What's so great about Tenebre?

[ChronoGrl]

So while we're on the topic of Argento, I just recently watched Tenebre (http://imdb.com/title/tt0084777/) (I was inspired by V's Top 100 Sub-Genre Horror Movies List).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/Chronogrl/VM_SY140_SX100_.jpg

My first impression: What's so great, wonderful, and iconic about Tenebre?


I found it to be incredibly derivitive of any and all slashers that have come before (Halloween, Black Christmas, Psycho).
The music was overpowering to the point of being obtrusive yet funny, comic, and parody, as opposed to dramatic or moody.
The writing and acting were terrible.
The sound - Again, I felt as though I was watching a poorly-dubbed foreign film.
Contrived - The ending, as well as some of the plot devices (the reveal of the killer as well as the girl being conveniently driven into the killer's domain) seemed incredibly incongruous, abstract, random, and out of context; but not in a good way.


So I know that there are some Argento fans out there and I know that there are fans specifically of Tenebre (hence why and how it made it into V's top 100 list). My question is, Why? What am I missing? How and why is this movie an important volume in horror movie history?

What do you like about this film, personally? And, in a more acedemic sense, what makes this movie iconic?

[Freak]

I heard how great this movie was a few years ago.So I bought a copy VHS copy of it off the web.I was so excited to see this film.Well when it finally got here the first thing I did was put it in.I found my self bored through out most of the movie.I felt it lacked suspense and as Chrono said the acting and writing was horrible.I watched it that one time and have never viewed it again, nor plan to.

[Bub the Zombie]

Apparently you need a serious education in gialli cinema.

[ChronoGrl]

I heard how great this movie was a few years ago.So I bought a copy VHS copy of it off the web.I was so excited to see this film.Well when it finally got here the first thing I did was put it in.I found my self bored through out most of the movie.I felt it lacked suspense and as Chrono said the acting and writing was horrible.I watched it that one time and have never viewed it again, nor plan to.

Yeah, I actually fell asleep during the film. The suspense just... wasn't there.

Apparently you need a serious education in gialli cinema.

"Education" as in pedagogical learnings that tout and explain all that is meritable and important in Giallo cinema (also its influences and archetypes that lead to what I consider weaknesses, but might be considered strengths in other schools of thought)

OR

"Education" as in exposure to this particular genre so as to know what to expect?

Well, if you're talking about the latter, I believe that it was obvious in this post (and I know that I've appealed to HDC before with the same) that I have very little exposure to Italian Arthouse Horror and that one of my current goals is to rectify that.

If you're referring to the former definition of "Education," the actual purpose of this thread is to claim utter ignorance on my part and appeal to the venerable HDC Italian Horror Masters Experts for guidance in watching this genre of film. And, also, on a more microcosmic level, open a discussion about Tenebre in particular.

SO, Bub, in deference to what seems to be your apparent education in Giallo Cinema, please enlighten us.

...

And with the smarminess aside, this is obviously a call to Rod, V, Jenna, Doc, and others who have talked about Italian Horror before. I'd like to hear more. I feel like there's something I'm missing. :)

[Bub the Zombie]

Giallo is singular, Gialli is plural. It's Gialli cinema.

Secondly, Tenebre is by far the best work of Argento. I dare say its a notch above Suspiria, and makes a strong claim of being the best giallo ever made. It's a perfect little mystery with its healthy dose of colorful deaths and and vivid, starkly created imagery, accentuated by a very odd yet fascinating background score by Claudio Simonetti.

Plotwise, it is the most coherent Argento till date. It doesn't leave much stuff to the imagination ala Suspiria or Inferno, and neither does it border upon the supernatural overtures of the two. The flashback sequences add the surreal imagery for which Argento films are famous for, and several shots set in bright daylight and clammy, yet brightly-lighted rooms show that Argento does not forget the essence of Tenebre, which means "darkness" in Latin.

Goblin provides a deep, resonating, carnival-esque heavily dependent on synthesiser score to Tenebre, and they compliment each murder sequence perfectly. And each murder has vividly supportive FX done by Corridori, which makes them seem grotesquely real and unflinchingly brutal.

The only real flaw with Tenebre is the dubbing, especially of Daria Nicolodi. The Italian version must be a real rocker, with Nicolodi in all her resplendent form, but for the English-speaking world, it's a damper. Argento usually does not go for long characterisation, and that is amply evident by plenty of cameos here.

