I don't get the love for Dario Argento

[mojovonio]

So I saw Mother of Tears last night.

Despite being pretty cool cause it was gory sometimes, it was a fucking horrible movie. The script was terrible and the acting was worse. Even weirder, he filmed his own daughter in a shower scene....

I've seen quite a bit of his work, and while I saw that his movies were good, they were hardly spectacular.

So why, why do people cling to him like some sort of messiah? Is it just trendy to like him?

I think so, judging by Juno claiming she is a BIG FAN.

[crimsondynamics]

He's good for the over-the-top gore and bizarro torture / mutilation ideas he gets, but I don't really watch his movies for the subplot nuances or anything like that.

Actually, he has a documentary / biopic of something like that. I think watching that is ample Argento for the vast majority of people who would be even remotely interested in his work. I know my lady wouldn't even let me keep his movies in the same household she inhabits.

[Eric P]

it's his old work which is worth watching

suspiria
inferno
tenbrae
phenomena

[Eric P]

frankly for italian horror, the bar is low.

[Cravis]

frankly for italian horror, the bar is low.

Cemetary Man AKA Dellamorte Dellamore says hi.

[Eric P]

frankly for italian horror, the bar is low.

Cemetary Man AKA Dellamorte Dellamore says hi.

and?

one film cannot prop up the legitimacy of an entire genre of film for an entire country.

what you are doing is pointing out a good example which proves the rule that most italian horror is mediocre at best.

[Cravis]

frankly for italian horror, the bar is low.

Cemetary Man AKA Dellamorte Dellamore says hi.

and?

one film cannot prop up the legitimacy of an entire genre of film for an entire country.

what you are doing is pointing out a good example which proves the rule that most italian horror is mediocre at best.

Yes Italian Horror is mediocre. Dellamorte Dellamore raised it to new levels that unfortunately won't be reached by any Italians. I wonder what happened to the director of that one. Probably another one hit wonder.

Dario was good at gore. Kinda like Herschell Gordon Lewis. I picked up the Blood Trilogy on DVD for 2000 Maniacs. His stuff does not stand the test of time. So cheesy. I enjoyed the remake with Robert Englund, though. Man it was so over the top and offensive. I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel to it.

On a side note, Dario's daughter Asia was good in Land of the Dead.

[GilloD]

The best part of Suspira is when the film announces "She opened a school for dance....and witchcraft".

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

Susperia had a pretty not-bad-at-all unofficial remake recently.



hey, at least we can give Dario credit for siring a really hot daughter, rite?

[Enl]

it's his old work which is worth watching

suspiria
inferno
tenbrae
phenomena

You forgot Deep Red (my favorite of his), The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and Opera.

Like most Italian horror films, what makes Argento work is the unique atmosphere that he brings to his films. When you go into spaghetti horror you have to expect one thing, redubbed characters that are thinner than cardboard cutouts. While Argento's films had these flat characters the level of style his films had were unlike anything out there. Watching Suspiria now is a little difficult with today's expectations of what a film should have and can come off a little goofy. Back then it was easier to look past the flaws and get caught up in its creepy atmosphere. Today Argento has lost his touch and his films lack that one thing which made him so special. Though I like Pelts, that was stupid fun.

Speaking of Italian Horror films, why isn't Mario Bava more well known than Fulci? 5% of Fulci's films are actually fun horror flicks and the rest are absolute shit. Bava on the other hand can be considered the grand poomba of Italian Horror and has a great portfolio of work but never gets any recognition.

Even weirder, he filmed his own daughter in a shower scene....

Not as weird as filming a sex scene between her and the creepy Julian Sands.

[The Fake Shemp]

Argento's early work is pretty awesome.  The tone of the flicks are incredibly suffocating and the lighting is amazing (Suspiria in particular).  They're very rough, but it works because the horror is rough.  He didn't pull any punches.

He's pretty awful nowadays, though.

[Eric P]

Speaking of Italian Horror films, why isn't Mario Bava more well known than Fulci? 5% of Fulci's films are actually fun horror flicks and the rest are absolute shit. Bava on the other hand can be considered the grand poomba of Italian Horror and has a great portfolio of work but never gets any recognition.

Late last year, earlier this year i went on a huge bava tear because i just hadn't seen most of it.

when i watched the stuff i was just blown away.