Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989)

by Roberto Curti

transparent mirror. The script featured a some-

  to the mystery key “under the soles of your

  what different climax, with Death portrayed not

  shoes,” and the tendency to “sink into the

  as a hooded skeleton (a less than convincing

  magma … and the brute matter. Everything

  moment, actually) but as a monstrous fleshless

  points downwards, toward the lowest, the invis-

  figure, with eyes emerging from the orbits and

  ible, and what is hidden ‘below’”42); Fire (the

  exposed teeth. Other special effects in the scene

  cauldron and the flames in the basement of the

  were discarded, making it less powerful than it

  library, the final conflagration).

  had been devised on paper, and a bit under-

  But, above all, the film conveys the idea of

  whelming compared to Suspiria’s climax. Lam-

  books as carriers of an occult and exclusive

  berto was the assistant director, and he and

  knowledge. Varelli’s opening monologue men-

  Dario developed a strong bond, which resulted

  tions the rule of silentium, “silence,” which al-

  in Bava Jr. working again as a.d. on Tenebre and

  chemists vow not to break, in order not to upset

  Argento producing his two Dèmoni films.

  profane minds with their secrets. Argento—with

  The Bava connection can be stretched fur-

  the amiable complicity of De Quincey—recreates

  ther. With its ronde of gory knife murders,

  his own surrogate of the Necronomicon, but he

  always suspended between the truculent and the

  also centers an entire sequence on the theft of a

  ridiculous, Inferno recalls the overexcited chain

  book that will cost Sara’s life, and makes one of

  reaction of Reazione a catena (97), of which at

  the main characters an antique book dealer, who

  times it seems a supernatural remake of sorts.

  is given one of the picture’s key lines of dialogue:

  During a memorable sequence in La frusta e il

  “The only true mystery is that our lives are gov-

  corpo (963) Bava’s camera displayed the direc-

  erned by dead people.” In some other director’s

  tor’s disinterest toward the story, by cutting from

  film this could be read as a political statement;

  two characters discussing a key plot point to a

  here it expresses a deeper, philosophical truth:

  vase of red roses, thus turning the viewer’s at-

  our very life is governed by books, which

  tention from their words to the visual elements

  contain nothing but the words and thoughts and

  surrounding them. Here Argento does some-

  dreams of dead people speaking to us from an-

  thing similar in the scene where Elise explains

  other age. (In the script, Argento wanted to em-

  to Mark the myth of the “Three Mothers”: the

  phasize the concept by having Varelli’s voice ris-

  camera moves away from them and, mimicking

  ing slowly in volume in the opening scene, as if

  the wobbling motion of a sound wave, it ap-

  coming from far, far away in the past and grad-

  proaches the air ducts from where the sounds

  ually approaching the viewer).

  propagate in the heart of the building; Elise’s

  The characters of Inferno spend their time

  voice becomes confused and unintelligible, and

  reading, translating, and thinking over a cultural

  the audience is denied vital bits of information.

  heritage that opens up an unsuspected view of

  The only thing left to do is let oneself be carried

  the world. They read books in Latin, the lan-

  away by the mere flow of images. However, the

  guage of enigmas to be weighed and interpreted.

  scene is not a hint of the author’s disregard for

  (In the same year, Umberto Eco published his

  the narrative, but rather the sign of a rhapsodic,

  best- selling period mystery Il nome della rosa,

  whimsical inspiration, which leaves behind nar-

  set in the Middle Ages and with a riddle in Latin

  rative logic in favor of visual expression.

  playing a central role in the plot.) It is as if our

  And, indeed, Inferno is, in Argento’s words,

  fathers had delivered to us an opaque vision of

  “full of riddles that will be left mostly unex-

  the world: a cataract, a veil destined to be torn

  plained”40 as well as of alchemical and esoteric

  from the opening of the “third eye.” However,

  references, from the homage to Gurdjeff (the

  awareness does not lead to superior wisdom, but

  celebrative plate which signals his stay in the

  rather to the astonished contemplation of the

  New York building4) to the presence of the four

  horror that rules our lives, as in the ineffable tri-

  natural elements. Water (the descent of Rose into

  umph of Death that ends the film.