To appreciate a giallo, you must first understand it's style. Gialli are never meant to have much of a substance, because they are examples of stylish and chic film-making. Argento's giallos, especially the early ones like L' Uccello dalle piume di cristallo (The Bird With The Crystal Plumage), Il gatto a nove code (Cat O'Nine Tails), Profondo rosso (Deep Red), Suspiria, Inferno, all contain the charismatic Argento - vividly bright imagery and extremely bizarre soundtracks marking each murder sequence to it's entirety and adding generous doses of surrealism to the experience.

To admire Argento and his work, you have to be empathetic.

[jenna26]

I feel like there's something I'm missing. :)

Honestly, I am not sure there is anything you are missing....;) Argento is NOT for everyone. I always recommend that horror fan's see his films, but I never count on them liking them.

Let me explain; Argento is one of my favorite filmmakers. I love his work, even many of his not so great films. Tenebre is one of my favorite films. But you can't necessarily watch his films like you might watch other films. There are always plot holes, and problems with the stories, his endings are often weak. But these things....aren't important. And I realize that sounds....odd. But its true. Argento is very much a VISUAL experience, and the music is there to enhance what you are seeing on screen. to enhance HOW you are seeing the scene. The music can be overwhelming here, but trust me, it is there for a reason, as music is in any film, and it does work.

Tenebre, like Bub already mentioned, is actually a more coherent film for Argento, but at the same time you still have those problems with plot, and story, etc. Its the way the film is shot that makes it so great, the visual flair, the death scenes. No one does a death scene like Argento.

Hopefully, this will help you understand why I LOVE the movie. If not, please continue your "education" ;) when it comes to Italian horror, because there are some truly brilliant and interesting films to choose from.

[Elvis_Christ]

Giallo is singular, Gialli is plural. It's Gialli cinema.

Secondly, Tenebre is by far the best work of Argento. I dare say its a notch above Suspiria....

Its my favorite Argento flick and I agree on it being his best work. I really hate Suspiria apart from the amazing death scenes (I thought it was an amazing film when I first saw it but now its just really average after getting into Bava's films).
Sleepless is really good too and its a return to his traditional Gialli cinema roots.

[Roderick Usher]

Tenebre is my favorite Argento film.

I love it for the music, the style, the fashions, the camera moves the comedy (John Saxon's character is really funny) and the bad dubbing.

Gialli and Spaghetti Westerns are inextricably linked. Most directors who worked in one genre also worked in the other and that's where the "bad dubbing" bit comes in. The casts in these films are from USA, Italy, Germany, Spain, France, etc and each actor would, typically, speak in their own language. So, typically no live sound is recorded and every line of dialog is dubbed in post...sometimes well, sometimes poorly.

As for the "derivative nature" this was Argento revising the style he invented back before Halloween, Black Christmas, ect (John Carpenter is an Argento fan who has told me that Suspiria had an incredible impact on him).

So, for me, it's all about style. The starkness of the set. The flashy/trashy costume design. The amazingly vivid spray of red across a blank white wall. The use of sculpture and architecture to create mood and subtext and the pure Italian-ness of it all.

Yeah, there isn't a lot of logic, but I find the atmosphere compelling and that dog chase sequence is scary as shit. It was one of he primary influences on our screenplay GIALLO...coming soon to a theater near you!!

[Doc Faustus]

Tenebre's more of a straight giallo than other Argento movies, and Argento excels at Lovecraftian and postmodern gialli more than straight ones. He did so much with the genre that I think Tenebre was perhaps a little less inspired than his other work. If you want to compare gialli to westerns, I would call Opera and Inferno the work of a Sergio Leone, but Tenebre's pure John Ford.

[Roderick Usher]

If you want to compare gialli to westerns, I would call Opera and Inferno the work of a Sergio Leone, but Tenebre's pure John Ford.

maybe more like Pickinpah - it's got a bleak ending and a LOT of blood;)

[Angra]

So while we're on the topic of Argento, I just recently watched Tenebre (http://imdb.com/title/tt0084777/) (I was inspired by V's Top 100 Sub-Genre Horror Movies List).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/Chronogrl/VM_SY140_SX100_.jpg

My first impression: What's so great, wonderful, and iconic about Tenebre?


