After making his inordinately stylish and often hilarious slasher film Stagefright, Dario Argento protégé Michele Soavi teamed up with the maestro for 1987’s The Church, a hallucinatory gothic concoction that was originally intended as the third entry in the Demons series before Lamberto Bava passed the directorial torch to Soavi. Although vastly different in tone and atmosphere than the Bava films, The Church still bears distinct traces of their core idea: Ravening demons are inadvertently let loose to run gruesomely amok within a confined space, in this instance a gothic cathedral located somewhere in Germany.
Where the Demons films take visual media as their primary mode of representation, Soavi and co-writers Argento and Franco Ferrini imbue The Church with a literary bent, which is apt for a story that centers around the interpretation of medieval texts. What’s more, the film overtly references works as disparate as M.R. James’s...
Where the Demons films take visual media as their primary mode of representation, Soavi and co-writers Argento and Franco Ferrini imbue The Church with a literary bent, which is apt for a story that centers around the interpretation of medieval texts. What’s more, the film overtly references works as disparate as M.R. James’s...
- 5/16/2024
- by Budd Wilkins
- Slant Magazine
For his second feature film—and first full collaboration with co-writer/producer/mentor Dario Argento—writer-director Michele Soavi unleashes a “mind-blowing” (Bloody Disgusting), “breathtaking” (Slant), “masterwork” (DVD Drive-In), now in Uhd for the first time ever: In a Gothic cathedral built on the mass grave of a Teutonic purge, an ancient discovery by the new librarian will release an unholy maelstrom of madness, violence, and demonic vengeance. Tomas Arana (The Sect), Feodor Chaliapin (Inferno), Hugh Quarshie (Nightbreed), Barbara Cupisti (Cemetery Man), and Asia Argento co-star in this Italian horror milestone co-written by Franco Ferrini (Phenomena), with a Soavi-approved 4K scan from the original negative and over three hours of special features—including new interviews with Soavi and Argento.
The Church is available on 4K Uhd on April 30.
Enter for your chance to win a 4K Uhd of The Church, courtesy of Severin Films. Three (3) winners will be selected at random.
The Church is available on 4K Uhd on April 30.
Enter for your chance to win a 4K Uhd of The Church, courtesy of Severin Films. Three (3) winners will be selected at random.
- 4/21/2024
- by Slant Staff
- Slant Magazine
When Italian horror comes to mind, it’s the unholy trifecta of Dario Argento, Lucio Fulci, and Mario and Lamberto Bava that dominate the discussion. However, Michele Soavi is another essential – albeit underrated – Italian horror savant from the ‘80s and ‘90s who cut his teeth as Argento and Fulci’s apprentice, before ascending to become their peer through formative films like StageFright and Dellamorte Dellamore (aka Cemetery Man). Soavi has a flair and appreciation for immersive and complex camera visuals, intimidating antagonists, and gruesome gore, all of which are on display in the director’s most polarizing film, The Church, which now celebrates its 35th anniversary.
This cinematic achievement began as Demons 3, the third film in Argento and Lamberto Bava’s popular supernatural horror series. However, the horror sequel soon pivoted into an original project early on in its production after Bava walked and Soavi took over and completely rewrote the script.
This cinematic achievement began as Demons 3, the third film in Argento and Lamberto Bava’s popular supernatural horror series. However, the horror sequel soon pivoted into an original project early on in its production after Bava walked and Soavi took over and completely rewrote the script.
- 3/8/2024
- by Daniel Kurland
- bloody-disgusting.com
The final week of January is also the first week of February, and it’s a slow week for the horror genre in terms of new releases. But that doesn’t mean we’re not getting new horror this week.
Here’s all the new horror releasing January 29 – February 4, 2024!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
Real-life serial killer John Wayne Gacy has been the subject of a handful of horror movies over the years, played by Brian Dennehy in To Catch a Killer (1992), Mark Holton in Gacy (2003), and William Forsythe in Dear Mr. Gacy (2010). Quiver Distribution brings their own Gacy movie to the table this week, with Gacy: Serial Killer Next Door now available on VOD.
In director Michael Feifer’s horror movie, “A teenager’s life in a quiet suburb changes drastically when John Wayne Gacy, a famed serial killer, becomes his neighbor.
Here’s all the new horror releasing January 29 – February 4, 2024!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
Real-life serial killer John Wayne Gacy has been the subject of a handful of horror movies over the years, played by Brian Dennehy in To Catch a Killer (1992), Mark Holton in Gacy (2003), and William Forsythe in Dear Mr. Gacy (2010). Quiver Distribution brings their own Gacy movie to the table this week, with Gacy: Serial Killer Next Door now available on VOD.
In director Michael Feifer’s horror movie, “A teenager’s life in a quiet suburb changes drastically when John Wayne Gacy, a famed serial killer, becomes his neighbor.
- 1/31/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Shudder documentary restrospective Dario Argento Panico highlights the influential work of Giallo maestro Dario Argento, and it’s assembled a Murderers’ Row of talent discussing the filmmaker’s works. That includes Italian composer and Goblin founder Claudio Simonetti and acclaimed filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn.
In an exclusive clip below, Claudio Simonetti and Nicolas Winding Refn discuss Argento’s bloody Giallo film Tenebrae. Watch for insight on the film’s music and its enduring influence.
The documentary will arrive on Shudder on February 2, 2024.
The official Dario Argento Panico synopsis: “In the secluded ambiance of hotel rooms, Dario Argento crafted his greatest cinematic creations, seeking solace from the outside world to delve into his nightmares. Now, he finds himself in a hotel room to return to the very setting that ignited his creative fervor to conclude his latest script and participate in an intimate interview, all while being followed by a film...
In an exclusive clip below, Claudio Simonetti and Nicolas Winding Refn discuss Argento’s bloody Giallo film Tenebrae. Watch for insight on the film’s music and its enduring influence.
The documentary will arrive on Shudder on February 2, 2024.
The official Dario Argento Panico synopsis: “In the secluded ambiance of hotel rooms, Dario Argento crafted his greatest cinematic creations, seeking solace from the outside world to delve into his nightmares. Now, he finds himself in a hotel room to return to the very setting that ignited his creative fervor to conclude his latest script and participate in an intimate interview, all while being followed by a film...
- 1/30/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Mario Bava, Lucio Fulci, or even Sergio Martino may pop into cinephile’s heads when thinking of Giallo’s greatest directors. But only one name is truly synonymous with the Italian sub-genre, and that’s Dario Argento. Don’t believe us? Maybe “Dario Argento Panico,” a new doc about the director that premieres on Shudder next month, will convince the uninitiated.
Read More: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2024
Simone Scafidi‘s doc takes a retrospective look at Argento’s life and career, from his early days making classic Giallos like “The Girl Who Knew Too Much” to his aesthetically daring apex of “Suspiria,” “Inferno,” and “Tenebrae.” “Dario Argento Panico” features interview with Argento, his daughter Asia Argento, as well as filmmakers like Guillermo Del Toro, Gaspar Noé, and Nicolas Winding Refn, and screenwriter Franco Ferrini.
Continue reading ‘Dario Argento Panico’ Trailer: Doc About The Giallo Master Premieres On Shudder On February 2 at The Playlist.