  the flooded room, the rain that accompanies

  Inferno was released in Italy on February

  Sara’s taxi ride, the murder of Kazanian in the

  7, 980, to mixed reviews. Film critic Giovanni

  lake); Air (the nauseating smell that pervades

  Grazzini, in the Corriere della Sera, labeled it as

  the areas around the houses, the irruption of the

  a “fine butchery,” and even though he praised

  invisible presence in the university hall, the

  Argento’s direction, he judged the result as man-

  28 1980: Inferno nerist and even boring, dismissing the

  emphasis on gore as follows: “One

  wonders whether to force the viewers

  to look away from the screen and

  bring them to the point of throwing

  up is a merit to be proud of.”43 Tullio

  Kezich complained: “Despite a few ef-

  fective moments, and a few sequences

  of true Fantastic cinema, there are too

  many counterparts of gloomy banality,

  as well as concessions to the brutal

  tastes of audiences already contami-

  nated by the aesthetics of hooligan-

  ism.”44

  During filming, Argento pointed

  out that the film was “the second part

  in a trilogy on modern alchemy”4

  started with Suspiria, which he would

  complete the following year, but he

  soon abandoned the idea. The main

  reason was the underwhelming box-

  office grosses. The initial response was

  enthusiastic: reportedly, on the night

  of the premiere in Rome, the theater

  owner (producer Peppino Amati) had

  to give back 00 tickets because the

  venue was packed full, with people

  even sitting on the floor, while in

  Turin, on the Sunday of its release, the

  film grossed the astonishing sum of 24

  million lire.46 But after the initial en-

  Japanese poster for Inferno, featuring a collage of the most

  thusiasm, audiences were gradually

  frightening bits.

  disappointed by Argento’s switch to-

  ward out- and-out supernatural horror. Daria

  York venue in August 986
,0 and a couple of

  Nicolodi recalled that people told her, “You have

  months later it was released to home video on

  been Argento’s ruin, we followed him until Pro-

  the subsidiary Key Video label. When asked

  fondo rosso but afterwards one can’t understand

  about it by Maitland McDonagh, Argento said

  anything anymore.”47 The film was a good suc-

  he didn’t know the reason why, but in his mem-

  cess, however, and ended up at the fourteenth

  oir he mentions that after the premiere Fox’s

  place among the season’s top- grossers, and

  head Sherry Lansing told him she didn’t like the

  eighth among Italian releases of the year.48 In

  movie’s narrative structure at all.2 In the end,

  this respect, it was topped by seven comedies—

  Inferno’s biggest virtue—freedom—turned out

  such as Pasquale Festa Campanile’s Qua la

  to be its commercial ruin in the States.

  mano, Castellano & Pipolo’s Mani di velluto and

  Argento’s next project, Oltre la morte—an

  Maurizio Nichetti’s debut Ratataplan—which

  80-page treatment about a cannibalistic spree

  gives an idea of the commercial path taken by

  set among the homeless in New York—was re-

  Italian cinema of the period.

  jected by Dino De Laurentiis and then the man-

  Inferno was released theatrically all over

  uscript mysteriously got lost. Soon the director

  Europe49 and even in Japan, where Argento was

  moved to a more traditional project, at least on

  enjoying a huge cult. The response overseas was

  paper: Sotto gli occhi dell’assassino, a giallo in-

  disappointing, though. 20th Century–Fox did

  spired by autobiographical events, namely an

  not commit to a wide theatrical release, and the

  anonymous phone caller who called himself

  film was shelved for five years. It had a brief the-

  “The Great Punisher” and made death threats

  atrical release and played for one week in a New

  during Argento’s stay in Los Angeles.3 It even-

  1980: Inferno 29

  tually became Tenebre, his most violent and

  nostra signora degli orrori,” in Manlio Gomarasca and Da-

  grim film to date, and one of his very best.

  vide Pulici (eds.) Le tre madri. Guida alla trilogia di Dario

  Argento. Nocturno Dossier #64, November 2007, 4–.

