Tenebre is a film whitewashed with some of Argento's best murders and his wonderful, inventive and groundbreaking visual style. Perhaps his best giallo, Tenebre also supports a brilliant plot, with utterly surprising twists and turns that are among his best. Argento is not known for his great plots, because many of his films contain what are considered poor, average ones. His masterpiece Suspiria has been criticized for a poor plot, but the critics miss the point of Argento. He is a visual director. He doesn't focus on plots too much but rather on the visual aspect of a film to enforce the impact of experiencing them. His films shine with creativity and macabre beauty and his murders have an elegant, operatic quality to them. But here in this lasting masterpiece, he delivers a superb storyline and wonderful visuals.
The acting in Tenebre is also of a high standard. Anthony Franciosa is excellent in the lead and provides us with a performance that is interesting and realistic enough to capture our attention. Daria Nicolodi is also brilliant, and succeeds with giving us a balanced, well proportioned performance that is certainly among her best. She also has one piercing scream, one of the best I have ever heard. John Saxon is without failure excellent and brings some comedy to an otherwise heavily horror toned film. The rest of the cast give us above average performances that aid the film in many aspects.
Visually, the film is overpowering. Walls covered in white contrast with the drops or splashes of blood poured on them, which impact the audience with a vividness. Unlike Suspiria and the mysterious Inferno, the film is almost devoid of colour, with red, brown and the occasional blue creeping in. This gives the film a timelessness, a property Argento accomplishes excellently in films like the before mentioned Suspiria. The actors are dressed in mostly white also, which gives this masterpiece an luminous quality. There is a score that is just perfection by three of the four members of Goblin, which reinforces the atmosphere and beauty imposed. It can trill, rivet and simply sizzle it's way into your mind. It is a score that you could listen too without the film and still get the feel of what Tenebre is like: Thrilling, beautiful and inventive.
SlIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD: Some brilliant moments are too be found everywhere in Tenebre. The double murder of two women early on into the film is pure brilliance, and Argento treats these murders with an elegant artistry and brings to them a dance like quality, which snarls with beauty. The murder of these two women is among his best, certainly his top five greatest murders. The girl been chased by a vicious dog is heart stopping and thrilled because at some time in our lives we have probably been chased by a animal. Later on in the film there is a murder by an Axe on a black haired beauty which is something brilliant and which transcends gory into art.
The story centers around a mystery novel writer visiting Rome to promote his new book, but is soon engulfed in a series of murders that are similar to the ones depicted in his new novel.
Rating: 10 out of 10.
The acting in Tenebre is also of a high standard. Anthony Franciosa is excellent in the lead and provides us with a performance that is interesting and realistic enough to capture our attention. Daria Nicolodi is also brilliant, and succeeds with giving us a balanced, well proportioned performance that is certainly among her best. She also has one piercing scream, one of the best I have ever heard. John Saxon is without failure excellent and brings some comedy to an otherwise heavily horror toned film. The rest of the cast give us above average performances that aid the film in many aspects.
Visually, the film is overpowering. Walls covered in white contrast with the drops or splashes of blood poured on them, which impact the audience with a vividness. Unlike Suspiria and the mysterious Inferno, the film is almost devoid of colour, with red, brown and the occasional blue creeping in. This gives the film a timelessness, a property Argento accomplishes excellently in films like the before mentioned Suspiria. The actors are dressed in mostly white also, which gives this masterpiece an luminous quality. There is a score that is just perfection by three of the four members of Goblin, which reinforces the atmosphere and beauty imposed. It can trill, rivet and simply sizzle it's way into your mind. It is a score that you could listen too without the film and still get the feel of what Tenebre is like: Thrilling, beautiful and inventive.
SlIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD: Some brilliant moments are too be found everywhere in Tenebre. The double murder of two women early on into the film is pure brilliance, and Argento treats these murders with an elegant artistry and brings to them a dance like quality, which snarls with beauty. The murder of these two women is among his best, certainly his top five greatest murders. The girl been chased by a vicious dog is heart stopping and thrilled because at some time in our lives we have probably been chased by a animal. Later on in the film there is a murder by an Axe on a black haired beauty which is something brilliant and which transcends gory into art.
The story centers around a mystery novel writer visiting Rome to promote his new book, but is soon engulfed in a series of murders that are similar to the ones depicted in his new novel.
Rating: 10 out of 10.
Tell Your Friends