Inferno (1980)
Directed by: Dario Argento
Written by: Dario Argento
Starring: Eleonora Giorgi, Irene Miracle, Leigh McCloskey
INFERNO (1980)
Directed by Dario Argento
Having been blown away with Suspira there was no chance that I would wait another 25 years to catch another Dario Argento film so only three days after the initial watch of a film that is labelled the third best horror of all time, Inferno entered my space and was it is possible that I could be blown away a second time.
Straight from the off I felt I was watching a sequel to Suspira, the tell tale signs of that film dominant and for a few minutes I felt uncomfortable due to the fact that I could not get out of mind the glorious images of that quite wonderful film. Its not the fault of Inferno more to do with me and I suspect the more Argento films I watch, they all carry this signature. Inferno is not quite a follow up, but there are a few moments suggested in Suspria that link the two films! What I must say is that Argento does the impossible and succeeds it making a film more lavish and surreal, Inferno surpasses Suspria to such an extent that you feel overwhelmed at the images on the screen. The dreamlike scope of lurid and lush colours strike you constantly that it may take a second viewing to actually see everything that is going on! That is no way a critical comment but a positive one as make no mistake Inferno is probably the most beautiful horror film ever put to screen and you can only imagine if Argento ever did a 3D Horror.
But where Suspria had such a simple plot, Inferno is a bit of a muddled mess, ok harsh that may sound and I am sure this Forum’s No 1 fan evil bill will disagree, but its quite a challenge to keep up with the plot when you are being seduced by the erotic images on screen.
Its all set around an apartment building and a book entitled The Three Mothers, which tells of three women, Mater Suspirorum (the mother of sighs), Mater Tenebrarum (mother of darkness) and finally mater Lachrymarum (mother of tears) who each owned a home around Rome, Germany and New York and from there, they ruled the world. The book also gives hints at how to find certain “keys” to unlock the secrets of these women in which Rose and her brother Mark, do, bringing chaos to everyone involved.
If that part was difficult to read, then you can understand the complex tale and some concentration required, this is like no other horror you have seen, and again I have to admire Argento for trying to do something so different. He really does have a vivid imagination, a sort of world that you can only visit from him alone, and that after only two films I have watched making me realise how special this horror director is.
Inferno is more or less a grand scale opera, the films score by Keith Emerson echoes that point. Once again the artistic tone of bright and sunny is totally different to the norm of horrors, but again Argento manages to keep the sense of dread which is quite unbelievable as its totally different to what our horror senses are used too!
Even for a film now 30 years old, some scenes still impressed, the two that stood out “the death by cats and a hole in the floor that Rose drops her keys in, a great horror moment and one all fans of horror should cherish. You can not criticise such a bold film full of energy and vibrant tones, its simply another film of master class by this quite wonderful director…
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