using her abilities to unmask the killer.
Strengths include an exceptional cast featuring Donald Pleasence, Daria Nicolodi, and young, talented Jennifer Connelly, plus excellent special effects and makeup. To create scenes with massive swarms of flies, Argento, lacking digital effects at the time, used real flies he "cultivated" directly on set, having kilos of meat rot there! Add to this an intriguing plot and occasionally terrifying sequences. What more could you ask for? Argento seemed in great form again, giving us one of his finest films. Notable is the unforgettable sequence where Jennifer approaches a crying child, places her hands on his shoulders, and when he turns around... unforgettable!
With "Phenomena" ends Argento's golden era. After collaborating as producer on the two "Demons" films (1985/86) directed by Lamberto Bava, he returns to giallo-horror with "Opera", a film below his previous standards. The story revolves around "Macbeth", an opera considered cursed by many; a maniac persecutes the young lead actress, but 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 crows.
Apart from the always-perfect murder sequences, the film offers little else to remember, and its greatest flaw is a senseless, implausible double ending. "Opera" might have been the director's most graphic film had Italian censorship not deemed it "necessary" to cut the most violent scenes—to Argento's, the audience's, and cinema lovers' great dismay. Unfortunately, the "complete" version of "Opera" (as Argento intended) is unavailable, as the film was released worldwide in the same "cut" Italian version. A real shame!
Between October 1987 and January 1988, Argento participated in the television program "Giallo – Your Friday Fingerprint" hosted by Renzo Tortora on Raidue. Besides presenting a special segment with guests and clips from his most famous thrillers, the director produced the giallo series "Night Shift", entrusting direction to Luigi Cozzi and Lamberto Bava.
The director himself directed several mini-films titled "Dario Argento's Nightmares", each about three minutes long. Some stand out for their brutality: "Nocturnal Rituals" about voodoo rites, "Love and Death" focused on rape, and "The Witch" (the most successful), inspired by Bradbury's famous story "October Game", depicting a girl's birthday party where her father massacres his wife and "plays" with her corpse. Finally, "Sammy", where Santa Claus becomes a horrible monster.
Between the late 1980s and early 1990s, Argento returned as producer, investing in two rather mediocre horror films directed by friend Michele Soavi, "The Church" and "The Sect". In those years, Argento "emigrated" to America to direct a two-episode film with friend George Romero (for whom, in the late 1970s, he had overseen the Italian release of his horror masterpiece "Zombi"), based on two famous Edgar Allan Poe stories: "The Truth About the Case of Mr. Valdemar" and "The Black Cat". Argento handled the adaptation of the latter, directing an excellent work enhanced by an inspired performance by Harvey Keitel.
We arrive at 1993 and "Trauma", with which Argento demonstrates his talent again, directing a suspenseful, tense giallo unfairly dismissed by critics and audiences. A girl with psychological problems witnesses her parents' deaths. A mad decapitating killer pursues her, convinced she knows his true identity—and indeed, the night her parents were killed, she glimpsed his real face, but trauma erased the memory. A young cop, in love with her, helps solve the case.
Dario Argento returns to thriller territory, crafting an early-style "horrific" giallo. Classic Argento nightmares return: the black-clad maniac, trauma leading to madness, and the telling detail—as in "Deep Red", the protagonist has already seen the killer's face but cannot (or will not) remember it. Dismissed by critics and some fans, "Trauma" deserves reassessment: the story, while perhaps not entirely original, remains engaging and suspenseful. Special effects, supervised by the great Tom Savini, are well-executed, and the "usual" double ending is again surprising and effective. The director's young daughter Asia also gives a solid performance as the insecure, troubled protagonist.
This film marks the beginning of his artistic collaboration with his daughter, which would prove neither prolific nor lasting like his partnership with wife Daria Nicolodi, signaling the beginning of the "decline" of the "master of terror".
The next film, "The Stendhal Syndrome" (1996), follows policewoman Anna, who, tracking a serial killer, finds herself in Florence. During an investigation at the Uffizi Gallery, she's struck by a condition—"Stendhal Syndrome"—causing her to lose consciousness and imagine herself transported into the paintings she was viewing. The killer captures her, but the girl escapes and eliminates the madman. However, the killer's body is never found, and murders continue.
This time the master falls short of his reputation. Despite working in his preferred giallo territory and despite an original subject and some clever ideas (like the protagonist's "syndrome"), the film is uninvolving, at times tedious, and excessively slow (rare for an Argento film), but most critically, predictable. The ending, meant to surprise, is easily guessed halfway through. Asia Argento also seems miscast as the lead, occasionally grating with her vocal inflection and acting style. Some good moments exist—after all, the "master" is behind the camera—such as the protagonist's dream journeys within the paintings or the scene where the killer observes the policewoman through a hole in his last victim's skull—but it's far too little.
The next film, "The Phantom of the Opera", is arguably worse. It's yet another adaptation of Gaston Leroux's novel. Fans hoped "The Stendhal Syndrome" was an isolated misstep, but Italy's greatest genre director disappointed them again. The choice of source material itself was unfortunate (the Phantom is far too "present" in horror cinema and too little "contemporary"). Add a mediocre cast—Julian Sands is as expressive as stone while Asia Argento is best when silent—and you understand why the film inevitably flopped. Only some splatter sequences, thanks to excellent special effects by Sergio Stivaletti, and Ennio Morricone's score are worth saving—too little for a director who shaped world horror cinema.
We arrive at the year 2000, which was supposed to mark Dario Argento's triumphant return to giallo with the eagerly awaited "Sleepless". The story follows classic Argento patterns: elderly retired commissioner Ulisse Moretti becomes involved in investigating a series of murders mirroring crimes he investigated seventeen years prior. The man believed responsible for those earlier 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 the threads of slowly emerging memories, trying to solve the mystery and reveal the mad killer's identity.
Whenever Dario Argento directs a genre film, comparison with his masterpiece "Deep Red" is inevitable, especially here given the many shared elements: the story's Turin setting, the same city where he shot his masterpiece; the children's nursery rhyme (written by daughter Asia) inspiring the killer's crimes; the staging of murders (a victim's drowning and another's face smashed against walls, deaths recalling two brutal "Deep Red" murders). Many other self-references and callbacks fill "Sleepless"—Goblin music, actor Gabriele Lavia—yet despite these devices, the film fails to recreate the perfect blend of tension, dread, and fear Argento achieved in the now-legendary "Deep Red". Reasons are multiple: poor performances from some actors (exceptions being the commendable Max Von Sydow, Gabriele Lavia, and Rossella Falk), while others, including uncertain lead Stefano Dionisi, are forgettable. The Goblin's score, while competent, falls far short of their work in other Argento films. Special effects by Sergio Stivaletti are good, as is the screenplay, co-written by giallo writer Carlo Lucarelli. Ultimately, even setting aside uncomfortable comparisons with "Deep Red", one cannot deny Argento has lost some of his touch: "Sleepless" seems almost an imitation of his splendid giallo-horrors that made him beloved by audiences and critics. The tried-and-true double ending, characteristic of practically all his thrillers, begins feeling repetitive and predictable (paying attention to details, you'll guess the true killer within twenty minutes). Genre and Argento enthusiasts will still find blood-soaked victims, some expertly crafted sequences (particularly the train murder scene and theater sequences), and Dario Argento's unmistakable directorial stamp, allowing them to appreciate the film nonetheless.
(PART ONE OF THE DARIO ARGENTO RETROSPECTIVE. PART TWO COMING SOON!)
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