Read More: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2024
Simone Scafidi‘s doc takes a retrospective look at Argento’s life and career, from his early days making classic Giallos like “The Girl Who Knew Too Much” to his aesthetically daring apex of “Suspiria,” “Inferno,” and “Tenebrae.” “Dario Argento Panico” features interview with Argento, his daughter Asia Argento, as well as filmmakers like Guillermo Del Toro, Gaspar Noé, and Nicolas Winding Refn, and screenwriter Franco Ferrini.
Continue reading ‘Dario Argento Panico’ Trailer: Doc About The Giallo Master Premieres On Shudder On February 2 at The Playlist.
- 1/5/2024
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
Among the greatest theatrical experiences I’ve had across the last few years is during our Dario Argento retrospective at Film at Lincoln Center, in which the Italian horror maestro visited to present new restorations of his classics. 2024 now brings another opportunity to celebrate his legendary career as Simone Scafidi’s documentary Dario Argento Panico will arrive on Shudder on February 2. Featuring interviews with Dario Argento, Asia Argento, Fiore Argento, Nicolas Winding Refn, Gaspar Noè, Guillermo Del Toro, Michele Soavi, Lamberto Bava, and Franco Ferrini, the first teaser has now arrived providing a little peek at some highlights.
Here’s the synopsis: “In the secluded ambiance of hotel rooms, Dario Argento crafted his greatest cinematic creations, seeking solace from the outside world to delve into his nightmares. Now, he finds himself in a hotel room to return to the very setting that ignited his creative fervor to conclude his latest...
Here’s the synopsis: “In the secluded ambiance of hotel rooms, Dario Argento crafted his greatest cinematic creations, seeking solace from the outside world to delve into his nightmares. Now, he finds himself in a hotel room to return to the very setting that ignited his creative fervor to conclude his latest...
- 1/5/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Giallo Maestro Dario Argento will be featured in Dario Argento Panico, a documentary retrospective acquired by Shudder. A new trailer debuted today that teases the notable talking heads featured in the personal portrait of the acclaimed fimmaker.
The documentary will arrive on Shudder on February 2, 2024, after making its world premiere at the 2023 Venice Film Festival.
Watch the trailer and get a peek at the new poster, a fun nod to the yellow “giallo” translation, below.
The official Dario Argento Panico synopsis: “In the secluded ambiance of hotel rooms, Dario Argento crafted his greatest cinematic creations, seeking solace from the outside world to delve into his nightmares. Now, he finds himself in a hotel room to return to the very setting that ignited his creative fervor to conclude his latest script and participate in an intimate interview, all while being followed by a film crew documenting his life for a movie about his illustrious career.
The documentary will arrive on Shudder on February 2, 2024, after making its world premiere at the 2023 Venice Film Festival.
Watch the trailer and get a peek at the new poster, a fun nod to the yellow “giallo” translation, below.
The official Dario Argento Panico synopsis: “In the secluded ambiance of hotel rooms, Dario Argento crafted his greatest cinematic creations, seeking solace from the outside world to delve into his nightmares. Now, he finds himself in a hotel room to return to the very setting that ignited his creative fervor to conclude his latest script and participate in an intimate interview, all while being followed by a film crew documenting his life for a movie about his illustrious career.
- 1/4/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Genre icon Dario Argento is the focus on the documentary Dario Argento Panico, which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival back in September – the same time we got our hands on the trailer embedded above. Today, Deadline reports that Dario Argento Panico has been acquired by the Shudder streaming service, and they’re planning to start streaming the in film the U.S., Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand on February 2nd.
Before we reach that date, the documentary is set to have its U.S. premiere at the IFC Center in New York during their theatrical retrospective Panic Attacks: The Films of Dario Argento, which is set to run from January 31st through February 8th.
Directed by Simone Scafidi and produced by Paguro Film, Dario Argento Panico is said to offer an insightful journey through the life and legacy of the legendary Italian filmmaker,...
Before we reach that date, the documentary is set to have its U.S. premiere at the IFC Center in New York during their theatrical retrospective Panic Attacks: The Films of Dario Argento, which is set to run from January 31st through February 8th.
Directed by Simone Scafidi and produced by Paguro Film, Dario Argento Panico is said to offer an insightful journey through the life and legacy of the legendary Italian filmmaker,...
- 12/19/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
“Tonight we have special news for you: we closed all the exits. You can’t escape,” Claudio Simonetti deadpanned in his Italian accent to the enthusiastic crowd at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, Massachusetts on October 3. Clad in something like a ringmaster jacket over a Deadpool T-shirt, a smile beamed across the maestro’s face.
The audience erupted into laughter chased by cheers, as they knew they were about to experience something special: the 1985 cult classic Demons on the big screen with a live score performed by Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin, a modern tribute to the prolific Italian prog-rock composers Goblin fronted by the founding keyboardist.
Produced by Italian master of horror Dario Argento — for whom Goblin had previously composed several scores — Demons is directed by Lamberto Bava from a script written by Bava, Argento, Dardano Sacchetti (The Beyond), and Franco Ferrini (Phenomena). The plot finds attendees at a mysterious...
The audience erupted into laughter chased by cheers, as they knew they were about to experience something special: the 1985 cult classic Demons on the big screen with a live score performed by Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin, a modern tribute to the prolific Italian prog-rock composers Goblin fronted by the founding keyboardist.
Produced by Italian master of horror Dario Argento — for whom Goblin had previously composed several scores — Demons is directed by Lamberto Bava from a script written by Bava, Argento, Dardano Sacchetti (The Beyond), and Franco Ferrini (Phenomena). The plot finds attendees at a mysterious...
- 10/9/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
Genre icon Dario Argento is the focus on the documentary Dario Argento Panico, which is having its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival – and with that premiere to take place this Saturday, September 2nd, a trailer for the documentary has arrived online! You can check it out in the embed above.
Directed by Simone Scafidi and produced by Paguro Film, Dario Argento Panico is said to be an immersive deep dive into the creative process and life of Argento. It features exclusive interviews with the legendary filmmaker and insight from other acclaimed directors like Gaspar Noé, Guillermo del Toro and Nicolas Winding Refn about his impact on the horror genre and generations of other directors.
Fiore Argento, Asia Argento, Vittorio Cecchi Gori, Lamberto Bava, Luigi Cozzi, Michele Soavi, Claudio Simonetti, Marisa Casale, Cristina Marsillach, Floriana Argento, Franco Ferrini, and of course Dario Argento himself also appear in the documentary.
Directed by Simone Scafidi and produced by Paguro Film, Dario Argento Panico is said to be an immersive deep dive into the creative process and life of Argento. It features exclusive interviews with the legendary filmmaker and insight from other acclaimed directors like Gaspar Noé, Guillermo del Toro and Nicolas Winding Refn about his impact on the horror genre and generations of other directors.
Fiore Argento, Asia Argento, Vittorio Cecchi Gori, Lamberto Bava, Luigi Cozzi, Michele Soavi, Claudio Simonetti, Marisa Casale, Cristina Marsillach, Floriana Argento, Franco Ferrini, and of course Dario Argento himself also appear in the documentary.
- 9/1/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin Hitting the Road to Play Live ‘Demons’ Score Across the Country This Fall
Following last year’s Suspiria tour, Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin is hitting the road this fall to perform the live score to Demons followed by a set of other classic Goblin compositions across North America.
