Opera (1987)

Director:

Dario Argento

Writers:

Dario Argento (screenplay)
Dario Argento (story)
(more)

Release Date:

19 December 1987 (Italy)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

obsession. murder. madness.

Plot:

A young opperata is stalked by a deranged fan bent on killing the people associated with her to claim her for himself.

Plot Keywords:

Opera | Killing | Psychopath | Entrails | Mutilation

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Cristina Marsillach	...	Betty
Ian Charleson	...	Marco
Urbano Barberini	...	Inspector Alan Santini
Daria Nicolodi	...	Mira
Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni	...	Giulia
Antonella Vitale	...	Marion
William McNamara	...	Stefano
Barbara Cupisti	...	Signora Albertini
Antonino Iuorio	...	Baddini (as Antonio Juorio)
Carola Stagnaro	...	Alma's mother
Francesca Cassola	...	Alma
Maurizio Garrone	...	Maurizio, the raven trainer
Cristina Giachino	...	Maria, the assistant director
György Gyõriványi	...	Miro
Bjorn Hammer	...	Cop #1
Peter Pitsch	...	Mara Czekova's assistant
Sebastiano Somma	...	Cop #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz	...	Lady Macbeth (soprano) (singing voice)
Michele Pertusi	...	Macbeth (bass) (singing voice)
Dario Argento	...	Narrator (Italian version) (voice) (uncredited)
Michele Soavi	...	Inspector Daniele Soave (uncredited)

Directed by
Dario Argento

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Dario Argento		screenplay
Dario Argento		story
Franco Ferrini		writer

Produced by
Dario Argento	....	producer
Ferdinando Caputo	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Ronnie Taylor

Film Editing by
Franco Fraticelli

Production Design by
Davide Bassan

Costume Design by
Lia Francesca Morandini		(as Francesca Lia Morandini)

Makeup Department
Franco Casagni	....	makeup artist
Ferdinando Merolla	....	hair stylist
Rosario Prestopino	....	key makeup artist
Angelo Vannella	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Verena Baldeo	....	production supervisor
Alessandro Calosci	....	production supervisor
Fabrizio Diaz	....	unit manager
Olivier Gérard	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Antonio Gabrielli	....	first assistant director
Alessandro Ingargiola	....	second assistant director
Michele Soavi	....	second unit director
Paolo Zenatello	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Gian Maurizio Fercioni	....	production designer: opera set (as Gianmaurizio Fercioni)
Maurizio Jacopelli	....	property master
Renato Lori	....	assistant art director
Osvaldo Monaco	....	property master
Valeria Paoloni	....	set dresser
Antonio Tarolla	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Nick Alexander	....	sound editor
Giancarlo Laurenzi	....	sound mixer
Romano Pampaloni	....	dubbing mixer
Stefano Rossi	....	boom operator
Federico Savina	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby Stereo

Special Effects by
Renato Agostini	....	special effects designer
Antonio Corridori	....	special effects suplier
Giovanni Corridori	....	special effects suplier
Germano Natali	....	special effects suplier
Germano Natali	....	special effects
Sergio Stivaletti	....	animatronics

Camera and Electrical Department
Roberto de Franceschi	....	clapper loader
Massimo Intoppa	....	assistant camera
Maurizio Lucchini	....	assistant camera
Enrico Maggi	....	camera operator: second unit
Fernando Massaccesi	....	gaffer (as Ferdinando Massaccesi)
Gianfranco Massa	....	still photographer
Ugo Menegatti	....	assistant camera
Roberto Nicosia	....	still photographer (as Roberto Nicosia Vinci)
Nicola Pecorini	....	Steadicam operator
Ennio Picconi	....	key grip
Luca Robecchi	....	director of photography: second unit
Antonio Scaramuzza	....	camera operator
Renato Tafuri	....	director of photography: second unit
Franco Vitale	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Enrica Barbano	....	wardrobe assistant
Francesca Grandi	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Piero Bozza	....	assistant film editor
Alessandro Gabriele	....	assistant film editor
Roberto Priori	....	second assistant film editor

