Thursday, May 24, 2007

we salute Dario Argento...

DARIO ARGENTO: MASTER OF HORROR



Born: September 7, 1940, Italy

Masterpieces: Deep Red (1975), Suspiria (1977)

Other notable films: The Bird With The Crystal Plumage (1970), The Cat O' Nine Tails (1971), Four Flies On Grey Velvet (1971), Inferno (1980), Tenebrae (1982), Phenomena (1985), Opera (1987), Two Evil Eyes (1990), Trauma (1993), Phantom Of The Opera (1998), Sleepless (2001)

Mini Bio:

Italian director Dario Argento, son of producer Salvatore Argento and father of actress Asia Argento, began his career as a film critic. By the age of twenty he was a professional screenwriter and joined Bernado Bertolucci in writing the screenplay for Sergio Leone's western Once Upon A Time In The West (1967). After many more screenplays, Argento was signed to Italian film company Titanus, and made his directing debut in with The Bird With The Crystal Plumage (1970), which became an international hit. Argento followed up with two more 'Giallo' films (Italian thrillers), The Cat O' Nine Tails (1971) and Four Flies On Grey Velvet (1971), both were produced by his father.

After directing for TV, Argento went back to directing 'Giallo' films, beginning with Deep Red (1975), the first Argento film to show signs of his brilliance: fantastic set pieces, roving camera, flourishing style and haunting melodies by Italian band Goblin. It made Argento internationally famous and inspired a number of other directors in the horror genre, including John Carpenter. Argento's next film, Suspiria (1977, pictured below), a supernatural thriller about a coven of witches disguised a a ballet school, is considered by many as his best work. Suspiria is a surreal piece of art, and the first part in a incomplete trilogy called 'The Three Mothers Trilogy', which is to be completed in 2007 with The Mother Of Tears.


Argento then collaborated with George A. Romero on Dawn Of The Dead (1978), helping with script development and producing for the film. Next was the second installment of 'The Three Mothers Trilogy', Inferno (1980). Argento then returned to the 'Giallo' genre with Tenebrae (1982). He then attempted to combine 'Giallo' with the supernatural in Phenomena (1985), starring Jennifer Connelly in one of her first movie roles.

Argento decided to take a break from directing and wrote and produced the first two films in the Demons series (1985-1986) with Lamberto Bava (Mario Bava's son) directing. When Argento did finally return to directing, his first project was Opera (1987, pictured below), a production that proved to be a 'very unpleasant experience'. Argento's father died during production, actress Vanessa Redgrave pulled out before filming began, his marriage to actress Daria Nicolodi fell to bits and various other accidents happened on set.

It is true that his career in the 1990's and onwards has not proved successful, however Argento recently directed two short episodes, Jenifer and Pelts, on Showtime's Masters Of Horror TV series (2005-Present). Argento's work has always come under scrutiny for being sexist, overly violent and for having a lack of plot. However, Argento reinvented the horror genre and influenced many other directors with his style, imagination and visually impressive films. He is not only considered an excellent film maker but also an artist.

2 comments:

Rowan said...

On the special features of Two Evil Eyes you see Dario Agento in casual clothes playing basketball. I found it so hilarious because he seems nothing like his films. I thought he would look more mysterious and creepy. Who knows I may have even have walked past him in Italy way back in 1992

90miledesert said...

Nice research dan you have effectively captured the career of an amazing man.

Fact: Did you know that the Phenomena (starrring Jennifer Connelly) was originally cut to pieces not to the way argento wanted it and titled "Creepers".