Goblin founding keyboardist Claudio Simonetti plays with a new manifestation of the prolific Italian instrumental act that includes guitarist Daniele Amador, bassist Cecilia Nappo, and drummer Federico Maragoni.
In addition to the Demons dates, the band will play a best-of set at Eerie Horror Fest in Pennsylvania, while the tour’s Canadian stops will feature a Suspiria live score.
Produced by master of horror Dario Argento, 1985’s Demons is directed by Lamberto Bava from a script he co-wrote with Argento, Dardano Sacchetti (The Beyond), and Franco Ferrini (Phenomena). Simonetti composed the original soundtrack, which he has updated with his live band.
Urbano Barberini and Natasha Hovey star in Demons as two of the unfortunate moviegoers...
Goblin founding keyboardist Claudio Simonetti plays with a new manifestation of the prolific Italian instrumental act that includes guitarist Daniele Amador, bassist Cecilia Nappo, and drummer Federico Maragoni.
In addition to the Demons dates, the band will play a best-of set at Eerie Horror Fest in Pennsylvania, while the tour’s Canadian stops will feature a Suspiria live score.
Produced by master of horror Dario Argento, 1985’s Demons is directed by Lamberto Bava from a script he co-wrote with Argento, Dardano Sacchetti (The Beyond), and Franco Ferrini (Phenomena). Simonetti composed the original soundtrack, which he has updated with his live band.
Urbano Barberini and Natasha Hovey star in Demons as two of the unfortunate moviegoers...
- 7/11/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
A new episode of the Best Horror Movie You Never Saw video series was released over the weekend, and with this one we took a look back at a film that came from two masters of the genre: George A. Romero and Dario Argento. The film is the 1990 anthology Two Evil Eyes (watch or buy it Here), and you can find out all about it by watching the video embedded above!
Scripted by Romero, Argento, and Franco Ferrini, Two Evil Eyes consists of adaptations of two separate Edgar Allan Poe stories, The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar and The Black Cat. The film has the following synopsis: George A. Romero provides unabated horror in “The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar”. As he lays dying, Ernest Valdemar’s scheming young wife and her lover anxiously await his demise – and his vast fortune. But when Ernest dies unexpectedly while under hypnosis,...
Scripted by Romero, Argento, and Franco Ferrini, Two Evil Eyes consists of adaptations of two separate Edgar Allan Poe stories, The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar and The Black Cat. The film has the following synopsis: George A. Romero provides unabated horror in “The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar”. As he lays dying, Ernest Valdemar’s scheming young wife and her lover anxiously await his demise – and his vast fortune. But when Ernest dies unexpectedly while under hypnosis,...
- 4/24/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Phenomena is a substantially different movie depending on how you first saw it. Audiences in its native Italy were able to see the original 116-minute film as director Dario Argento intended for its initial release in 1985. That cut was pruned down to 110 minutes for international release. In America, however, New Line Cinema cut the picture to 83 minutes before putting it out under the title Creepers in 1986. Finding its audience in the VHS rental market, this was the only version available in the US until DVD came around.
Each version has its advantages and disadvantages. The original integral cut contains everything, but it drags a bit in the middle and there are a few moments that were never dubbed into English. The international version is a bit tighter, mostly trimming frames and sacrificing only a few lines of dialogue. Those who grew up with the Creepers cut may prefer its punchier pace,...
Each version has its advantages and disadvantages. The original integral cut contains everything, but it drags a bit in the middle and there are a few moments that were never dubbed into English. The international version is a bit tighter, mostly trimming frames and sacrificing only a few lines of dialogue. Those who grew up with the Creepers cut may prefer its punchier pace,...
- 3/14/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products released each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Jurassic Park Virtual Pets from Tamagotchi
Ready for a double dose of ’90s nostalgia? Tamagotchi – the beloved virtual pet keychain from our youth – is celebrating Jurassic Park’s 30th anniversary with dinosaur virtual pets. Due out in March, amber and egg versions are available to pre-order for 20.99.
Depending on how you interact with your baby dino, they may evolve into over 20 different dinosaurs, including rarities. If you don’t take proper care of them, they’ll leave you. When your prehistoric pal is in a bad mood, give them a snack (leaves and nuts for herbivores; meat and fish for carnivores) or play one of three mini-games.
Holly by Stephen King
Stephen King will publish Holly on September 5 via Scribner.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Jurassic Park Virtual Pets from Tamagotchi
Ready for a double dose of ’90s nostalgia? Tamagotchi – the beloved virtual pet keychain from our youth – is celebrating Jurassic Park’s 30th anniversary with dinosaur virtual pets. Due out in March, amber and egg versions are available to pre-order for 20.99.
Depending on how you interact with your baby dino, they may evolve into over 20 different dinosaurs, including rarities. If you don’t take proper care of them, they’ll leave you. When your prehistoric pal is in a bad mood, give them a snack (leaves and nuts for herbivores; meat and fish for carnivores) or play one of three mini-games.
Holly by Stephen King
Stephen King will publish Holly on September 5 via Scribner.
- 1/27/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
It’s time for a new episode of our Best Horror Party Movies video series, and the movie we’re rocking out with for this episode boasts a soundtrack that includes Billy Idol, Mötley Crüe, Rick Springfield, Accept, Go West, The Adventures, and Saxon. It’s the 1985 Italian horror classic Demons (watch it Here), and you can find out how we party along to it by checking out the video embedded above!
Directed by Lamberto Bava from a screenplay he crafted with Dardano Sacchetti, Franco Ferrini, and producer Dario Argento, Demons has the following synopsis:
Demons takes place in an old mysterious cinema, where all the patrons have been invited by a sinister disfigured man distributing movie tickets. The surprise attraction is a horror movie, several patrons are disgusted by the picture, a brutal stalk & slash flick that centers around demonic possession & graphic murder. Meanwhile a young girl who cut...
Directed by Lamberto Bava from a screenplay he crafted with Dardano Sacchetti, Franco Ferrini, and producer Dario Argento, Demons has the following synopsis:
Demons takes place in an old mysterious cinema, where all the patrons have been invited by a sinister disfigured man distributing movie tickets. The surprise attraction is a horror movie, several patrons are disgusted by the picture, a brutal stalk & slash flick that centers around demonic possession & graphic murder. Meanwhile a young girl who cut...
- 1/4/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
It’s time for a new episode of The Arrow in the Head Show, and in this one our hosts John “The Arrow” Fallon and Lance Vlcek are looking back at the 1985 Italian horror classic Demons (watch it Here), a movie that not only has some cool ghoul action but also has a rocking soundtrack. That soundtrack includes the likes of Billy Idol, Mötley Crüe, and Saxon. To hear what The Arrow and Lance had to say about Demons, check out the video embedded above!
Directed by Lamberto Bava from a screenplay he crafted with Dardano Sacchetti, Franco Ferrini, and producer Dario Argento, Demons has the following synopsis:
Demons takes place in an old mysterious cinema, where all the patrons have been invited by a sinister disfigured man distributing movie tickets. The surprise attraction is a horror movie, several patrons are disgusted by the picture, a brutal stalk & slash flick...
Directed by Lamberto Bava from a screenplay he crafted with Dardano Sacchetti, Franco Ferrini, and producer Dario Argento, Demons has the following synopsis:
Demons takes place in an old mysterious cinema, where all the patrons have been invited by a sinister disfigured man distributing movie tickets. The surprise attraction is a horror movie, several patrons are disgusted by the picture, a brutal stalk & slash flick...