I found it to be incredibly derivitive of any and all slashers that have come before (Halloween, Black Christmas, Psycho).
The music was overpowering to the point of being obtrusive yet funny, comic, and parody, as opposed to dramatic or moody.
The writing and acting were terrible.
The sound - Again, I felt as though I was watching a poorly-dubbed foreign film.
Contrived - The ending, as well as some of the plot devices (the reveal of the killer as well as the girl being conveniently driven into the killer's domain) seemed incredibly incongruous, abstract, random, and out of context; but not in a good way.


So I know that there are some Argento fans out there and I know that there are fans specifically of Tenebre (hence why and how it made it into V's top 100 list). My question is, Why? What am I missing? How and why is this movie an important volume in horror movie history?

What do you like about this film, personally? And, in a more acedemic sense, what makes this movie iconic?


Haven't seen it, but i'm sure i agree with you.

Never seen a good Argento movie.

[Disease]

Haven't seen it, but i'm sure i agree with you.

Never seen a good Argento movie.

Have you ever seen a good movie? :D

[joshaube]

I've only see a few Gaillo films. I never really understood their appeal story-wise.

I've always seen them as something you experience, like a Lynch film, rather then understand.

In fact,... in my experience, most of the plots are very... confusing. As if little effort was put into them. Not a fan of all of those reviews claiming that such-and-such a Gaillo is the most suspenseful movie ever made (surpassing Hitchcock, one even said...)

I think of Gaillo as a picture book rather then a novel. It's nice to look at, and to feel, but there's not any surface-subject.

Visually, they are stunning. Great use of contrast. Breath-taking set and costume design. The dubbed language tracks add a certain flair. I admit I am a fan of the soundtrack.

Gaillo is arthouse. And yes, it is often over-rated. Suspiria, in my opinion, was completely ruined due to it's incredible hype.

[Disease]

hype, I guess that depends on when you saw it, I hadn't heard any hype when I watched it...

[joshaube]

I watched it about two weeks ago.

[ChronoGrl]

Giallo is singular, Gialli is plural. It's Gialli cinema.

Secondly, Tenebre is by far the best work of Argento. I dare say its a notch above Suspiria, and makes a strong claim of being the best giallo ever made. It's a perfect little mystery with its healthy dose of colorful deaths and and vivid, starkly created imagery, accentuated by a very odd yet fascinating background score by Claudio Simonetti.

Plotwise, it is the most coherent Argento till date. It doesn't leave much stuff to the imagination ala Suspiria or Inferno, and neither does it border upon the supernatural overtures of the two. The flashback sequences add the surreal imagery for which Argento films are famous for, and several shots set in bright daylight and clammy, yet brightly-lighted rooms show that Argento does not forget the essence of Tenebre, which means "darkness" in Latin.

Goblin provides a deep, resonating, carnival-esque heavily dependent on synthesiser score to Tenebre, and they compliment each murder sequence perfectly. And each murder has vividly supportive FX done by Corridori, which makes them seem grotesquely real and unflinchingly brutal.

The only real flaw with Tenebre is the dubbing, especially of Daria Nicolodi. The Italian version must be a real rocker, with Nicolodi in all her resplendent form, but for the English-speaking world, it's a damper. Argento usually does not go for long characterisation, and that is amply evident by plenty of cameos here.

To appreciate a giallo, you must first understand it's style. Gialli are never meant to have much of a substance, because they are examples of stylish and chic film-making. Argento's giallos, especially the early ones like L' Uccello dalle piume di cristallo (The Bird With The Crystal Plumage), Il gatto a nove code (Cat O'Nine Tails), Profondo rosso (Deep Red), Suspiria, Inferno, all contain the charismatic Argento - vividly bright imagery and extremely bizarre soundtracks marking each murder sequence to it's entirety and adding generous doses of surrealism to the experience.

To admire Argento and his work, you have to be empathetic.

Hey, Bub, thanks for the analysis. :) It's honestly refreshing to see a discussion open up around here (and the correction on my poor Italian made me snicker - that's what I get for being snarky).

I'm not sure what you mean or why one would have to be "empathetic" per se, but I'm starting to understand now that people appreciate Tenebre as well as Argento's films as being part of a different aesthetic (a complete genre piece).

