Argento, Dario

Mother of Tears

The final installment of the "Three Mothers" trilogy. A young American art student, Sarah, "unwittingly opens an ancient urn that unleashes the demonic power of the world's most powerful witch. As a scourge of suicides plague the city and witches from all over the world converge on Rome to pay homage, Sarah must use all her own psychic powers to stop the 'Mother of Tears' before her evil conquers the world."

Suspiria (2-Disc Special Edition)

Outside of devoted cult audiences, many Americans have yet to discover the extremely stylish, relentlessly terrifying Italian horror genre, or the films of its talented virtuoso, Dario Argento. Suspiria, part one of a still-uncompleted trilogy (the luminously empty Inferno was the second), is considered his masterpiece by Argento devotees but also doubles as a perfect starting point for those unfamiliar with the director or his genre. The convoluted plot follows an American dancer (Jessica Harper) from her arrival at a European ballet school to her discovery that it's actually a witches coven; but, really, don't worry about that too much. Argento makes narrative subservient to technique, preferring instead to assault the senses and nervous system with mood, atmosphere, illusory gore, garish set production, a menacing camera, and perhaps the creepiest score ever created for a movie. It's essentially a series of effectively unsettling set pieces--a raging storm that Harper should have taken for an omen, and a blind man attacked by his own dog are just two examples--strung together on a skeleton structure. But once you've seen it, you'll never forget it. --Dave McCoy

Jessica Harper (PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE) stars as Suzy Banyon a young American ballet dancer who arrives at a prestigious European dance academy run by the mysterious Madame Blanc (Joan Bennett of DARK SHADOWS) and Miss Tanner (Alida Valli of KILLER NUN). But when a series of bizarre incidents and horrific crimes (including what Entertainment Weekly calls the most vicious murder scene ever filmed ) turn the school into a waking nightmare of the damned Suzy must escape the academy s unspeakable secret of supernatural evil.Experience the most shocking and hallucinatory horror movie in history as you ve never seen or heard it before now featuring the fully remastered landmark score by Goblin and a heart-stopping new film transfer supervised by cinematographer Luciano Tovoli. This is the definitive version of Dario Argento s SUSPIRIA an aria of terror beyond imagination and one of the most extraordinary horror films ever made.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR UPC: 827058201391 Manufacturer No: BU2013

Deep Red

Considered by many to be Dario Argento's first masterpiece, Deep Red recalls his first hit, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. British star David Hemmings (Blow-Up) plays an American jazz pianist who witnesses a brutal, bloody murder from afar and turns detective to find the killer. Kooky Italian journalist Daria Nicolodi (Argento's wife and cowriter on Suspiria) joins him as comic relief and tepid romantic interest, but the real costar is Argento's high style: gliding camera, razor-sharp editing, and gorgeous but gruesome set pieces. The story is convoluted, to say the least--plotting was never Argento's strong suit and the unnecessary exposition often drags the film down--but his vivid, horrific imagery is perfect for a thriller driven by haunting memories. Deep Red was originally released in the U.S. in a severely cut version retitled The Hatchet Murders (odd since the killer uses a butcher's knife). Producer Bill Lustig has restored the film to its original two-hour-plus running time, though some scenes exist only with Italian-language soundtracks (which are subtitled). It's a bit jarring at first (it makes for an unintended joke when a man suddenly checks his hearing aid after a language switch), but it's the only way to see Argento's original cut. There's also a brief 25th anniversary documentary with Argento and cowriter Bernardino Zapponi, and the DVD offers a choice of English and Italian language versions. --Sean Axmaker

Dario Argento s Masterpiece In It s Full-Length Director s Cut!An English jazz pianist living in Rome witnesses the brutal hatchet murder of a renowned psychic and is quickly drawn into the savage crime. With the help of a tenacious female reporter the pair track a twisted trail of deranged clues and relentless violence towards a shocking climax that has ripped screams from the throats of audiences for more than 30 years!DEEP RED stars David Hemmings (BLOW-UP) and Daria Nicolodi (PHENOMENA TENEBRE) and is widely considered by both fans and critics alike to be Dario Argento s true masterpiece. Now with the cooperation of the maestro himself this classic shocker is presented in its full-length Director s Cut remixed in 5.1 Dolby Digital uncut and uncensored for the first time ever!Extras: 25th Anniversary FeaturetteItalian Theatrical TrailerU.S. Theatrical TrailerTalent BiosSystem Requirements:Run Time: 126 mins Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR UPC: 827058107099 Manufacturer No: 709