- 11/12/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
On October 13, Shudder premiered “Dark Glasses,” the highly anticipated return from the master of horror, Dario Argento. Fleeing her predator, a young escort (Ilenia Pastorelli) crashes her car and loses her sight. She emerges from the initial shock determined to fight for her life, but she is no longer alone. Defending her and acting as her eyes is a little boy, Chin (Andrea Zhang), who survived the car accident. But the killer won’t give up his victim. Who will be saved?
Reviews for the thriller are mixed, earning it a current score of 58 on Rotten Tomatoes to date. But what exactly are critics saying about Argento’s latest?
See A new ‘Hellraiser’ hits Hulu and Jamie Clayton’s turn as Pinhead may be ‘even better’ than the original
Hope Madden of MaddWolf cheers Argento’s gory return. “There are some inventive kills, gore aplenty, and loads of reminders of...
Reviews for the thriller are mixed, earning it a current score of 58 on Rotten Tomatoes to date. But what exactly are critics saying about Argento’s latest?
See A new ‘Hellraiser’ hits Hulu and Jamie Clayton’s turn as Pinhead may be ‘even better’ than the original
Hope Madden of MaddWolf cheers Argento’s gory return. “There are some inventive kills, gore aplenty, and loads of reminders of...
- 10/14/2022
- by Vincent Mandile
- Gold Derby
After a decade-long hiatus from filmmaking, horror auteur Dario Argento has returned with his latest film, Dark Glasses (Occhiali neri), a modest, occasionally middling riff on the giallo sub-genre he helped define and redefine in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Surprisingly short on the excessively baroque visual style typical of his better known works, and long on familiar tropes, Dark Glasses doesn’t qualify as anything approaching a return to form for Argento, but it’s nonetheless welcome, especially from a well-regarded filmmaker whose last effort behind the camera, Dracula 3D, justifiably received an indifferent, apathetic response from both audiences and critics in 2012. Working from an underwritten, underdeveloped screenplay Argento co-scripted with occasional collaborator Franco Ferrini (Opera, Phenomena, Once...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 10/6/2022
- Screen Anarchy
A new episode of our video series Best Foreign Horror Movies has just been released, and with this one we’re returning to the work of Dario Argento to take a look at his 1985 film Phenomena (watch it Here). This one doesn’t get mentioned as often as some of his other films, but how can you go wrong with a movie that has Jennifer Connelly, Donald Pleasence, and a chimpanzee? Find out all about Phenomena by checking out the video embedded above.
Scripted by Argento and Franco Ferrini, Phenomena has the following synopsis:
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.
Connelly and Pleasence are joined in the cast by Daria Nicolodi, Dalila Di Lazzaro, and Patrick Bauchau.
The Best Foreign Horror Movies series is
dedicated to...
Scripted by Argento and Franco Ferrini, Phenomena has the following synopsis:
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.
Connelly and Pleasence are joined in the cast by Daria Nicolodi, Dalila Di Lazzaro, and Patrick Bauchau.
The Best Foreign Horror Movies series is
dedicated to...
- 10/4/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Dark Glasses Trailer 2 — Shudder has released the second movie trailer for Dark Glasses / Occhiali Neri (2022) has been released. Crew Dario Argento‘s Dark Glasses stars Ilenia Pastorelli, Andrea Zhang, Asia Argento, Andrea Gherpelli, Mario Pirrello, and Maria Rosaria Russo. Dario Argento and Franco Ferrini wrote the screenplay for Dark Glasses. Plot Synopsis Dark [...]
Continue reading: Dark Glasses (2022) Movie Trailer 2: A Vengeful Serial Killer Searches for the Now Blind Victim that Escaped Him...
Continue reading: Dark Glasses (2022) Movie Trailer 2: A Vengeful Serial Killer Searches for the Now Blind Victim that Escaped Him...
- 9/24/2022
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
Stars: Ilenia Pastorelli, Asia Argento, Andrea Gherpelli, Mario Pirrello, Maria Rosaria Russo, Gennaro Iaccarino, Xinyu Zhang | Written by Dario Argento, Franco Ferrini | Directed by Dario Argento
The Italian maestro is back! Yes, Dario Argento, one of Italian cinema’s great horror filmmakers has stepped back behind the camera for Occhiali Neri (Black Glasses), the director’s first movie since 2012’s much-ridiculed Dracula 3D, which is actually based on a script he wrote with Franco Ferrini that was shelved in 2002 when the films original production company, Cecchi Gori, filed for bankruptcy.
Black Glasses sees Rome under siege from a serial killer who has strangled three prostitutes with cello rope. His latest victim is destined to be Diana, a luxury escort who frequents the hotels of Via Veneto. One night, the maniac chases her in his white van and rams her, sending her crashing into another car containing a Chinese family and the young son Chin.
The Italian maestro is back! Yes, Dario Argento, one of Italian cinema’s great horror filmmakers has stepped back behind the camera for Occhiali Neri (Black Glasses), the director’s first movie since 2012’s much-ridiculed Dracula 3D, which is actually based on a script he wrote with Franco Ferrini that was shelved in 2002 when the films original production company, Cecchi Gori, filed for bankruptcy.
Black Glasses sees Rome under siege from a serial killer who has strangled three prostitutes with cello rope. His latest victim is destined to be Diana, a luxury escort who frequents the hotels of Via Veneto. One night, the maniac chases her in his white van and rams her, sending her crashing into another car containing a Chinese family and the young son Chin.
- 5/18/2022
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Dario Argento’s Berlin Film Festival Special Gala entry Dark Glasses plays out almost like a parody of his earlier work. Co-written with Franco Ferrini, it’s a lurid giallo about a killer slaughtering women in contemporary Rome. It lacks the suspense and style of Argento’s work in the 70s and 80s, while repeating various themes.
Echoing the pianist in Suspiria (1977), the lead in Dark Glasses (or Occhiali Neri in its native Italian) is a woman who has lost her sight. Diana (Ilenia Pastorelli) is a high class escort who has been chased by a killer and blinded in an accident during her escape. Arriving on her doorstep is Rita (Argento’s daughter Asia Argento), whose job is to help the newly-blind adjust to their condition.
Rita also functions as a way of creating unresolved lesbian tension (her name may or may not be an homage to David Lynch...
Echoing the pianist in Suspiria (1977), the lead in Dark Glasses (or Occhiali Neri in its native Italian) is a woman who has lost her sight. Diana (Ilenia Pastorelli) is a high class escort who has been chased by a killer and blinded in an accident during her escape. Arriving on her doorstep is Rita (Argento’s daughter Asia Argento), whose job is to help the newly-blind adjust to their condition.
Rita also functions as a way of creating unresolved lesbian tension (her name may or may not be an homage to David Lynch...
- 2/11/2022
- by Anna Smith
- Deadline Film + TV
Hello, everyone! Tomorrow brings us a new round of horror and sci-fi home media releases, and we’ve got a look at what you can expect from this week’s titles. If you’re a Halloween fan, then Tuesday is a big day for you because Halloween Kills will be arriving via multiple formats, and its release also includes an extended cut of the film as well. For all you science fiction enthusiasts out there, you’ll definitely want to pick up Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune to enjoy at home and Kino Lorber is showing some love to Dario Argento’s The Card Player this week as well.
