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Dario Argento is a talented Italian filmmaker who has also served as a screenwriter and producer. His horror films (often termed “giallo” – which is a combination of horror, mystery, and thriller) have been highly influential, and he’s gathered a cult following of horror fans from around the globe. He’s also responsible for bringing the lovely actress Asia Argento into the world, so that’s another mark in his favor. But before I veer off the topic, let’s take a look at the top 10 Dario Argento movies.
10. Trauma – A woman suffering from anorexia escapes from an institution and receives help from a young man. But a serial killer is also on the loose, and he’s fond of beheading people with a garrote whenever it rains. The first feature-length American production from Argento, and also an example of the giallo sub-genre.
9. The Cat o’ Nine Tails – Argento also wrote this tale which he lists as the least favorite of his films. It’s still worth a watch, however, as a reporter and a blind man (Karl Malden) team up to solve a mysterious murder and break-in at a genetics lab.
8. Phenomena – Also known under the name Creepers, this 1985 horror flick stars a young Jennifer Connelly as a student at a boarding school where a serial killer is on the loose. The girl discovers that she’s got psychic powers, and she uses them to track the killer with the help of a wheelchair-bound scientist played by Donald Pleasance.
7. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage – This was Argento’s first film, and it was adapted from the novel The Screaming Mimi. An American writer in Rome witnesses an attack by a serial killer, and he soon becomes the next target of the maniac. This film started the trend by Argento in which the hero sees something of great importance to solving the mystery, but he or she are unable to remember it until very late in the story.
6. Opera – An opera singer gets her big break when the star of Verdi’s Macbeth is run over by a car. But her happiness doesn’t last long, as she’s soon being stalked by a serial killer who likes to tape her eyes open with pins and make her watch as he butchers her friends. Over-the-top camerawork in typical Argento fashion.
5. Deep Red – Considered one of Argento’s finest films, the Italian rock band Goblin provides the unmistakable soundtrack. A music teacher sees the murder of a psychic and becomes obsessed with trying to identify the killer. The killer takes notice of this and sets their sights on the amateur detective. Deep Red has developed a large cult following over the years, and one viewing of the film will tell you why.
4. Four Flies on Grey Velvet – The third film in Argento’s “animal trilogy,” Four Flies on Grey Velvet follows a rock musician who’s stalked by a mysterious figure. A confrontation leads to the stranger’s death, but someone in a puppet mask takes photos and begins to terrorize our protagonist.
3. Inferno – When a young man’s sister goes missing, he launches an investigation which leads to a gloved killer, bloodthirsty cats, and the presence of Death Personified. Inferno wasn’t well-received when it was released, but its reputation has steadily improved over the years. In fact, some critics consider it one of the most underrated horror films of the ‘80s.
2. Tenebrae – Also known by the title Unsane, the film stars Anthony Franciosa, Daria Nicolodi, and John Saxon. An American writer in Rome gets caught up in the hunt for a serial killer, and the bodies start dropping like flies. Considered by many to be Argento’s masterpiece, the film was heavily edited upon its original American release in 1984.
1. Suspiria – Set in a dance school for teens, the film follows the usual Argento plot of a serial killer on the loose. Along with Tenebrae, many critics cite Suspiria as Argento’s finest work. Entertainment Weekly went one step further, stating that it included “the most vicious murder scene ever filmed.”
This entry was posted on Sunday, July 5th, 2009 at 12:05 pm and is filed under Best Horror Directors, Best Horror Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.