Opera

When a young opera singer takes over the leading role in an avant-garde presentation of Verdi s Macbeth she triggers the madness of a crazed fan who repeatedly forces the diva to watch the brutal murders of her friends. Will the woman s recurring nightmare hold the key to the identity of this psychopath or does an even more horrific evil lay waiting in the wings?The legendary Dario Argento (DEEP RED SUSPIRIA) co-wrote and directed this savagely stunning thriller featuring some of the most shocking sequences of the maestro s entire career. Previously available in the U.S. only in heavily edited form this horror classic has now been restored from original Italian vault materials and is presented uncut uncensored and loaded with Extras.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR UPC: 827058106498 Manufacturer No: BU1064

Dario Argento Box Set

Following the success of his hallucinatory horror hit SUSPIRIA writer/director Dario Argento returned to the genre that had launched his international career and earned him the title of The Italian Hitchcock . In these acclaimed giallo thrillers Argento explores the extremes of murder insanity and brutality with the startling plots stunning visuals and shocking twists that have defined his work for nearly 40 years. The five films in this collection have been mastered from original vault elements and are now presented uncut and uncensored for an all-new look at one of the most controversial and influential filmmakers in the history of modern cinema. System Requirements:Running Time: 514 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR/KILLER Rating: NR UPC: 013131561999 Manufacturer No: DV15619

Masters of Horror - Dario Argento - Jenifer

Leave it to Dario Argento (Suspiria) to cook up a truly stomach-flipping installment in Showtime's Masters of Horror series. Argento's hour-long Jenifer has an uncluttered through-line that combines a relentlessly destructive film noir plot with zombie attitude. Steven Weber plays a cop who kills a man about to harm a disfigured woman named Jenifer. Weber finds himself strangely protective of the girl, who incidentally has enough sexual appetite to tempt him away from everything sane and holy. Unfortunately, she has other appetites as well, which spells trouble for the odd child (or housecat) who might be taken as a snack. Weber's downward spiral is predictable enough, but there's something in almost every scene that makes you shiver--either overtly (Jenifer chomping down on entrails) or indirectly (the way trees ripple as a car moves into the forest). Jenifer is played by Carrie Anne Fleming, wearing a prosthetic horror mask and flimsy negligee, an unsettling combination of repulsive/sexy that Argento exploits to the maximum. The trim script is by Steven Weber, from a short story by Bruce Jones; the excellent music is by Claudio Simonetti, whose ensemble Goblin did the music for other Argento films and the original Dawn of the Dead. --Robert Horton

Steven Weber of THE SHININGTHE STAND and DESPERATION stars as Frank Spivey a detective who rescues a strange young girl (Carrie Anne Fleming) with a horribly disfigured face and lusciously ripe body from a deranged killer. But when Spivey takes responsibility for the mentally challenged orphan she reveals herself to be a creature of untold carnal pleasures and unspeakable violent depravities that may lead him straight to hell. She is seductress psychopath and succubus all in one and her name is JENIFER. The legendary Dario Argento directs this jaw-dropper that features a haunting score by Claudio Simonetti of Goblin (DAWN OF THE DEADTENEBRE).System Requirements:Running Time: 58 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: NR UPC: 013131446197 Manufacturer No: DV14461

Dario Argento's Phantom of the Opera

Leaden horror costumer that takes its tenuous starting point from the classic Gaston Leroux novel of the same name. The twist in this variation is that the Phantom was raised by telepathic rats in the subterranean caverns beneath the opera house. Thus our feral Phantom (Julian "Ratboy" Sands) develops an obsessive love for up-and-coming diva Christine (Asia Argento), and sets about to seduce her to his dark, rodent existence. Although beautifully photographed, with lots of ornate period detail to catch the eye, this is largely a by-the-numbers supernatural horror story with scant gory set pieces as diversions. Fans of Dario Argento will yell "Rats!" and all else will merely shrug. And why are the rats telepathic, anyway? Screenwriting credits go to Gerard Brach, best known for his many collaborations with Roman Polanski, most notably Repulsion. However, none of his absurd sense of humor comes through in this film, which really needs it. A shame all around. The DVD includes a short interview with the film's star, Julian Sands, as well as a photo gallery, some dispensable making-of clips, spliced together to appear as a featurette (mostly in untranslated Italian) and a very informative article from Fangoria Magazine. --Jim Gay

Mysteriously, a series of terrifying accidents and brutal murders leaves a bloody body trail in the subterranean caverns of an opera house basement. Born into the murky sewer waters below the theater stalks a man/monster raised by creatures of the underworld. This Phantom's dark and grotesque life is shattered when he becomes obsessed with a beautiful young singer, seducing her with his chilling but exotic presence. The blood-curdling terror and disturbing eroticism of this classic story make this horror film one that will haunt your dreams forever.