It's interesting, especially, to see the cult following around Goblins, the synthesizer influence because I honestly thought that the music took away from the movie more than it added (so I think that this has to be a clear divide between Argento fans and criticizers).

I see that there are definite underlying themes of the abstract and bizarre, but I felt as though those appearances made a lot more sense in Suspira than they did in Tenebre (taking into account the driving force of "evil" or "death" in Suspira was super natural vs. the more corporeal influence of the reveal in Tenebre). I thought that the flashback scenese were incredibly strong, beautiful, and compelling (definitely a nod to Felini I thought), BUT they made the movie feel uneven and, quite frankly, made me feel wanting.

I thought that there were definitely some great panning shots (of the cutaway apartment especially), but I think that the music itself really got to me. Again, this might just be a sense of a different kind of aesthetic.

Tenebre is my favorite Argento film.

I love it for the music, the style, the fashions, the camera moves the comedy (John Saxon's character is really funny) and the bad dubbing.

Gialli and Spaghetti Westerns are inextricably linked. Most directors who worked in one genre also worked in the other and that's where the "bad dubbing" bit comes in. The casts in these films are from USA, Italy, Germany, Spain, France, etc and each actor would, typically, speak in their own language. So, typically no live sound is recorded and every line of dialog is dubbed in post...sometimes well, sometimes poorly.

As for the "derivative nature" this was Argento revising the style he invented back before Halloween, Black Christmas, ect (John Carpenter is an Argento fan who has told me that Suspiria had an incredible impact on him).

So, for me, it's all about style. The starkness of the set. The flashy/trashy costume design. The amazingly vivid spray of red across a blank white wall. The use of sculpture and architecture to create mood and subtext and the pure Italian-ness of it all.

Yeah, there isn't a lot of logic, but I find the atmosphere compelling and that dog chase sequence is scary as shit. It was one of he primary influences on our screenplay GIALLO...coming soon to a theater near you!!

John Saxton - LOVED his character (I just love Saxton in general), but I thought that the levity was really out of place and, like the flashbacks, uneven.

"Derivative nature" - I'm not that familiar with Argento's filmography. What films would Halloween and Black Christmas derived their direction and inspiration from? Just curious because I'm always on the lookout for good slashers, and I'd like to see more influence on that particular sub-genre. :) As I mentioned before, I feel as though Tenebre is definitely borrowing from Hitchcock as well, Psycho, as mentioned, and the more I think about it, Rear Window too. I like the concept of Argento "revisioning" the genre with Tenebre, but I don't really feel as though he's done anything particularly new or innovative. Sure, one can argue that all horror (or any movie genre) is derivative, but one can also argue that some derevations are better than others. I think that Halloween and Black Chrismas were more successful horror films than Tenebre was. I honestly felt as though the murder scenes in Tenebre were totally unconvincing and that Argento showed a startling lack of ingenuity.

"Style" - Then I wonder, perhaps, if it's a matter of style over substance in Argento's case? I thought that Suspira was gorgeous, had incredible death scenes and memorable visuals... But I don't get the same from Tenebre. I feel as though, artistically, it is a weaker film.

I AM, however, still excited about GIALLO. And hope that it'll hit at least the Boston independent film theaters.

I've only see a few Gaillo films. I never really understood their appeal story-wise.

I've always seen them as something you experience, like a Lynch film, rather then understand.

Yeah, I get that. I guess the difference is that I LOVE Lynch and embrace him and the Lynch experience that he gives... But it's not for everyone.

With Lynch, at least, there is some cohesiveness and it definitely sets mood incredibly well. You watch something like Eraserhead, which is visually strong and powerful and you are overwhelmed by mood. But I didn't think that Tenebre was that encompassing.


I guess what threw me through a loop was the categorization of Tenebre as a "Slasher" film in V's top 100 sub-genre list. I think that, with it being categorizes as "Slasher" I went in with certain expectations. I think that it should be categorized more as "Giallo" (Gialli) than as "Slasher." With the category of "Slasher," I have certain connotations and expectations of "suspense" as well as blood and body count. With Tenebre, there is very little suspense, with some blood and body count. I'm not sure if I'd categorize Tenebre as "Slasher" at all. Thoughts?

Haven't seen it, but i'm sure i agree with you.

Never seen a good Argento movie.

And I thought I was the only one who was underwhelmed...

