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Filmmakers : Dario Argento

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Dario Argento

Postby HorrorMaster on Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:50 am

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Dario Argento is my second favourite film director of all time, right behind fellow Italian filmmaker Mario Bava. While some of his films ("Tenebrae" and "Phenomena") don't have the lush photography of Bava's, his films are just brilliant, just as stylish (call me absurd, but I believe "Suspiria" is the most stylish film in history) and even more gruesome and violent. "Suspiria" is my third favourite horror film (behind "The Blair Witch Project" and "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre"), and ranks somewhere around #6 in my top ten films of all time. "Suspiria" and "Deep Red" are required viewing for serious horror fans.

Share the love of this master of horror, or if you'd prefer to, share your hate.
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Re: Dario Argento

Postby JooJoo on Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:17 am

I watched Suspiria - my first Argento - only a few weeks back. I don't really need a soundtrack that loud and overbearing, the whole affair seemed the definition of 'style over substance'. I can understand what people see in it but I just wasn't feeling it.

A recent acquisition in horror for me was the Val Lewton productions (they were playing them around Halloween on tcm).

I Walked With a Zombie [dir. Jacques Tourneur]
The Body Snatcher [dir. Robert Wise]
Cat People [dir. Jacques Tourneur]

all some of the most authentically-creepy and convincing works of horror I've seen, especially helped by the wealth of talent Lewton was able to get [for most of his projects] in all areas of his films. Always getting the young directors of the 40s whose careers would later take off (Robert Wise, Jacques Tourneur, & Mark Robson] and resurrecting Bela Lugosi for some of his finest performances before the 'Ed Wood' period.
Last edited by JooJoo on Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:24 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Dario Argento

Postby JooJoo on Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:18 am

woops, I thought this was a thread on 'horror', not just Argento.

sorry for that huge derailment of a post.

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Re: Dario Argento

Postby HorrorMaster on Thu Dec 04, 2008 8:00 am

JooJoo wrote:woops, I thought this was a thread on 'horror', not just Argento.

sorry for that huge derailment of a post.

No worries. Interesting to read anyway.
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Re: Dario Argento

Postby NathanDarko on Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:47 pm

JooJoo wrote:I watched Suspiria - my first Argento - only a few weeks back. I don't really need a soundtrack that loud and overbearing, the whole affair seemed the definition of 'style over substance'. I can understand what people see in it but I just wasn't feeling it.

A recent acquisition in horror for me was the Val Lewton productions (they were playing them around Halloween on tcm).

I Walked With a Zombie [dir. Jacques Tourneur]
The Body Snatcher [dir. Robert Wise]
Cat People [dir. Jacques Tourneur]

all some of the most authentically-creepy and convincing works of horror I've seen, especially helped by the wealth of talent Lewton was able to get [for most of his projects] in all areas of his films. Always getting the young directors of the 40s whose careers would later take off (Robert Wise, Jacques Tourneur, & Mark Robson] and resurrecting Bela Lugosi for some of his finest performances before the 'Ed Wood' period.


Hey great excursion into 50´s and 60´s Horror JooJoo walked with a zomvbie is great :) , so what I want to say is that I can understand your point of view @ Argento Movies...not everyone like the style especially the soundtrack but I think that goblin set´s the base frame in his Giallo Movies. It´s some kind of threatening inside the score´s. Best example is Tenebre, the goblin soundtrack fits perfectly into the visuals in my opinion!

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Re: Dario Argento

Postby HorrorMaster on Tue Dec 16, 2008 10:06 pm

NathanDarko wrote:
JooJoo wrote:I watched Suspiria - my first Argento - only a few weeks back. I don't really need a soundtrack that loud and overbearing, the whole affair seemed the definition of 'style over substance'. I can understand what people see in it but I just wasn't feeling it.

A recent acquisition in horror for me was the Val Lewton productions (they were playing them around Halloween on tcm).

I Walked With a Zombie [dir. Jacques Tourneur]
The Body Snatcher [dir. Robert Wise]
Cat People [dir. Jacques Tourneur]

all some of the most authentically-creepy and convincing works of horror I've seen, especially helped by the wealth of talent Lewton was able to get [for most of his projects] in all areas of his films. Always getting the young directors of the 40s whose careers would later take off (Robert Wise, Jacques Tourneur, & Mark Robson] and resurrecting Bela Lugosi for some of his finest performances before the 'Ed Wood' period.