The Cat O'Nine Tails

When a simple robbery at a research institute leads to a series of brutal murders a blind puzzle maker (Karl Malden of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE) and a tenacious reporter (James Franciscus of MAROONED) begin their own investigation of the crimes. With nine different clues to follow they uncover a shocking web of twisted genetics and dark sexual secrets that will finally lead them to a shattering climax of violence and suspense.Originally released in 1971 THE CAT O NINE TAILS secured the international reputation of director Dario Argento as The Italian Hitchcock. This is the definitive version of Argento s masterful second film now fully restored from its original camera negative and presented completely uncut and uncensored in stunning widescreen.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR UPC: 827058104791 Manufacturer No: BU1047

The Stendhal Syndrome (2-Disc Special Edition)

The first half of Dario Argento's heady psycho-thriller is a mesmerizing merging of dream and reality. A beautiful young Italian detective (Asia Argento, who does little to convince us she's a tough, seasoned cop) investigating a serial rapist is suddenly overwhelmed when the paintings in an art museum erupt with life. According to the film, this is "the Stendhal Syndrome," an intense and overwhelming response to art that turns the viewer mad. As Anna steps in and out of fantasy worlds like Alice through the looking glass, she's kidnapped by her quarry, who repeatedly rapes and tortures her in a dark, dank underground cave. The delirious nightmare of shattered reality becomes a sadistic, mean-spirited spectacle of murder and degradation--perpetrated on, of all people, the director's own bound and beaten daughter!--and the thriller disintegrates into a paranoid mystery of amnesia, split psyches, and shadowy phantoms. At its best this is a mesmerizing vision of madness: paintings melt into the real world while objectivity disintegrates before our eyes. But before the unexpectedly sensitive conclusion, Argento puts the viewer through a bravura but brutal series of gory murders (a slow-motion bullet passes through both cheeks of a helpless victim, and another shooting is viewed from inside the body) and unsavory violence. The poetic beauty of Phenomenon and the craftsmanship of Suspiria and Deep Red are sorely missed. --Sean Axmaker

When beautiful police detective Anna Manni follows the bloody trail of a sophisticated serial murderer/rapist through the streets of Italy the young woman falls victim to the bizarre Stendhal Syndrome a hallucinatory phenomenon which causes her to lose her mind and memory in the presence of powerful works of art. Trapped in this twilight realm Anna plunges deeper and deeper into sexual psychosis until she comes to know the killer s madness more intimately than she ever imagined.Horror maestro Dario Argento (SUSPIRIA OPERA) reaches new heights of florid fantasy and Grand Guignol with this warped work of art starring Maxim Magazine s Sexiest Woman in the World Asia Argento (LAND OF THE DEAD XXX) Thomas Kretschmann (KING KONG BLADE II) and Marco Leonardi (FROM DUSK TILL DAWN 3). Previously edited outside of Italy THE STENDHAL SYNDROME is now presented here in all its grotesque glory remastered in High Definition under the supervision of cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno (ALL THAT JAZZ AMARCORD) from the original Italian 35mm interpositive and loaded with exclusive new Extras in this 2-Disc Special Edition.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR UPC: 827058201490 Manufacturer No: BU2014

Masters of Horror - Pelts

From the second season of Showtime's Masters of Horror series comes the next Dario Argento offering, Pelts, which is far creepier than his last attempted made-for-TV thrillers (Do You Like Hitchcock and Jenifer). Meatloaf stars as Jake, a sleazy furrier whose obsession for a lesbian stripper named Shannon results in his attempting to make the finest fur ever for her to wear at an upcoming fur trade show. John Saxon (Tenebre) plays a trapper who comes through for Jake by setting traps in sacred raccoon territory to capture the most beautiful animals imaginable. However, as these raccoons are magical guardians of a lost raccoon city, they curse all associated with the deaths of their brethren with the desire to commit gory suicides using techniques employed in the manufacturing of fur coats. Quite disgusting are scenes of a seamstress sewing her eyes and nose shut with thread, or of a man cutting his belly open with shears to gut himself. One can only infer what Jake's fate might be. The film's disturbing ambience is amplified when suicides occur in the skinning and tanning rooms of Jake's fur factory. Close-ups of the raccoons' faces and shots of their ancient city, which boasts raccoon-carved sculptures, remind one of the absurdity of magical raccoons as crime instigators. But simultaneously the message of Pelts is made clear. Pelts would make any PETA member proud, if not nauseous. --Trinie Dalton

Meat Loaf Aday stars as Jake Feldman a short-tempered furrier struggling to build a small-time business while being tormented by his obsession for a sexy stripper. But when a sadistic backwoods trapper (John Saxon of NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET and Argento s TENEBRE) kills a strange group of pet raccoons Jake knows their luxurious hides could make a coat that will change his fortunes forever. Only these are no ordinary pelts: Everyone who comes in contact with the cursed furs is soon driven to unspeakable acts of self-mutilation and extreme violence. Even if Jake can now possess the flesh he desperately covets what horrific final price will he pay for the skin he s in?System Requirements:Run Time: 59 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: NR UPC: 013138990181 Manufacturer No: N9901