Yeah Wrathy that'd be fine I love talkin about video nasties!
I'll give you a run down on what I reckon of the Argento titles out there!
The Bird With The Crystal Plumage (1970)
Awesome "giallo" and one of Argento's better efforts in terms of the narrative & acting. Doesn't have the experimentation or flair of his later films but it still an excellent and very stylish early '70s "giallo" with a great mystery, beautiful cinematography, excellent murder setpieces and awesome Ennio Morricone soundtrack (he did nearly every notable giallo from that era!). Could be a starting point, as it was Argento's starting point, and one of his better films too, but more reflective of the whole 70s giallo genre (defines it actually) than Argento's personal style.
The Cat O'Nine Tails (1971)
Another giallo but nowhere near as entertaining or stylish as Plumage is. Alot more classic Hitchcock-style thriller in this one, and the plot isn't very engrossing either. Still a well made, nicely shot mystery with a Morricone score but missing the great setpieces & inventiveness of most Argento films, and also missing the sleaze & violence of most giallo films. Only something you would buy once you are already a big fan of Argento or giallo films, mainly for the completist to have in the collection. This is also Argento's least favourite of his films.
Four Flies On Grey Velvet (1972)
The third of the "bird & insect" titled giallo trilogy, I have never seen this, can't find it available ANYWHERE, and never even seen any footage from it in his documentaries! Yet it is supposed to be alot better than Cat O'Nine Tails so I'm dying to see it!
Profondo Rosso (1975 - aka. Deep Red)
This one is a good place to start and a MUST for an Argento collection! Very definitive of the Argento film, it's a classic '70s Italian giallo but for the first time here we really see Argento's trademarks in full flight spicing it up into something special that really stands out from the rest of them. Again we get the usual black leather gloved killer stalking hot Italian chicks while an innocent bystander/witness to a murder decides to do his own detective work, but this time nearly every scene is one great setpiece after another with awesome camera work and a killer electronic prog rock score by Goblin (which becomes a real trademark for Argento movies). This was the first Argento film I ever saw... The US Anchor Bay release is the best and it is best to watch in Italian language because the 20 minutes cut from the original US release was never dubbed in English, so the English dub of the uncut version cuts between 2 languages and 2 different voices for some of the characters.
Suspiria (1977)
Most people say this is his masterpiece. Personally it isn't my favourite just because the narratives work so much better in alot of his other films (I prefer the giallos to the supernatural stuff, this one is about a coven of witches in a ballet school), but as far as everything else goes it definitely is his masterpiece. Visually it is just stunning, I've never seen such great use of colour, lighting and camera movement to create a real nightmare atmosphere before, just topped off by probably Goblin's most haunting score ever as well. The opening scene up until the end of the murder is one of the most intense horror movie openings of all time!! AMAZING!
Inferno (1980)
Avoid this one. A gothic horror with such a weak story you really don't even care what happens next, and the operatic score by Keith Emerson is really out of place and takes away heaps from what could have been saved by a Goblin score. Great cinematography, but that isn't enough to keep me watching this one...
Tenebrae (1982)
Back to the giallo genre again. In this one, an American writer lands in Rome for a promo tour to find a copycat killer mimmicking the murders in his latest book. This one is EXCELLENT. In the style of Deep Red but with more of an '80s horror feel, a little less "grand" in terms of the cinematography and locations (still unbelievable camera movements & murder setpieces though) but more violent and a little sleazier too. Another fantastic Goblin score in this one too! Love it! I highly recommend this one - great mystery, great murder sequences, a killer ending, awesome score... Classic Argento!
Phenomena (1984 - aka. Creepers)
This one is more of an acquired taste but I love it! It's really over the top, and a mix of say.. Tenebrae & Suspiria in a way. Has supernatural elements mixed with mystery & slasher elements. The story is off the planet, not quite a "killer stalks women in Rome, who is it!" story, this one has a girl at an all girls boarding school who communicates with insects to help find a killer while a knife wielding monkey with a vengeance helps her out! Sounds dumb but it rocks. More great cinematography, inventive murders & chase scenes, killer Goblin score and the score also has tracks contributed by Bill Wyman (that's a creepy track he wrote for it!) and Iron Maiden! Recommended as well but I'd go Deep Red, Suspiria & Tenebrae over this one... If you preferred Deep Red to Suspiria & Tenebrae I would also go Bird With The Crystal Plumage before this.
