A young girl, with an amazing ability to communicate with insects, is transferred to an exclusive Swiss boarding school, where her unusual capability might help solve a string of murders.
Director:
Dario Argento
Stars:
Jennifer Connelly,
Donald Pleasence,
Daria Nicolodi
An American college student in Rome and his sister in New York investigate a series of killings in both locations where their resident addresses are the domain of two covens of witches.
An American expatriate in Rome witnesses an attempted murder. He learns later that it's connected to an ongoing murder spree in the city, and decides to do his own investigation, despite being personally targeted by the killer.
Director:
Dario Argento
Stars:
Tony Musante,
Suzy Kendall,
Enrico Maria Salerno
A newspaper reporter and a retired, blind journalist try to solve a series of killings connected to a pharmaceutical company's experimental, top-secret research projects and in so doing, both become targets of the killer.
Director:
Dario Argento
Stars:
James Franciscus,
Karl Malden,
Catherine Spaak
A young man tries to help a teenage European girl who escaped from a clinic hospital after witnessing the murder of her parents by a serial killer and they try to find the killer before the killer finds them.
Director:
Dario Argento
Stars:
Christopher Rydell,
Asia Argento,
Piper Laurie
A young policewoman slowly goes insane while tracking down an elusive serial rapist/killer through Italy when she herself becomes a victim of the brutal man's obsession.
Director:
Dario Argento
Stars:
Asia Argento,
Thomas Kretschmann,
Marco Leonardi
An older, retired police detective and a young amateur sleuth team up to find a serial killer who's resumed a killing spree in Turin, Italy after a 17-year period.
Director:
Dario Argento
Stars:
Max von Sydow,
Stefano Dionisi,
Chiara Caselli
An American newcomer to a prestigious German ballet academy comes to realize that the school is a front for something sinister amid a series of grisly murders.
A young opera singer (Betty) gets her big chance when the previous star of a production of Verdi's Macbeth is run over by a car. Convinced the opera is bad luck she accepts, and becomes the target (in Argento's unmistakable style) of a psychopath - a man she has been dreaming of since childhood.Written by
David Carroll <davidc@atom.ansto.gov.au>
During the chase in Betty's apartment, as the killer runs POV through the house the camera tilts back and forth showing for a brief second the top of the set in Betty's room and the space above it. Also, while exiting the bedroom, lighting equipment is visible on the left side of the frame. See more »
Quotes
Marco:
I think it's unwise to use movies as a guide for reality. Don't you, Inspector?
Inspector Alan Santini:
Depends what you mean by reality.
See more »
Alternate Versions
The version prepared by Orion Pictures for an American release in 1988 was edited to 96 minutes, removing the scene of Mara Cecova hurling her glass at the TV, much material involving the little girl next door to Betty, and Betty's final crawl through the grass in the final scene. The U.S. plans were scrapped, and this version was released by RCA/Columbia on Japanese laserdisc and as a bonus on Arrow's two-disc DVD reissue in England. See more »
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 ****
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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 ****