Dario Argento at Frank's Movie Log

Wednesday, December 19th 2007

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)

Grade: C-

Synopsis: After witnessing an attempted murder, an American author in Italy becomes the target of a serial killer.

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (L’Uccello dalle piume di cristallo) marked the directorial debut of Dario Argento.

Despite its odd title, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is not a nature film. Instead, it’s a very stylish thriller that helped Argento earn the title of ‘The Italian Hitchcock’. While Argento’s film does share a few of Hitchcock’s favorite themes, it also establishes his own unique style. From the stylistic use of color to the unsettling soundtrack, you can see the beginnings of Argento’s trademarks. Granted, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage lacks the graphic violence associated with many of Argento’s best-known films, but the relative lack of gore should make this film more accessible to a wider audience. MORE »

Posted at 4:05 PM in Movie Reviews and Dario Argento.
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Thursday, October 18th 2007

Deep Red (1975)

Grade: A-

Synopsis: After witnessing a murder, a pianist teams with a reporter to find the killer.

Deep Red (Profondo rosso) is a taunt, well-photographed thriller.

Director Dario Argento’s sharp compositions are highlighted by his wonderful use of color, creating a truly signature look. Further, his innovative use of the camera elevates this film above the genre standard.

The film is relentlessly unsettling. Argento ratchets up the tension to almost unbearable levels and never resorts to cheap “Boo!” scares for the payoff. While the violence will no doubt be off-putting for some, Argento and co-writer Bernardino Zapponi’s use of relatable sensations makes many of the scenes feel harsher than they really are. MORE »

Posted at 5:19 PM in Movie Reviews and Dario Argento.
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