I haven't given up, though. I definitely agree with you, Jenna, and you all that there are more to see (Jenna - Was it you who had emailed me a whole list of Italian Horror recommendations? Unfortunately my PM box ate them all. :().

[fortunato]

I guess what threw me through a loop was the categorization of Tenebre as a "Slasher" film in V's top 100 sub-genre list. I think that, with it being categorizes as "Slasher" I went in with certain expectations. I think that it should be categorized more as "Giallo" (Gialli) than as "Slasher." With the category of "Slasher," I have certain connotations and expectations of "suspense" as well as blood and body count. With Tenebre, there is very little suspense, with some blood and body count. I'm not sure if I'd categorize Tenebre as "Slasher" at all. Thoughts?


well, actually, the problem with that is that in the HDC sub-genre list "giallo" and "slasher" were in the same category (only listed under "slasher"). i actually had a problem with this and asked ___v___ where i should include any gialli that i wanted to nominate. they ended up going in the "slasher" category, so i can see why this was confusing to you. gialli and slashers definitely have a close relationship but, in the big picture, are very far apart. they may both include sensational murders and beautiful women, but giallo films tend to focus on imagery and composition where slashers focus on characters and story (obviously there is cross-over between these, but i just mean in a general sense). you definitely can't watch a giallo expecting a slasher. what would happen is what has happened to you with tenebre. i really think that if you went into it knowing what to expect you would have liked it more. you may want to give it another chance at some point, perhaps after watching some more of argento's work.

that's more or less a long-winded way of saying "tenebre is definitely not a slasher film."

hope that sheds at least a little light on the subject for you.

[_____V_____]

well, actually, the problem with that is that in the HDC sub-genre list "giallo" and "slasher" were in the same category (only listed under "slasher"). i actually had a problem with this and asked ___v___ where i should include any gialli that i wanted to nominate. they ended up going in the "slasher" category, so i can see why this was confusing to you. gialli and slashers definitely have a close relationship but, in the big picture, are very far apart. they may both include sensational murders and beautiful women, but giallo films tend to focus on imagery and composition where slashers focus on characters and story (obviously there is cross-over between these, but i just mean in a general sense). you definitely can't watch a giallo expecting a slasher. what would happen is what has happened to you with tenebre. i really think that if you went into it knowing what to expect you would have liked it more. you may want to give it another chance at some point, perhaps after watching some more of argento's work.

that's more or less a long-winded way of saying "tenebre is definitely not a slasher film."

hope that sheds at least a little light on the subject for you.


Excellent point. And taken, too.:)

To spare future horror fans from confusion, I will make a little amendment to that Slasher sub-genre.

As for this discussion, first of all, I think Tenebre is a fine piece of art from the Argento stable. He made it after the earlier Argento giallos - Deep Red, Suspiria, Inferno - became trendsetters. Now, in regards to appreciating giallo movies (or gialli), you have to think of them as pieces of art, sort of like a painting. Josh summed it up nicely..

I think of Gaillo as a picture book rather then a novel. It's nice to look at, and to feel, but there's not any surface-subject.

Most parts of a giallo won't make much sense, because it isn't supposed to. Anyone who watched Suspiria for the very first time will agree with me. Also, a traditional giallo is usually a whodunnit, and Argento made Suspiria and Inferno more interesting by adopting a supernatural angle to both of them.

But with Tenebre, he returned to the classic murder mystery angle (the more traditional giallo) with a jaw-dropping climax. Each murder sequence in Tenebre, as in most giallos, is presented as a masterpiece of a professional painter. The bright, vivid and colorful use of graphics, the wacky and very heavy background music accompaniment, the atmosphere which literally dripped throughout the movie...are all fine examples of Argento at his finest form.

Also, if anyone has noticed the contrast, most parts of Tenebre are shot in extremely bright conditions - daylight, brightly well-lit rooms and hallways (which is a tad different from some of his earlier movies)...Argento said that he deliberately wanted to use "realistic lighting' for this movie, to add a more realistic, scary touch...which sort of went against the real meaning of the title, Tenebre. Also, a murder sequence in the latter part in which a totally bright, white wall is suddenly splashed with oozing, brightly crimson red. Now THAT's a really lovely touch...

