SusannahTENEBRAE
June 28th 2008 11:59
Tenebrae (1982)
Starring: Anthony Franciosa, Daria Nicolodi
Written & Directed by: Dario Argento
Tenebrae, which literally means “darkness” in Italian, is one of Argento’s bloodiest thrillers, with one of the highest body counts I have ever seen onscreen, second only to Mario Bava’s Twitch of the Death Nerve.
Anthony Franciosa is Peter Neal, a successful murder/thriller novelist. His latest novel is called Tenebre. He arrives in Rome at the same time as the murder of a young woman is committed in the style of the killings in his novel. Can Neal figure out who is committing the murders before he or his assistant Anne (Daria Nicolodi) are next? Could it be his ex-fiance Jane, who may have followed him to Rome, or is it something more sinister? And who is the man who is haunted by visions of a young woman from his past?
With an onscreen body count of eleven, plus a flashback murder (twelve!) this gives Argento plenty of scope to demonstrate some creative killings. As usual in Argento films, many attractive women die, but plenty of men get finished off as well. Do not get too attached to any one character! Initially the killings are done with a straight razor. Then we move on to killing by axe, with a chop to the head, and a very bloody amputation. There are also plenty of heads going through plates of glass, another Argento staple. Knives are also used, plus there is a strangulation just to round things off. Did I mention there is a death via modern art? The characters do not get an easy time of it - even before they get murdered. One young woman is harassed by an insane hobo before being killed by a different assailant, and another is pursued by the world’s angriest and most relentless dog.
The plotting of the film is clever, with several twists which keep you guessing as to who done it without becoming tedious or getting bogged down in red herrings. The murder set-pieces are well-executed, tense, and feature some clever camera work, including an extended, one-take pan around the exterior of the lesbian lovers’ house before they are both attacked by the assailant. There is also plenty of female nudity. The soundtrack, unfortunately, is a bit synth heavy, dating the score firmly in the eighties. The film also features Argento’s long-term real life partner at the time, Daria Nicolodi, who starred in many of his films and co-wrote his masterpiece, Suspiria.
An excellent entry in the thriller/murder/slasher genre, with a suitably gory and over-the-top climax, that features one major jump-out-of-your-seat moment. Once the film has finished you realise just how devastating the carnage has been, and the first minute of the credit roll is scored only the sound of a woman screaming.
Starring: Anthony Franciosa, Daria Nicolodi
Written & Directed by: Dario Argento
Tenebrae, which literally means “darkness” in Italian, is one of Argento’s bloodiest thrillers, with one of the highest body counts I have ever seen onscreen, second only to Mario Bava’s Twitch of the Death Nerve.
Anthony Franciosa is Peter Neal, a successful murder/thriller novelist. His latest novel is called Tenebre. He arrives in Rome at the same time as the murder of a young woman is committed in the style of the killings in his novel. Can Neal figure out who is committing the murders before he or his assistant Anne (Daria Nicolodi) are next? Could it be his ex-fiance Jane, who may have followed him to Rome, or is it something more sinister? And who is the man who is haunted by visions of a young woman from his past?
With an onscreen body count of eleven, plus a flashback murder (twelve!) this gives Argento plenty of scope to demonstrate some creative killings. As usual in Argento films, many attractive women die, but plenty of men get finished off as well. Do not get too attached to any one character! Initially the killings are done with a straight razor. Then we move on to killing by axe, with a chop to the head, and a very bloody amputation. There are also plenty of heads going through plates of glass, another Argento staple. Knives are also used, plus there is a strangulation just to round things off. Did I mention there is a death via modern art? The characters do not get an easy time of it - even before they get murdered. One young woman is harassed by an insane hobo before being killed by a different assailant, and another is pursued by the world’s angriest and most relentless dog.
The plotting of the film is clever, with several twists which keep you guessing as to who done it without becoming tedious or getting bogged down in red herrings. The murder set-pieces are well-executed, tense, and feature some clever camera work, including an extended, one-take pan around the exterior of the lesbian lovers’ house before they are both attacked by the assailant. There is also plenty of female nudity. The soundtrack, unfortunately, is a bit synth heavy, dating the score firmly in the eighties. The film also features Argento’s long-term real life partner at the time, Daria Nicolodi, who starred in many of his films and co-wrote his masterpiece, Suspiria.
An excellent entry in the thriller/murder/slasher genre, with a suitably gory and over-the-top climax, that features one major jump-out-of-your-seat moment. Once the film has finished you realise just how devastating the carnage has been, and the first minute of the credit roll is scored only the sound of a woman screaming.
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