Giallo Maestro Argento
Each Argento film I've seen (and I still have several more left to go, including the latest Giallo) has given me something different; there hasn't been one single time whilst watching one of his films where I've ever been bored, uninvolved or not excited to see what turn a scene would take next. His films keep me on the tensest of tenterhooks.
I had a mini Dario-fest last year, where I caught up with several key key titles I'd previously missed, and revisited a few old favourites. It provided me with many evenings of gory giallo greatness; unmatchable horror cinema of a premiere order. Even if the temperature on his career has cooled off in recent years (and sadly it has in many folks' eyes), I still await each new project with the eagerness I have every one so far. I'm hoping the next few years provide more delicious Dario darkness.
Poster for Inferno (1980)
My Argento roll call of personal hits looks something like this, in no order (I've yet to compile a definite and/or definitive list of top Argentos): Deep Red/Profondo rosso (1975), The Bird with the Crystal Plumage/L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo(1970), Jenifer (2005), Phenomena (1985), The Stendhal Syndrome/La sindrome di Stendhal (1996), Tenebre (1982), Suspiria (1977), Trauma (1993) and - the latest, and one of the very best - Inferno (1980). It's a list of some of the most distinctive, individual and memorable horror films of the last 40 years. So far, Mr Argento, a mighty good haul.
I hope you're spending the day in the best way possible: happy birthday giallo maestro.
Do love him. Suspiria will always be my favorite.
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