Other Blu-ray and DVD releases for January 11th include Lantern’s Lane, Fisher, Premutos: The Fallen Angel, and Basket Case: Standard Special Edition.
Basket Case: Standard Special Edition
The feature debut of director Frank Henenlotter, 1982’s Basket Case is a...
Other Blu-ray and DVD releases for January 11th include Lantern’s Lane, Fisher, Premutos: The Fallen Angel, and Basket Case: Standard Special Edition.
Basket Case: Standard Special Edition
The feature debut of director Frank Henenlotter, 1982’s Basket Case is a...
- 1/10/2022
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Blue Underground continues to give their catalogue of films the 4K Uhd treatment and next up is George A. Romero and Dario Argento's Two Evil Eyes, which is being released on August 24th!
The Masters of Modern Horror -George Romero and Dario Argento - bring you an unprecedented pair of shockers inspired by the tales of Edgar Allan Poe. In Romero's The Facts In The Case Of Mr. Valdemar, a conniving wife (Adrienne Barbeau of The Fog) and her lover use a hypnotic trance to embezzle a fortune from her dying husband, only to receive some chilling surprises from beyond the grave. Then in Argento's The Black Cat, a deranged crime scene photographer (Harvey Keitelof From Dusk Till Dawn) is driven to brutal acts of madness and murder by his girlfriend's new pet. But will this cunning feline deliver a final sickening twist of its own?
Martin Balsam (Psycho...
The Masters of Modern Horror -George Romero and Dario Argento - bring you an unprecedented pair of shockers inspired by the tales of Edgar Allan Poe. In Romero's The Facts In The Case Of Mr. Valdemar, a conniving wife (Adrienne Barbeau of The Fog) and her lover use a hypnotic trance to embezzle a fortune from her dying husband, only to receive some chilling surprises from beyond the grave. Then in Argento's The Black Cat, a deranged crime scene photographer (Harvey Keitelof From Dusk Till Dawn) is driven to brutal acts of madness and murder by his girlfriend's new pet. But will this cunning feline deliver a final sickening twist of its own?
Martin Balsam (Psycho...
- 8/5/2021
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
We have an eclectic array of home media offerings coming out this week, led by the latest from Neil Marshall, The Reckoning. Shadow in the Cloud, featuring Chloë Grace Moretz, is also headed to Blu-ray and DVD this Tuesday, and if you missed the previous release of the Shinya Tsukamoto set from Arrow, they are releasing a standard Special Edition version of Solid Metal Nightmares as well.
Other Blu and DVD releases making their debut on April 6th include Doors, Sleepless, Dawn of the Beast, Lurking in the Woods, and Killer Karaoke.
The Reckoning
After losing her husband during the Great Plague, Grace Haverstock (Charlotte Kirk) is unjustly accused of being a witch and placed in the custody of England’s most ruthless witch-hunter, Judge Moorcroft (Sean Pertwee). Forced to endure physical and emotional torture while steadfastly maintaining her innocence, Grace must face her own inner demons as the Devil...
Other Blu and DVD releases making their debut on April 6th include Doors, Sleepless, Dawn of the Beast, Lurking in the Woods, and Killer Karaoke.
The Reckoning
After losing her husband during the Great Plague, Grace Haverstock (Charlotte Kirk) is unjustly accused of being a witch and placed in the custody of England’s most ruthless witch-hunter, Judge Moorcroft (Sean Pertwee). Forced to endure physical and emotional torture while steadfastly maintaining her innocence, Grace must face her own inner demons as the Devil...
- 4/5/2021
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Stars: Cristina Marsillach, Ian Charleson, Urbano Barberini, Daria Nicolodi, Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni, Antonella Vitale, William McNamara, Barbara Cupisti | Written by Dario Argento, Franco Ferrini | Directed by Dario Argento
Good god… Dario Argento is wildy over-rated isn’t he? Four Flies on Grey Velvet, Suspiria and now Opera, three so-called “classics” of Argento oeuvre released on to Blu-ray with great fan fare but all three of which have left me cold. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy a couple of Argento movies – Deep Red and Phenomena (though I prefer the Creepers cut), however I can live without the rest. I much prefer the work of his proteges Lamberto Bava… and Michele Soavi in particular.
The plot of Opera goes something like this: When young understudy Betty takes the lead role in a new operatic production of Verdi’s Macbeth, she soon attracts the attention of a knife-wielding psycho who forces...
Good god… Dario Argento is wildy over-rated isn’t he? Four Flies on Grey Velvet, Suspiria and now Opera, three so-called “classics” of Argento oeuvre released on to Blu-ray with great fan fare but all three of which have left me cold. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy a couple of Argento movies – Deep Red and Phenomena (though I prefer the Creepers cut), however I can live without the rest. I much prefer the work of his proteges Lamberto Bava… and Michele Soavi in particular.
The plot of Opera goes something like this: When young understudy Betty takes the lead role in a new operatic production of Verdi’s Macbeth, she soon attracts the attention of a knife-wielding psycho who forces...
- 2/1/2019
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Earlier this month it was announced that Music Box Films and Scorpion Releasing were teaming up to release several Italian horror films on Blu-ray. One of those movies is Michele Soavi's The Church, complete with unsetting, unforgettable new artwork by Wes Benscoter.
You can view the new artwork by Benscoter below (via Facebook), as well as the bonus features for the two-disc Blu-ray release, which is expected to come out on March 20th, 2018:
From Scorpion Releasing: "Here is the custom cover art for The Church by artist Wes Benscoter, and I think this one is a real beauty!
We are looking for the right case for the two-disc deluxe edition, so we haven't decided if it will come with a limited slip sleeve or not, so stay tuned.
We can announce the extras that will be on the deluxe edition:
New 2k scan of the original negatives...
You can view the new artwork by Benscoter below (via Facebook), as well as the bonus features for the two-disc Blu-ray release, which is expected to come out on March 20th, 2018:
From Scorpion Releasing: "Here is the custom cover art for The Church by artist Wes Benscoter, and I think this one is a real beauty!
We are looking for the right case for the two-disc deluxe edition, so we haven't decided if it will come with a limited slip sleeve or not, so stay tuned.
We can announce the extras that will be on the deluxe edition:
New 2k scan of the original negatives...
- 11/21/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
It’s hard for horror filmmakers—or filmmakers of any genre, for that matter—to sustain their greatness. Changes in how movies are made, decreasing budgets, even just the passage of time impacts the quality of their output as the years go by, to the point that sometimes the work they’re doing near the end of their respective careers is unidentifiable as their work.
An argument could be made that this is true of Dario Argento, the Italian master of horror who started out making some of the best movies the genre has ever seen and most recently made the 3D Dracula movie with the giant CG mantis. This isn’t to say his latest output is without value—it no doubt has its fans—but it hardly looks like the work of the same man who gave us Suspiria and Deep Red. His 1996 effort, The Stendhal Syndrome, which...
An argument could be made that this is true of Dario Argento, the Italian master of horror who started out making some of the best movies the genre has ever seen and most recently made the 3D Dracula movie with the giant CG mantis. This isn’t to say his latest output is without value—it no doubt has its fans—but it hardly looks like the work of the same man who gave us Suspiria and Deep Red. His 1996 effort, The Stendhal Syndrome, which...