  Throughout the 980s Argento sporadically

  6. Dardano Sacchetti interviewed, in www. davinotti.

  returned to Gothic themes. After turning his gi-

  com (http://www.davinotti.com/index.php? option= com_

  alli into neo- Gothic works with the uncondi-

  content&task=view&id=6&Itemid=79).

  tional opening to the irrational, with Phenomena

  7. Manlio Gomarasca and Davide Pulici, “I testimoni,”

  he took the reverse path, bringing back the

  in Gomarasca and Pulici (eds.) Le tre madri, 44.

  8. “After two weeks’ shooting in New York, the crew

  many fantastique and fairy tale- related ideas to

  of Inferno, written and directed by Dario Argento, has re-

  a logical explanation: the monster of the castle

  turned to Rome to shoot the interior scenes, which will

  is a deformed child, the frightening matres of

  last 4 weeks.” [not signed] “Kolossal dell’orrore di Dario

  the previous films are replaced by a real mother,

  Argento,” La Stampa, May 24, 979.

  9. For instance, a piece published on May 23 in the Cor-

  but no less terrifying. At the same time, the di-

  riere della Sera wrote: “For four consecutive nights, at New

  rector reshaped his approach to cinema and re-

  York’s Central Park, there has been a simulated moon

  modeled its aesthetics, with an operation of re-

  eclipse … those nights the moon got dark at every take of

  juvenation aimed at the teenage public. Whereas

  the movie Inferno, which director Dario Argento has been

  movies such as Profondo rosso, Suspiria and In-

  shooting in America for some days.” Franco Occhiuzzi, “Un

  inferno tutto d’Argento,” Corriere della Sera, May 23, 979.

  ferno were aimed at young adults, Phenomena

  10. Gomarasca and Pulici, “I testimoni,” 44.

  is a giallo rereading of Suspiria in a teen- oriented

  11. Paolo Mereghetti, “Dario Argento: per fare paura

  key, which assimilates the language of music

  ha usato anche Verdi,” Corriere d’Informazione, March 6,

  videos and includes excerpts of heavy metal

  980.

  12. On his part, Lavia has been adamant: “Certain hor-

  tracks used as an auditory counterpoint to the

  ror films by Dario Argento, Profondo rosso, Inferno … have

  gruesome scenes on screen. On the other hand,

  become cult movies, but I did them only for money. I was

  the emphasis on the maternal nature that can

  paid well, and an actor doesn’t have a fixed salary… . ”

  either lead to madness or perdition or otherwise

  Emilia Costantini, “Gabriele Lavia. Sono innamorato dalle

  give salvation, embraces an escapist Neo-

  elementari,” Corriere della Sera, October 3, 207.

  13. Maurizio Porro, “La Giorgi in un viaggio di ricordi,”

  Romanticism with vague New Age traits. A sim-

  Corriere della Sera, April 3, 979; Adele Ferrari, “Eleonora

  ilar approach returns in the epilogue of Opera,

  Giorgi: ‘Sono meno infantile e molto più felice,’” Corriere

  an unofficial rendition of The Phantom of the

  d’Informazione, May 2, 979.

  Opera in which the director expresses once

  14. Argento, Paura, 28.

  15. Ibid., 230.

  again his passion for melodrama and tries to

  16. Excerpt taken from Davide Pulici, “Inferno: dalla

  make opposing tensions coexist—a giallo plot

  sceneggiatura al film,” in Gomarasca and Pulici (eds.) Le

  and a drive toward the irrational—in a precari-

  tre madri, 37.

  ous stylistic and narrative balance.

