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Lights in the Dusk
13Nov11
Musante, like the audience, is witness to an event. Trapped behind the glass of the screen, we watch, passively, impotently, as a drama takes place. What we see is significant. But how can we trust something as manipulative as film? Through investigation? So the film - produced by a former critic - is effectively a study on 'film viewing'; how an audience (witness?) can scrutinise form in order to find answers...
Mr. Arkadin and Siksinaaq like this
Bardesanes
23May11
I've never been big on Dario Argento but I really liked this. If the rest of his are like this it might be enough to change my opinion.
Christopher Bentley Owen
16Mar11
I didn't realize how much of a procedural this would be. The the first attempted kill is so creepy and dream-like, but it becomes kind of dull for awhile after that. The reveal at the end rescued the film for me- largely because it put things in a different light without cheating the audience. I liked Suspiria a lot better overall. The next Argento film I need to see is Deep Red.
Michael Gildea
3Feb11
The Bird With the Crystal Plumage wasn't great but it wasn't awful. It didn't pick up until the last 15-20 minutes. Aside from that and Ennio Morricone's score, not a hell of a lot stood out. Guess it was too hyped for me...
Jeremy Ashlyn
2Dec10
secretly a comedy, but not a very good one. girls - they scream crazily or collapse sobbing, right? that has always been my experience in life. KIDDING. a devastatingly lame plot device argento uses over and over. if you are willing to be an apologist for that kind of lazy writing, be my guest.
Daniel S.
24Aug10
Good giallo with Ennio Morricone and Vittorio Storaro as deluxe backups. The scene of the first act of aggression in the store is a little jewel as well as the scenes with Reggie Nalder, the yellow jacket hitman. I also like a lot the way Dario Argento manages to keep us interested in the main character's efforts to discover the serial killer. After all, Tony -Sam Delmas- Musante is the anti-hero by excellence: suffering from the writer's block, he's also unable to remember the clue that would have saved the lives of most of the cast of the film. In fact, his memory comes back just when we don't need anymore his help. As my friend Eratosthenes of Cyrene used to say : "Don't buy a car if you don't have a back pocket". Recommended.
asuraf
10Jul10
Dario Argento would never stray too far from this crackling debut, complete with gloved knife wielding maniac, goofy humor, Hitchcockian cutting and suspense, Ennio Morricone music, sexy women, a so-so mystery, and an even more so-so resolution. It's a mixed bag, but Argento's mise-en-scene comes almost fully formed, thanks to years on the fringes of his producer father's business, and as a film critic.
Øyvind Rype
26May10
Having only seen his masterpiece Suspiria and Tenebre which was also very good, this was definetely a step down for me. Indeed a very good looking film, it just didn't have the visual punch of the previous mentioned films. Also, as a classic prog-rock fan, the soundtrack is the most important part of the Argento films I've seen so far and without cursing - Morricone's was simply ridiculously dull compared to what Goblin has made for Argento.
Bruno Teixidor
5Dec09
Found it surprisingly naive, stylized and innocent in its treatment of violence and sadism. Like a clash between a child detective tale and a thriller. A wonderful document of the "giallio" era. I enjoyed it a lot. "Somebody told me to came to Italy: 'nothing happens there" XD
Christopher Smith
18Dec08
Dario Argento's feature debut clearly illustrates his budding talent as a visual cinematic genius. Taking a rather ordinary giallo plot, he stages stunning sequences that take the genre to new heights. The plot drags in places, and some of the twists don't really make sense - but still a classic thriller. Ennio Morricone's evocative score adds an eerie touch.
Pyke Papadopoulos
9Dec08
his best film - with a sense of humour - from his "giallo" period. After a while he did create a monster losing it completely plot wise but mastering his mise en scene on the process.
