Dario Argento's direction is reason enough to watch, but the mystery of a killer who admires an author's work a little too much kept me guessing until the final twist. Giallo films don't get more entertaining than this.
It seems I'm predisposed to like Dario Argento's thrillers more than his supernatural horror films, and Tenebre is no exception. Anthony Franciosa plays what might as well be an Argento stand-in, here a novelist who doesn't consider himself a misogynist, but his detective fiction nevertheless IS. And so the film acts as a lurid slasher in which the killer claims to be inspired by the author and seems to target beautiful women who have some connection to his book (tenuous as the link might be). And you never quite shake the feeling that the author himself could have a Mr. Hyde persona, if his duality is to be made manifest. The detective story itself is fine, but it's those shocking murders, beautifully staged even as they are exploitative and grotesque, that excite. His style doesn't really live in the bad dubs of talking heads in hotel rooms and offices, but in the extreme close-ups, dripping inserts, and crashing synth music, which in Tenebre is like Carpenter in acid.
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Prof. Lumpcicle
Cinematography and the music is where Argento's movies really shine. They set the mood for a lot of his sequences.I'd put this one just behind Deep Red and Suspiria.
Wise Jake
Classic Argento. I would check this one out along with Suspiria to get an idea of his style.MASD
Didn't like the movie much, but the soundtrack and camerawork are just amazing.The Fable Muncher
Dario Argento's direction is reason enough to watch, but the mystery of a killer who admires an author's work a little too much kept me guessing until the final twist. Giallo films don't get more entertaining than this.marienbad
horror < stylized horrorshitmovies
A real riot, even if it is ultimately a shallow movie.Siskoid
It seems I'm predisposed to like Dario Argento's thrillers more than his supernatural horror films, and Tenebre is no exception. Anthony Franciosa plays what might as well be an Argento stand-in, here a novelist who doesn't consider himself a misogynist, but his detective fiction nevertheless IS. And so the film acts as a lurid slasher in which the killer claims to be inspired by the author and seems to target beautiful women who have some connection to his book (tenuous as the link might be). And you never quite shake the feeling that the author himself could have a Mr. Hyde persona, if his duality is to be made manifest. The detective story itself is fine, but it's those shocking murders, beautifully staged even as they are exploitative and grotesque, that excite. His style doesn't really live in the bad dubs of talking heads in hotel rooms and offices, but in the extreme close-ups, dripping inserts, and crashing synth music, which in Tenebre is like Carpenter in acid.Magnaos
Had the chance to see this with the score performed live by Claudio Simonetti's Goblin.Outstanding experience.
DynatiaCydonia
ridiculousplainoldIsak
One of Argento's worst.armyofshadows
Really poor quality in a myriad of areas...Pickman
Just stupid.nicolaskrizan
contrived plot, nonexistent characters, and weak acting – another disappointing not-in-the-book movie from argentohttp://beyond1001movies.wordpress.com/