- 9/15/2017
- by Patrick Bromley
- DailyDead
The hunter becomes the prey in Dario Argento's The Stendhal Syndrome, and on July 25th , Blue Underground will release the film like never before in a three-disc limited edition Blu-ray that is packed with bonus features to go with the 2K restoration, which is teased in a new video:
"Dario Argento’S Masterpiece Of Terror – Uncut, Uncensored And Newly Remastered!
When beautiful police detective Anna Manni follows the bloody trail of a sophisticated serial murderer/rapist through the streets of Italy, the young woman falls victim to the bizarre “Stendhal Syndrome” – a hallucinatory phenomenon which causes her to lose her mind and memory in the presence of powerful works of art. Trapped in this twilight realm, Anna plunges deeper and deeper into sexual psychosis, until she comes to know the killer’s madness more intimately than she ever imagined.
Horror maestro Dario Argento (Suspiria, Opera) reaches new heights of...
"Dario Argento’S Masterpiece Of Terror – Uncut, Uncensored And Newly Remastered!
When beautiful police detective Anna Manni follows the bloody trail of a sophisticated serial murderer/rapist through the streets of Italy, the young woman falls victim to the bizarre “Stendhal Syndrome” – a hallucinatory phenomenon which causes her to lose her mind and memory in the presence of powerful works of art. Trapped in this twilight realm, Anna plunges deeper and deeper into sexual psychosis, until she comes to know the killer’s madness more intimately than she ever imagined.
Horror maestro Dario Argento (Suspiria, Opera) reaches new heights of...
- 7/5/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
The hunter becomes the prey in Dario Argento's The Stendhal Syndrome, and this July, Blue Underground will release the film like never before in a three-disc limited edition Blu-ray that is packed with bonus features to go with the 2K restoration, including several new interviews.
Blue Underground will release The Stendhal Syndrome on July 25th, and you can check out the official details and cover art below:
"Dario Argento’S Masterpiece Of Terror – Uncut, Uncensored And Newly Remastered!
When beautiful police detective Anna Manni follows the bloody trail of a sophisticated serial murderer/rapist through the streets of Italy, the young woman falls victim to the bizarre “Stendhal Syndrome” – a hallucinatory phenomenon which causes her to lose her mind and memory in the presence of powerful works of art. Trapped in this twilight realm, Anna plunges deeper and deeper into sexual psychosis, until she comes to know the killer...
Blue Underground will release The Stendhal Syndrome on July 25th, and you can check out the official details and cover art below:
"Dario Argento’S Masterpiece Of Terror – Uncut, Uncensored And Newly Remastered!
When beautiful police detective Anna Manni follows the bloody trail of a sophisticated serial murderer/rapist through the streets of Italy, the young woman falls victim to the bizarre “Stendhal Syndrome” – a hallucinatory phenomenon which causes her to lose her mind and memory in the presence of powerful works of art. Trapped in this twilight realm, Anna plunges deeper and deeper into sexual psychosis, until she comes to know the killer...
- 5/16/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Arrow Video will have special treats in store for horror fans this spring with their limited edition Blu-ray releases of Evil Ed and Brain Damage.
Both Evil Ed and Brain Damage will be released on Blu-ray in the Us and the UK this May, and you can check out the impressive lists of bonus features below, as well as the eye-popping cover art for the releases.
Arrow Video has also announced a new UK Blu-ray release of Dario Argento's Phenomena (aka Creepers), which includes the 116-minute Italian cut of the film.
Evil Ed Blu-ray / DVD: "New UK/Us Title: Evil Ed (Dual Format Blu-ray & DVD) Limited Edition
A veritable smorgasbord of flying limbs, exploding heads, busty babes and creepy creatures!
Pre-order your copy via Arrow: http://bit.ly/2kRcxF2
Pre-order via Amazon.co.uk: http://amzn.to/2kRgU2Y
North American pre-orders links should be live soon!
Release Dates: 29/30 May
When His Mind Blows,...
Both Evil Ed and Brain Damage will be released on Blu-ray in the Us and the UK this May, and you can check out the impressive lists of bonus features below, as well as the eye-popping cover art for the releases.
Arrow Video has also announced a new UK Blu-ray release of Dario Argento's Phenomena (aka Creepers), which includes the 116-minute Italian cut of the film.
Evil Ed Blu-ray / DVD: "New UK/Us Title: Evil Ed (Dual Format Blu-ray & DVD) Limited Edition
A veritable smorgasbord of flying limbs, exploding heads, busty babes and creepy creatures!
Pre-order your copy via Arrow: http://bit.ly/2kRcxF2
Pre-order via Amazon.co.uk: http://amzn.to/2kRgU2Y
North American pre-orders links should be live soon!
Release Dates: 29/30 May
When His Mind Blows,...
- 2/17/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Horror fans can grab a seat for Dario Argento's Opera like never before in 2017 when Scorpion Releasing unleashes a collector's edition Blu-ray of the 1987 film, and we have a look at the cover art and list of special features for the upcoming release.
From Scorpion Releasing: "Here is our custom cover art of for the deluxe collector's edition of Dario Argento's Opera, by artist Yannick Bouchard.
We are still finalizing the final details of our discs, but here is a sneak peek of what the release will include:
New 2K scan of the original camera negative with extensive color correction - exclusive to this release Two different English tracks and the Italian track with English Subtitles The film presented in two aspect ratios, each on their own dual layered discs - 2.35:1 and 1.78:1 New audio commentary with film historian Nathaniel Thompson New interviews with stars William McNamara,...
From Scorpion Releasing: "Here is our custom cover art of for the deluxe collector's edition of Dario Argento's Opera, by artist Yannick Bouchard.
We are still finalizing the final details of our discs, but here is a sneak peek of what the release will include:
New 2K scan of the original camera negative with extensive color correction - exclusive to this release Two different English tracks and the Italian track with English Subtitles The film presented in two aspect ratios, each on their own dual layered discs - 2.35:1 and 1.78:1 New audio commentary with film historian Nathaniel Thompson New interviews with stars William McNamara,...
- 12/27/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Details were released yesterday on the upcoming, and dare I say highly-anticipated, release of Dario Argento’s Opera on Blu-Ray from Scorpion Releasing. They revealed a (not final) cover and some of the special features, which are also not final.
From Scorpion Releasing’s Facebook page:
Above is a look at the cover by Yannick Bouchard. Apparently, it will read “Dario Argento’s” instead of “Dario Argento”.
New 2K scan of the original camera negative with extensive color correction – exclusive to this release Two different English tracks and the Italian track with English Subtitles The film presented in two aspect ratios, each on their own dual layered discs – 2.35:1 and 1.78:1 New audio commentary with film historian Nathaniel Thompson New interviews with stars William McNamara, Barbara Cupisti, Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni , Urbano Barberini and make up artist Franco Casagni Interviews with director Dario Argento, composer Claudio Simonetti, screenwriter Franco Ferrini, special fx artist Sergio Stivaletti,...
From Scorpion Releasing’s Facebook page:
Above is a look at the cover by Yannick Bouchard. Apparently, it will read “Dario Argento’s” instead of “Dario Argento”.