  17. Gomarasca and Pulici, “I testimoni,” 4.

  Argento resumed the myth of the Three

  18. Fabio Maiello, Dario Argento. Confessioni di un

  maestro dell’horror (Milan: Alacran, 2007), 26.

  Mothers in 2007, with the third chapter in the

  19. “Un brivido che si chiama Argento,” Corriere della

  trilogy, La terza madre.

  Sera, June 0, 979.

  20. Occhiuzzi, “Un inferno tutto d’Argento.”

  N

  21. Argento, Paura, 23.

  otes

  22. Gomarasca and Pulici, “I testimoni,” 44.

  1. Dario Argento, Paura (Turin: Einaudi, 204), 26.

  23. Roberto Pugliese, Dario Argento (Milan: Editrice Il

  2. Ibid., 23.

  Castoro, [986] 20), 66.

  3. Ibid., 230.

  24. Kim Newman, Nightmare Movies (London: Blooms-

  4. Around the same time, Salvatore Samperi was

  bury, [988] 20), 47.

  preparing a film to be titled Inferno, loosely inspired by

  25. See Rachael Nisbet, �
�Rose Elliot’s Apartment Build-

  Dante’s poem and set in the present day. The script, written

  ing in Inferno,” in http:// hypnoticcrescendos. blogspot. it/

  by Samperi, Giorgio Basile and Gianfranco Manfredi, was

  208/ 03/ rose- elliots- apartment- building- in. html.

  in the director’s own words a mixture between

  26. Gomarasca and Pulici, “I testimoni,” 44.

  Hellzapoppin’ and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, with

  27. Mereghetti, “Dario Argento: per fare paura ha usato

  strong political overtones, “a journey in the confusion of

  anche Verdi.”

  today’s world, especially in the left and ultra- left, also con-

  28. Daniele Costantini and Francesco Dal Bosco, Nuovo

  ceived as an excursion in various film genres—Western,

  cinema inferno. L’opera di Dario Argento (Parma: Pratiche

  giallo, romantic, etc.” Lamberto Antonelli, “Ombre rosse,

  Editrice, 997), 84.

  Marx e Guevara nell’Inferno visto da Samperi,” La Stampa,

  29. Played by James Fleetwood, a bass singer whom Ar-

  January 26, 979. Eventually Samperi (who had thought of

  gento had seen in Alban Berg’s Lulu directed by Roman

  Roberto Benigni for the role of Dante) abandoned the

  Polanski and conducted by Christopher Keene, which

  overly costly project and made the 90s revivalist comedy

  caused a controversy at Spoleto’s Festival of Two Worlds,

  Liquirizia instead.

  in 974. Occhiuzzi, “Nasce in America l’inferno di Ar-

  5. Davide Pulici and Marco Cacioppo, “Daria Nicolodi:

  gento.”

  30 1980: Macabro 30. Pugliese, Dario Argento, 68.

  Avati; DOP: Franco Delli Colli (Kodak, Tele-

  31. Maiello, Dario Argento, 37.

  color); M: Ubaldo Continiello (Ed. Gipsy); E:

  32. Garrone, the animal trainer for the film, also re-

  Piera Gabutti; ArtD: Katia Dottori; CO: Katia

  placed Sacha Pitoeff for some shots, since the rats had

  started biting the actor for real. Gomarasca and Pulici, “I

  Dottori, Gian Franco Basile (for Bernice

  testimoni,” 49.

  Stegers); MU: Alfonso Cioffi; AD: Rosanna Roc-

  33. Ibid., 44.

  chi Bava; SE: Antonio Corridori, Angelo Mattei;

  34. Mark Davis—not Elliot—in the script.

  C: Antonio Schiavo Lena; AC: Gianni Modica

  35. Whereas, in a blatant inconsistency, their phone call

  from New York to Rome, takes place with no apparent time

  Canfarelli; AE: Carlo D’Alessandro; AsstD: Dario

  zone differences.

  Amadei; SO: Gianni Zampagni; SOE: Luciano