Hey great excursion into 50´s and 60´s Horror JooJoo walked with a zomvbie is great :) , so what I want to say is that I can understand your point of view @ Argento Movies...not everyone like the style especially the soundtrack but I think that goblin set´s the base frame in his Giallo Movies. It´s some kind of threatening inside the score´s. Best example is Tenebre, the goblin soundtrack fits perfectly into the visuals in my opinion!

Tenebre has one of the best soundtracks ever!
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Re: Dario Argento

Postby NathanDarko on Wed Dec 17, 2008 1:35 pm

Yep that´s the point... can´t imagine an argento flick without goblin.. impossible ;) the same thing with romero....goblin is great maybe the most important fakt why 70 / 80 thriller/horror movies are so unique...even today they are outstanding; so damn brilliant compared to the flood of today´s bad movie´s. :mrgreen: yeah call me nostalgic it doesn´t matter ! ;)

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Re: Dario Argento

Postby edkrak on Sat Jan 24, 2009 6:56 pm

I agree with you - Goblin's music is magnificent. They changed Argento film from great thrillers/horrors to masterpieces. Just compare Suspiria or Tenebre with his animal trilogy. With all the respect to Morricone, but he didn't know how to make great horror soundtrack. But I think it's not only Goblin, Argento after few films learned how to effectively use sound in horrors and his other musical choises were also great. For example in Phenomena metal tracks greatly fit in the movie's atmosphere.

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Re: Dario Argento

Postby HorrorMaster on Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:11 am

I think "The Bird With the Crystal Plumage" also has a truly excellent soundtrack. The film's signature vocal theme tune is awesome.
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Rank Dario's Films

Postby HorrorMaster on Thu Jan 29, 2009 4:15 pm

1. "Suspiria" (1977) 100

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One of the greatest, most purely brilliant, and visually and beautifully extravagant films in the entire history of cinema. Never before has a film been so stylish and aesthetically wonderful. It has the essence and composition of a nightmare, brought to life by the truly haunting atmosphere created by the film's soundtrack, performed and composed by prog-rock band Goblin, which I believe is the greatest in all of film. The third greatest horror film ever, and by far Dario Argento's finest hour.


2. "Deep Red" (1975) 96

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Dario's second best achievement to date, following the sheer beauty that is 1977's "Suspiria". An incredibly stylish and brutally gruesome horror masterpiece, with one of the best soundtracks and some of the finest cinematography you'll ever see. Wonderful.


3. "The Bird With the Crystal Plumage" (1970) 96

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Pure cinema, and stylish seventies gialli at its very best; also one of the strongest directorial debuts I've ever witnessed. Further proof that Dario Argento is a master of his craft and is close to being the finest film director who ever lived - and Tony Musante is a handsome devil. Movies like these are why I love film.


4. "Tenebrae" (1982) 90

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While not nearly as brilliant as "Suspiria" or "Deep Red" (few films are, mind you), "Tenebre" is still an exceptionally well-written and made giallo, with brutal violence, outstanding gore effects and a fantastic music score. It may very well be Argento's most personal film.


5. "Phenomena" (1985) 85

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Irrefutably one of Argento's lesser works, and the acting performances are pretty poor, but I'll enjoy anything from the director. Thumbs up to the wonderful Jennifer Connelly and the cute, razor-blade wielding chimpanzee.


6. "The Card Player" (2004) 70

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Since the early nineties (maybe even earlier?), there is absolutely no denying that Dario Argento has been on a steep decline with his works; but "The Card Player" is still an interesting enough film. It isn't very good, and that's something most people can agree on, but it's still worth watching for fans of the director. Closer to torture porn than giallo.


7. "The Stendahl Syndrome" (1996) 58

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Let's face it, the Dario Argento who directed "Suspiria" is long-gone. From what I've seen, very few of the films he produced after 1977 even come close to mirroring that film; although you can't really expect the man to deliver anything on the same calibre again. This film, however, is just unacceptable. Not only does it not even feel like an Argento film at all, but it really isn't anything more than a piece of ridiculously boring, cheap 90's trash with a cool theme tune.


8. "Jenifer" (2005) 56

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From what I've seen, Dario Argento's least impressive film. Also his most revolting and most painful to watch.
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