The movie was made purely as an export to Hollywood. Most of it was shot in English, except for Nicolodi and a few others who got their lines dubbed (and badly at that!) When released here initially, it sank. Re-released as Unsane, it attracted strong negative criticism. It was only after getting a proper DVD and VHS release in the late 90s that Tenebre attracted its now-famous cult following. (I don't blame you if you have seen an earlier heavily-edited version of Tenebre, because that one is totally nonsensical) Many people blamed Argento for being sexist, and the inherently sexual aberration theme of the movie only added to the argument (remember the childhood flashback from the movie, about the incident on the beach?)

In short, Tenebre is a beautiful and breathtaking movie. Most Argento movies have plot-wise flaws, and this one is no different, but it more than makes up for that with some dazzling murder sequences and fine cinematography, and some really special heavy-synth music by Simonetti and crew. (especially after they had disbanded as Goblin by the time this movie was made)

I still think that Suspiria is the man's finest work yet, and I can give plenty of reasons for that (for all the die-hard Tenebre fans), but I wont prolong this post further...I ll just show one solid reason for my reasoning - the climactic sequence of both movies. Compare them yourself and then ask...which one stands up for repeated viewing today?;)

[Doc Faustus]

A lot of excellent points on the nature of gialli were made. I think it's important for people to understand these things before getting into Argento. When we see a thriller in the Western idiom, we expect it to be based on results instead of the experience, but giallo embraces nonlinear storytelling, it's not where you get, but the journey is its own reward. But, I'm also with V in that Tenebre is sort of underwhelming compared to his other work. Argento is impressive because he's a radical within an innately radical genre and there are just fewer radical aspects of Tenebre. To Chronogrl I recommend Opera, Inferno and Phenomena, which are his most visually rich and radical gialli, and also the most primal and archetypal. Opera also has a lot of fun metafilm, down to its title (a pun, because it also means "work" and it says a lot about making horror films and the nature of viewing). If you like Hatchet for a Honeymoon or the Miraglia's gialli than you'll like Tenebre, if not then you might just not be into traditional gialli.

[jenna26]

I haven't given up, though. I definitely agree with you, Jenna, and you all that there are more to see (Jenna - Was it you who had emailed me a whole list of Italian Horror recommendations? Unfortunately my PM box ate them all. :().

Yep, that was me....I'll check my sent box and see if it is still in there. :)

[roshiq]

There's a scene in TENEBRE where the main character, Peter Neal, says, "All detection is boring. But, if you cut out the boring bits and keep the rest, you've got a best-seller." That's what director Dario Argento has done with this film - removed the boring detective work and given us a ripping good mystery with plenty of gore...axe in the head, slit throat, stabbings but the the best one is at the end when a victim's arm is chopped off with an axe and the blood splatters the white wall behind her (my signature!;) ).....definitely made it one of the greatest slasher of all time.

[_____V_____]

But, I'm also with V in that Tenebre is sort of underwhelming compared to his other work. Argento is impressive because he's a radical within an innately radical genre and there are just fewer radical aspects of Tenebre.

Certainly Tenebre was one of his lesser impressive efforts, when compared to his 70s works. Yet it does have a strong visual impact ala most giallos, hence it is regarded up there with Argento's finest. For me, my Top 5 of Argento would be :

Suspiria
Deep Red
Phenomena
Inferno
Tenebre,

in that order.

Argento is not a narration, he is an experience.

[Despare]

For me, my Top 5 of Argento would be :

Suspiria
Deep Red
Phenomena
Inferno
Tenebre,



My list is very similar but mine is missing Tenebre which is instead replaced with The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.

[Elvis_Christ]

What films would Halloween and Black Christmas derived their direction and inspiration from? Just curious because I'm always on the lookout for good slashers, and I'd like to see more influence on that particular sub-genre.

Twitch Of The Death Nerve

[ChronoGrl]

Twitch Of The Death Nerve

Thanks. I'll have to add that to my Netflix queue.

Rod - In what movies did Argento invent Slasher? What movies did you allude to? I honestly want to check out more.

Jenna - Thanks again for the recommendations. Last night I just watched Fulci's Zombie (Zombie 2) and... I LOVED it. Absolutely hands down loved it from the cheesey ZOMBIE VS SHARK (http://youtube.com/watch?v=hSPG9QQg4C0) scene (COMPLETE WITH REAL SHARK!!) to the gratuitous nudity to the gore incredibly and beautifully bleak ending. I thought that the direction and composition was fantastic. I am definitely going to check out more Fulci.