New 2K scan of the original camera negative with extensive color correction – exclusive to this release Two different English tracks and the Italian track with English Subtitles The film presented in two aspect ratios, each on their own dual layered discs – 2.35:1 and 1.78:1 New audio commentary with film historian Nathaniel Thompson New interviews with stars William McNamara, Barbara Cupisti, Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni , Urbano Barberini and make up artist Franco Casagni Interviews with director Dario Argento, composer Claudio Simonetti, screenwriter Franco Ferrini, special fx artist Sergio Stivaletti,...
- 12/27/2016
- by Andy Triefenbach
- Destroy the Brain
Stars: Tomas Arana, Barbara Cupisti, Hugh Quarshie, Asia Argento, Feodor Chaliapin, Jr., Giovanni Lombardo Radice | Written by Dario Argento, Michele Soavi, Franco Ferrini, Dardano Sacchetti, Lamberto Bava, Fabrizio Bava | Directed by Michele Soavi
It has been a Long time since I last watched Michele Soavi’s The Church - the last time I saw it was a rare TV screening on Bravo if memory serves… It’s not like I’m not a fan of the film, after all – thanks to the heavy promotion of the film in The Darkside magazine – I first saw the film on the very day it hit VHS here in the UK… I actually “pre-ordered” my rental of the film at my local, now long defunct, video store and fell in love with the glorious religious iconography and the overall otherworldy, eerie, look of the film – from the prologue, to the [literal] heart-wrenching scene featuring Tomas Arana,...
It has been a Long time since I last watched Michele Soavi’s The Church - the last time I saw it was a rare TV screening on Bravo if memory serves… It’s not like I’m not a fan of the film, after all – thanks to the heavy promotion of the film in The Darkside magazine – I first saw the film on the very day it hit VHS here in the UK… I actually “pre-ordered” my rental of the film at my local, now long defunct, video store and fell in love with the glorious religious iconography and the overall otherworldy, eerie, look of the film – from the prologue, to the [literal] heart-wrenching scene featuring Tomas Arana,...
- 12/1/2016
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Movies are so rarely great art that if we cannot appreciate great trash we have very little reason to be interested in them. – Pauline Kael.
The above quote from the late, legendary American film critic Kael was most certainly not referring to Lamberto Bava’s Demons (1985), but a lot of films in our beloved genre bow to this description. Demons is great trash – it wants nothing more to assault your senses with a barrage of images and sound for 88 minutes before you even know what hit you, and does so while breathing that rarified Italian air.
But I’m sure she was referring to a film like Demons – one made with a ton of style, by a filmmaker impassioned with his chosen topic, as ridiculous as that plays on the screen. And make no mistake, Demons is ridiculous; as a matter of fact, it starts there before rapidly ascending to the sublime.
The above quote from the late, legendary American film critic Kael was most certainly not referring to Lamberto Bava’s Demons (1985), but a lot of films in our beloved genre bow to this description. Demons is great trash – it wants nothing more to assault your senses with a barrage of images and sound for 88 minutes before you even know what hit you, and does so while breathing that rarified Italian air.
But I’m sure she was referring to a film like Demons – one made with a ton of style, by a filmmaker impassioned with his chosen topic, as ridiculous as that plays on the screen. And make no mistake, Demons is ridiculous; as a matter of fact, it starts there before rapidly ascending to the sublime.
- 5/21/2016
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
Once Upon a Time in America
Directed by Sergio Leone
Written by Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Enrico Medioli, Franco Arcalli, Franco Ferrini, Sergio Leone
Italy/USA, 1984
Widely and justly heralded for his trendsetting Spaghetti Westerns, Sergio Leone’s final and arguably most ambitious work was in another staple American genre. Like these Westerns though, this film was as much of its respective variety as it was about it. Once Upon a Time in America, with its name obviously derived from Leone’s previous Once Upon a Time in the West, is a gangster film of the highest order, and, at the same time, it recalls so many of its predecessors, from the Warner Brothers classics of the 1930s to The Godfather. This was by design. As Leone himself notes, “My film was to be an homage to the American films I love, and to America itself.”
Out now on...
Directed by Sergio Leone
Written by Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Enrico Medioli, Franco Arcalli, Franco Ferrini, Sergio Leone
Italy/USA, 1984
Widely and justly heralded for his trendsetting Spaghetti Westerns, Sergio Leone’s final and arguably most ambitious work was in another staple American genre. Like these Westerns though, this film was as much of its respective variety as it was about it. Once Upon a Time in America, with its name obviously derived from Leone’s previous Once Upon a Time in the West, is a gangster film of the highest order, and, at the same time, it recalls so many of its predecessors, from the Warner Brothers classics of the 1930s to The Godfather. This was by design. As Leone himself notes, “My film was to be an homage to the American films I love, and to America itself.”
Out now on...
- 10/15/2014
- by Jeremy Carr
- SoundOnSight
Reviewed by Chris Wright, MoreHorror.com
'Demons 2' (1986) Review
Directed By: Lamberto Bava
Written By: Dario Argento, Lamberto Bava, Franco Ferrini, Dardano Sacchetti
Starring: David Edwin Knight (George), Nancy Brilli (Hannah), Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni (Sally Day), Bobby Rhodes (Hank), Asia Argento (Ingrid Haller), Virginia Bryant (Mary the Prostitute), Anita Bartolucci (Woman with Dog), Antonio Cantafora (Ingrid’s Father), Luisa Passega (Helga), Davide Marotta (Demon Tommy), Marco Vivio (Tommy), Michele Mirabella (Hooker’s Client), Lorenzo Gioielli (Jake), Lino Salemme (Security Guard), Maria Chiara Sasso (Ulla)
If you feel Demons (1985) was a good movie, you will certainly be entertained by its sequel. “Demons 2” is just as over the top as the original with plenty of gore and thrills. Lamberto Bava does a good job carrying a similar plot over from the first film in a slightly different setting for this one. Argento and Bava make a good film duo...
'Demons 2' (1986) Review
Directed By: Lamberto Bava
Written By: Dario Argento, Lamberto Bava, Franco Ferrini, Dardano Sacchetti
Starring: David Edwin Knight (George), Nancy Brilli (Hannah), Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni (Sally Day), Bobby Rhodes (Hank), Asia Argento (Ingrid Haller), Virginia Bryant (Mary the Prostitute), Anita Bartolucci (Woman with Dog), Antonio Cantafora (Ingrid’s Father), Luisa Passega (Helga), Davide Marotta (Demon Tommy), Marco Vivio (Tommy), Michele Mirabella (Hooker’s Client), Lorenzo Gioielli (Jake), Lino Salemme (Security Guard), Maria Chiara Sasso (Ulla)
If you feel Demons (1985) was a good movie, you will certainly be entertained by its sequel. “Demons 2” is just as over the top as the original with plenty of gore and thrills. Lamberto Bava does a good job carrying a similar plot over from the first film in a slightly different setting for this one. Argento and Bava make a good film duo...