Other crew
Angelo Cavallo	....	production secretary
Carlo Du Bois	....	accountant
Egle Friggeri	....	production secretary
Maurizio Garrone	....	animal trainer
Enrico Lucherini	....	publicist
Cinzia Malatesta	....	script supervisor
Francesco Marras	....	production secretary
Barbara Morosetti	....	assistant: Sergio Stivaletti
Gianluca Pignatelli	....	publicist
Robert Rietty	....	adr director
Renato Rinaldo	....	chief accountant
Paola Rossi	....	production secretary
Federica Zappalà	....	accountant

Production Companies

• ADC Films
• Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica

Distributors

• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1990) (UK) (theatrical)
• South Gate Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Blue Underground (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• First Release Video (1980s) (Australia) (VHS)
• Globo Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Vivivideo (Italy) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Germano Natali

Other Companies

• Teatro Regio di Parma  filmed at
• Arco 2  lighting
• Artigiana Arredatori e Tappezzieri  furnishings
• Cinevox Records  soundtrack
• Costumi d'Arte  costumes
• De Paolis I.N.C.I.R.  stages (as De Paolis IN.CI.R. - Rome)
• Dedalo S.r.l.  properties supplied by (as Dedalo SRL Rome)
• E. Rancati  properties supplied by
• G. R. P. di Postiglione  properties supplied by (as G. R. P. Postiglione)
• Gambit International  recorded by
• International Recordings  recorded by
• Nino Lembo  jewelry
• Orchestra Sinfonica dell'Emilia-Romagna "Arturo Toscanini"  orchestra (as "Arturo Toscanini Symphonic Orchestra" of Emilia and Romagna)
• Rocchetti e Carboni  wigs (as Rocchetti & Carboni)
• Romana Trasporti Cinematografici S.r.l.  transport (as Romana Trasporti Cinematografici)
• Sartoria Farani S.t.L.  costumes (as Sartoria Ferroni)

Also Known As:

Terror at the Opera (USA)
I opera tou tromou (Greece) (DVD title) [el]
Im Zeichen des Raben (West Germany) [de]
Opera (Sweden) [sv]
Terreur à l'opéra (France) [fr]
Terror en la ópera (Argentina) [es]
Terror in der Oper (West Germany) [de]
Terror na Ópera (Brazil) [pt]
Terror na Opera (Portugal) [pt]
Tromos stin opera (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

107 min | USA:88 min (edited version)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Italy:VM14 (re-rating) | USA:R (heavily cut) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Germany:18 (TV premiere) (1992) (heavily cut) | Germany:18 (video rating) (1988) (heavily cut) | New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Canada:R | Finland:K-18 | Italy:VM18 | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Incir De Paolis Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

ADC Films

Trivia:

According to star Urbano Barberini, it would take hours for everyone to re-capture the crows after they were released in the opera house for filming. Around 140 crows were used, but only 60 sum were ever retrieved. The others apparently escaped from the opera house during filming.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the killer's POV shot entering the costume workshop, the camera and camera dolly are seen in a mirror on the right.

Quotes:

Betty: I am nothing like my mother. Nothing like her!

Movie Connections:

References The Birds (1963)

Soundtrack:

Steel Grave

Perhaps the last of Argento's truly great films.

Although many have mixed feelings about this latter day giallo thriller from Argento, it still stands as another lavish testament to the cinematic brilliance that is Argento.

A young opera singer has her first break out performance and suddenly finds herself the subject of obsession for a crazed maniac.

In a way, Opera is like a modern-day giallo take on Phantom of the Opera blended with all the glorious style and color that one would expect Dario Argento to deliver. Argento makes terrific use of inventive camera techniques, reoccurring symbols (like those ravens!), Gothic atmosphere, and truly gruesome murder sequences. One scene especially (which involves a peep hole and a gun) will knock viewers right out of their seats! Story-wise the film also manages to be gripping with some strong suspense and given great atmosphere by Claudio Simonetti's gorgeous music score.

The cast does some satisfying performances. Cristina Marsillach is good as our leading lady. The late Ian Charleson does a nice turn as the director, as does Urbano Barberini as an investigator, Daria Nicolodi as Marsillach's agent, and William McNamara as Marsillach's ill-fated lover.

Opera is terrific latter day Argento, and perhaps the last of his great works. It's sure to please his fans and even create some new ones.

**** out of ****