Doc - Thanks for those recommendations as well. I definitely enjoyed Suspira more than Tenebre because I thought it was more artfully done and imagistic. I honestly think that Suspira completely eclipses Tenebre and am interested that some people consider Tenebre to be a better film (though I think that, in taken with the context of his body of work, the movie becomes much more interesting). Suspira was definitely more creepy as well, and I thought that the abstract and absurd scenes made a lot more sense in that context than in Tenebre.


Thanks for the list, V and your critique of the genre. This is one of the more interesting threads that we've had in a while. And I honestly think that there should have been a sub-genre for Giallo Cinema (because they can't always be slid into Slasher - I think that there are enough archetypes and markings of this genre to give it a space by itself).

So here is a question for Giallo fans:

If the HDC sub-genre voting pool had changed with Giallo as a topic...


What are your top 5 Giallo movies and why?

[Despare]

I don't know if I could really create a "top 5" but I can tell you that Suspiria is my favorite thanks to the ingenious death scenes couple with a brilliant use of color, lighting and sound. I can also tell you that in my top five would have to be Evil Dead Trap. Evil Dead Trap uses the Giallo formula to create an oddly engaging horror film and probably the best non-Italian or Giallo I've watched. Although Keller's movie will probably change that.

[Doc Faustus]

Anybody else here a fan of Miraglia's movies? I really like the Red Queen Kills Seven Times.

[hollywoodgothiq]

Lots of people hitting the target but no one hit the bulls-eye yet, so here goes...

TENEBRE is Argento's best - and one of the best horror films ever - not because it is non-linear or an experience, but because it is anti-linear, a structural device used to undermine our comfortable sense of a rational world in which things make sense.

The film deliberately evokes old-fashioned amateur detective stories in which the writer of mystery fiction matches wits (and usually outwits) the official police force. There are also direct references to the Sherlock Homes stories, in which any incredible mystery could be solved with enough brain power.

Having set all this up in the first half, the film deliberately blows it to pieces in the second half by introducing all the wild and crazy Argento stuff his fans have come to crave. The intrusion of the near irrelevant set-pieces (like the girl chased by the dog who eventually wanders into the killer's lair by accident) undermine the logical structure of the film.

This leads to the conclusion, in which the traditional detective methods fail to identify the killer because the killer's behavior does not conform to any rational concept: he left his ex-wife and yet he kills her and her lover, theoretically out of jealousy but really because he is reliving an old nightmare of having been sexually humiliated on the beach by a young woman who shoved that wonderful phallic red stilletto heel down his throat.

All this ties in with the self-reflexive nature of the movie. TENEBRE is about a book called "Tenebre" that inspires a reader to act out the horrors described therein. In effect, the film is saying that society's worst fears about the horror genre are true. Fear comes not from identifying with the film's characters and wondering if they will survive but from the cynical message being purveyed, in which we are supposed to wonder whether filmmaker Dario Argento and his ficitonal counterpart, mystery writer Peter Neal, are not too close for comfort.

Read more here http://hollywoodgothique.com/tenebre1982.html

[Zero]

for what its worth i've never been a big fan of the italians - just not my cup of tea (which doesn't necessarily mean any education is going to change my inclination).

good discussion though - it is interesting hearing why others laud these films so highly (but I don't think its helpful to impose these tastes on others)

[hollywoodgothiq]

Of course we must impose these tastes upon others. Everyone must think, feel, and act exactly the same. Only when there is complete unity of mind on all subjects will true happiness be achieved!

[Zero]

sheesh - you let one little BORG into the place and pretty soon they're taking over the place

[hollywoodgothiq]

Sarcasm is futile!

[newb]

for what its worth i've never been a big fan of the italians - just not my cup of tea (which doesn't necessarily mean any education is going to change my inclination).

good discussion though - it is interesting hearing why others laud these films so highly (but I don't think its helpful to impose these tastes on others)

very well said my simian friend...its post like these why you are such an invaluable asset to this site....short and to the point.


I kinda agree with Zero......a lot of the Italian stuff is BEYOND me...pun intended.....but I do appreciate it and get much out of it.

also Kudos to Hollywood.....nice synopsis.