Opera (1987 - aka. Terror At The Opera)
Another stylish and over the top giallo film, another black gloved killer, another Goblin score (mixed with a heavy metal score during some murder scenes), more amazing setpieces & locations & murders & suspense & camera movements, just classic Argento with all his trademark elements cranked to the max here. Some of the violence is more painful & sadistic than the usual operatic killings which works in those scenes well (and got the uncut version banned here in the '80s) but the killings aren't quite as inventively directed as usual. Another one that is highly recommended, but again I would watch it after Deep Red, Tenebrae & Suspiria.
Trauma (1993)
Haven't seen this, it's alot more of an American style horror film though apparently but is still meant to be excellent, and Savini does the effects.
The Stendahl Syndrome (1995)
Another I haven't seen and this one is meant to be alot more American too. This is why I haven't bothered with these 2 yet... But I really should coz they are meant to be good.
Phantom of the Opera (1998)
Argento's violent take on the Phantom Of The Opera story, avoid this at all costs! TERRIBLE movie, easily his worst ever!! It's hard to sit through - boring, bad score, terrible acting, hard to even follow what's going on, bad visual effects, terrible sets/locations... Don't get this one!
Sleepless (2001 - aka. Non Ho Sonno)
Wow! A huge return to the classic '70s giallo film with this one! This movie has elements of The Bird With The Crystal Plumage, Deep Red, Tenebrae & Opera, with some of the visuals of Suspiria thrown in for good measure as well. Also has GOBLIN doing the score for the first time since '87! While it isn't quite as good as stuff like Bird, Deep Red & Tenebrae (for me anyway), it's easily his best film since Opera and a huge return to form! I didn't think it would be anywhere near as good as it was, saw it one night on SBS and was blown away!
The Card Player (2003)
Avoid this one. This is an attempt to make a much more up to date technological American thriller about a serial killer who lures people into deadly games of internet poker where if the opponent (the police he has hooked up a connection with who are trying to find him) loses, he kills his victim on webcam in front of them. Good story, and I do like it better than alot of new thrillers just because it has some of that Italian charm & personality which American movies completely lack now, but it's easily one of Argento's weakest...
Well that was long! But there you go, then of course there are his other projects that he was involved with but didn't direct:
Dawn Of The Dead (1978 - George Romero)
Of course everyone knows this movie. Argento produced it, co-wrote the score with Goblin, and also edited the European release which differs alot from Romero's American cut that we know here (Argento's is shorter, less satire, more violence, and entirely Goblin/Argento score).
Demons (1985 - Lamberto Bava)
Awesome demon/zombie kinda movie set in a cinema with a thumpin' metal soundtrack! Packed full of action, suspense, shocks & gore... Great fun '80s horror flick, one of the best of this style! Argento produced & wrote it but Lamberto Bava (Mario Bava's son) directed it.
Demons 2 (1986 - Lamberto Bava)
Argento produced & wrote this one too. Pretty much the same as the first but set in an apartment block and nowhere near as good. I can't even put my finger on why, it's just not engrossing though like the first one is. Kinda feels like "been there, done that'.
Two Evil Eyes (1986)
George Romero and Dario Argento each directed a 40 minute horror story each on this. I haven't seen it but apparently it's pretty good and both do a great job.
So the ones I think are definitely worthwhile are:
- Deep Red
- Suspiria
- Tenebrae
- Bird With The Crystal Plumage
- Phenomena
- Opera
- Sleepless
- Demons
If you dig Deep Red, Tenebrae & Bird With The Crystal Plumage, then I can recommend a HEAP of similar giallo films that you'll also love!
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