- 4/30/2013
- by admin
- MoreHorror
Review by Chris Wright, MoreHorror.com
“Demons” (1985)
Directed By: Lamberto Bava
Written By: Dario Argento, Lamberto Bava, Franco Ferrini, Dardano Sacchetti
Starring: Urbano Barberini (George), Natasha Hovey (Cheryl), Karl Zinny (Ken), Fiore Argento (Hannah), Paola Cozzo (Kathy), Fabiola Toledo (Carmen), Nicoletta Elmi (Ingrid), Stelio Candelli (Frank), Nicole Tessier (Ruth) Geretta Geretta (Rosemary), Bobby Rhodes (Tony), Guidi Baldi (Tommy), Bettini Ciampolini (Nina), Giuseppe Mauro Cruciano (Hot Dog), Sally Day (Liz)
“Demons” is one of the definitive horror movies for any fan of Italian horror films. It was one of the first Italian films I ever watched several years ago and instantly became one of my favorites. It’s not perfect by any means but I don’t think that was the intention. The movie makes up for any flaws with its superb practical effects that constantly keeps the story moving in its speedy pace.
The movie takes place primarily inside a movie theater in Berlin.
“Demons” (1985)
Directed By: Lamberto Bava
Written By: Dario Argento, Lamberto Bava, Franco Ferrini, Dardano Sacchetti
Starring: Urbano Barberini (George), Natasha Hovey (Cheryl), Karl Zinny (Ken), Fiore Argento (Hannah), Paola Cozzo (Kathy), Fabiola Toledo (Carmen), Nicoletta Elmi (Ingrid), Stelio Candelli (Frank), Nicole Tessier (Ruth) Geretta Geretta (Rosemary), Bobby Rhodes (Tony), Guidi Baldi (Tommy), Bettini Ciampolini (Nina), Giuseppe Mauro Cruciano (Hot Dog), Sally Day (Liz)
“Demons” is one of the definitive horror movies for any fan of Italian horror films. It was one of the first Italian films I ever watched several years ago and instantly became one of my favorites. It’s not perfect by any means but I don’t think that was the intention. The movie makes up for any flaws with its superb practical effects that constantly keeps the story moving in its speedy pace.
The movie takes place primarily inside a movie theater in Berlin.
- 4/10/2013
- by admin
- MoreHorror
Arrow Video, purveyors of all things cult movie, have finally – after months of teasing and trailing – released the classic Italian horror pairing of Demons and Demons 2 on Blu-ray in both the standard slipcase versions and a swanky steelbook double-bill. Whilst we were sent review discs to check out, I couldn’t help but buy the Blu-ray steelbook (I’m a little Ocd when it comes to steelbooks) – just check out the video:
Demons
Stars: Urbano Barberini, Natasha Hovey, Karl Zinny, Fiore Argento, Bobby Rhodes, Michele Soavi | Written by Dario Argento, Lamberto Bava, Dardano Sacchetti, Franco Ferrini | Directed by Lamberto Bava
Originally released in 1985, Demons is a glorious mix of heavy-metal soundtrack and over-the-top gore and sees a group of strangers gathered together in a seedy downtown cinema, the Metropol, to watch a brutal horror flick which has a supernatural effect over the audience, turning them into a swarm of...
Demons
Stars: Urbano Barberini, Natasha Hovey, Karl Zinny, Fiore Argento, Bobby Rhodes, Michele Soavi | Written by Dario Argento, Lamberto Bava, Dardano Sacchetti, Franco Ferrini | Directed by Lamberto Bava
Originally released in 1985, Demons is a glorious mix of heavy-metal soundtrack and over-the-top gore and sees a group of strangers gathered together in a seedy downtown cinema, the Metropol, to watch a brutal horror flick which has a supernatural effect over the audience, turning them into a swarm of...
- 4/29/2012
- by Phil
- Nerdly
Rating: 4/5
Writers: Dario Argento, Franco Ferrini
Director: Dario Argento
Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Daria Nicolodi, Dalila Di Lazzaro, Parick Bauchau, Donald Pleasence
It’s a real shame when great horror films get shoddy releases. When Italian horror maestro Dario Argento’s 1985 film Phenomena originally came out in the Us, it was heavily cut and under the title Creepers. Not only were films like this cut for some of the more intense violent imagery but also for “boring plot” that American distributors, I guess, felt their viewers would not be interested in seeing. I’m all for a fun gore-filled popcorn flick, but there are some horror directors who also have things to say with their films; one of whom being Argento. Finally there was an uncut DVD release a while back restoring the 28 minutes (!) of previously unreleased footage but even that cannot compare with the jaw-dropping new Blu-ray from Arrow Video in the UK.
Writers: Dario Argento, Franco Ferrini
Director: Dario Argento
Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Daria Nicolodi, Dalila Di Lazzaro, Parick Bauchau, Donald Pleasence
It’s a real shame when great horror films get shoddy releases. When Italian horror maestro Dario Argento’s 1985 film Phenomena originally came out in the Us, it was heavily cut and under the title Creepers. Not only were films like this cut for some of the more intense violent imagery but also for “boring plot” that American distributors, I guess, felt their viewers would not be interested in seeing. I’m all for a fun gore-filled popcorn flick, but there are some horror directors who also have things to say with their films; one of whom being Argento. Finally there was an uncut DVD release a while back restoring the 28 minutes (!) of previously unreleased footage but even that cannot compare with the jaw-dropping new Blu-ray from Arrow Video in the UK.
- 5/2/2011
- by Damon Swindall
- GordonandtheWhale
First and foremost, it is important to stress that Phenomena (1985) is a complete mess. Following his run of mid-career masterpieces, starting with Deep Red (1975) and culminating in 1982’s definitive Giallo thriller Tenebrae, Argento attempted to push the formal experimentation of the late 70’s to even giddier extremes. The result is frequently dazzling and often slightly embarrassing.
Phenomena tells the tale of the somnambulistic Jennifer (Connelly), a young girl with the ability to telepathically control insect life – you read that right – whose arrival at a Swiss boarding school coincides with the murderous endeavours of a feral killer. Jennifer’s unfortunate tendency to sleepwalk into the dark back alleys of the town puts her, unsurprisingly, directly in the killer’s path, leading to one of the most demented final acts since Tod Browning’s Freaks (1932). The film also features the ever-brilliant Donald Pleasance as a wheelchair-bound entomologist who lives alone with a...
Phenomena tells the tale of the somnambulistic Jennifer (Connelly), a young girl with the ability to telepathically control insect life – you read that right – whose arrival at a Swiss boarding school coincides with the murderous endeavours of a feral killer. Jennifer’s unfortunate tendency to sleepwalk into the dark back alleys of the town puts her, unsurprisingly, directly in the killer’s path, leading to one of the most demented final acts since Tod Browning’s Freaks (1932). The film also features the ever-brilliant Donald Pleasance as a wheelchair-bound entomologist who lives alone with a...
- 3/7/2011
- by Daniel Green
- CineVue
Originally released back in 1996, Dario Argento’s late career outing “The Stendhal Syndrome” arrives again on DVD thanks to Arrow Video, coming complete with new specially designed sleeve artwork. Based upon the novel by Graziella Magherini, the film saw Argento working again with screenwriter Franco Ferrini, with who he had collaborated on for the likes of “Phenomena”, “Trauma” and “Opera”, and also features a score from legendary composer Ennio Morricone. Despite this impressive pedigree, and the fact that it stars Argento’s gorgeous daughter Asia (who went on to appear in the likes of “xXx” and Romero’s “Land of the Dead”) in the lead, like most of the director’s more recent efforts, it has been treated with disdain by many fans. As such, and with his career continually having failed to undergo a proper revival, it now stands as being ripe for rediscovery on its own terms. The...
- 3/25/2010
- by James Mudge
- Beyond Hollywood
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