A few months ago, we asked our fiendish readers to tell us their favourite Dario Argento film, be it a film he directed, wrote or produced. Being such an iconic and genre defining director, with his massive contribution to giallo, striking use of colours and his skill for set piece murders, there was plenty to choose from. We’re pleased to share the results with you all, and whilst the top 3 aren’t surprising, it’s interesting to see just what were your favourites!
10. The Stendhal Syndrome
Dario Argento’s daughter Asia Argento stars in this tense thriller about a serial killer and rapist who takes advantage of Detective Anna Manni ‘s (Argento) ‘illness’ (Stendhal Syndrome) to trap her in his brutal games.
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9. Sleepless
In this 2001 giallo, Max von Sydow plays a detective who re-opens a serial murder case after 17 years when bodies start to appear despite the supposed culprit being deceased.
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8. Demons
Who doesn’t love Tony the pimp? Directed by Lamberto Bava, Demons is one of the best fun-filled horrors we’ve seen, which Dario Argento produced and co-wrote. With a rockin soundtrack, engaging plot and gruesome practical FX, this is a sure-fire winner for a Saturday night in.
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7. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
Dario Argento’s directorial debut, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is the start of his iconic style. When American author Sam Dalma (Tony Musante) witnesses an attack on a woman, Sam sets out to investigate the identity of the assailant but his own life may be in danger for witnessing the act.
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6. Phenomena
A young girl (Jennifer Connelly) discovers she has psychic powers and uses them to persue the serial killer who’s butchering the students at the Swiss boarding school she attends.
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5. Inferno
The sequel to Suspiria, Inferno continues the tale of the Three Mothers with this film focusing on the Mother of Darkness (Mater Tenebrarum). Set in New York, a young music student suspects she is living in the house of one of the three evil witch sisters (known as the Three Mothers) and writes to her brother in Rome about her concerns. After she goes missing, her brother travels to New York to find his sister and to discover the truth about the Three Mothers.
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4. Opera
Also known as Terror at the Opera, Opera tells the story of young opera singer Betty who’s stalked by a mysterious hooded killer who murders those around her. The killer curiously ties the poor girl up prior to his murders and tapes her eyelids open with needles attached so she has no choice but to witness the horrifying acts. This method has become one of the iconic scenes in Argento’s catalogue.
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3. Tenebrae
Another fantastic ‘who-dunnit’ giallo, Tenebrae is a classic giallo with brutal scenes that have captured the hearts of horror film fanatics everywhere. Whilst promoting his novel in Rome, an American writer receives a letter from a murderer stating his book has inspired him to kill.
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2. Profondo Rosso (Deep Red)
Starring David Hemmings and a tremendous soundtrack from Dario Argento’s longtime collaboraters Goblin, Deep Red is probably the most well known of Argeto’s giallo films. The plot follows music teacher Marcus Daly (Hemmings) as he investigates the murder of a psychic medium, after he witnesses the brutal killing.
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1. Suspira
Suspiria had to be the favourite! It has captured horror minds everywhere of its tale of a witch coven running a ballet school. With it’s set piece deaths and glorious colours, Suspira is the definitive Dario Argento film, and not even a remake will challenge its status of one of the best loved horrors of all time. The first of Dario’s Three Mothers trilogy.
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