Cat O' Nine Tails (1971, Dario Argento)

Cat O' Nine Tails is a film that I love going back to because for some reason, I never remember many of the details.  I watched the film for the first time in early 2009 when I discovered the wild world of Giallo films.  Since then, I've seen countless gialli and would still call Argento the master.  His "Animal" trilogy (which includes this film, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and Four Flies on Grey Velvet) are some of the prime examples of the genre and pretty much laid the ground work for many films to come.  It was great to see Arrow release this film in a new limited edition set so I could re-watch it again.

A blind puzzle maker (Karl Malden) and his young niece recognize a man at the scene of a top secret research lab break in shortly before he "falls" in front of a train. They go to a newspaper reporter, Carlo Giordani (James Franciscus), to see if they are sure the death was accidental. As it turns out, the death was no accident and soon everyone who tries to help solve the crime ends up dead. Can they solve the crime before they end up victims?

Bravo again for Arrow Video for continually releasing newly remastered versions of some of the greatest cult films of yesteryear.  I can't get enough 70s Italian crime and horror films, and Arrow has been on fire with their selections.  Cat O' Nine Tails is no exception, with a beautiful new 4k restoration and a ton of new bonus features.  If you want to see a prime example of the giallo genre, you can't do much better than this.

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

•        Brand new 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative

•        High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations

•        Original mono Italian and English soundtracks (lossless on the Blu-ray Disc)

•        Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack

•        Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack

•        New audio commentary by critics Alan Jones and Kim Newman

•        New interviews with co-writer/director Dario Argento, co-writer Dardano Sacchetti, actress Cinzia De Carolis and production manager Angelo Iacono

•        Script pages for the lost original ending, translated into English for the first time

•        Original Italian and international theatrical trailers

•        Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Candice Tripp

•        Double-sided fold-out poster

•        4 lobby card reproductions

•        Limited edition booklet illustrated by Matt Griffin, featuring an essay on the film by Dario Argento, and new writing by Barry Forshaw, Troy Howarth and Howard Hughes”

Pre Order from MVD HERE (release date is February 20, 2018)

Opera (1987, Dario Argento)

Back to Argento. I had heard some mixed reviews of Opera so I was curious to see how it compared with his earlier films that I had recently watched. Before I start though, I do have a big complaint about the Blue Underground dvd. Somewhere on the dvd's artwork (I won't say where to avoid spoiling it for others), the killer's identity is revealed. I couldn't believe it. I love Blue Underground too and I was very disappointed. So if you plan on watching this, don't look to hard at the dvd's artwork, just pop the disc in and enjoy.

Opera follows a young opera singer Betty (Cristina Marsillach), who gets the job of a lifetime as the lead in Macbeth after her mentor is hit by a car and can't perform. She soon finds out though that someone at the Opera wants to terrorize her. They tie her up in a way that she has to watch as they proceed to kill her boyfriend. Soon, the killer starts going after anyone close to her. Betty must find out who this killer is and what their motives are to put an end to the killings.

Opera is a fantastic film in every way. The story is well thought out, the acting is well done and the killings are some of the best I've seen in an Argento film. There are several tense scenes and enough blood to fill a swimming pool with, assuming you wanted to do that. The film is like a roller coaster ride you can't help but get sucked into it's beautiful production design and atmosphere. Just wish the damn dvd artwork didn't ruin the ending!

RATING: 5/5

Tenebre (1982, Dario Argento)

Ok, this should be the last Argento film for a little while. I'm sure my readers (I'm being generous by making that plural) are sick of reading about my new found obsession. I couldn't pass up reviewing this one though. It fits in very well with Argento's other giallo films that I have been reviewing. I've actually had the Anchor Bay double dvd of this film and Deep Red for a long time because I knew I would be watching them eventually.

Tenebre is a film about an American author, Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa), who is over in Italy promoting his book, Tenebre. The book is about a killer who goes on a murdering spree. As is expected with an Argento film, a real killer is on the loose who seems to be inspired by Tenebre. Before a murder occurs, a note with a quote from the book is left in an envelope for Neal. It is discovered that each of the murders has something to do with the quotes and with the help of his secretary and a local boy, Neal becomes his own private detective to try to stop the killings before he is next.

Tenebre is another great Argento giallo. The plot is similar to his early giallo films but there is a lot of added gore and nudity this time. The story and characters are solid and the killer's identity is well concealed until the final terrifying frames. The bloody killings are very well done as is the cinematography. Goblin's score is perfect for the film as well. There are a few slow spots and some strange scenes, but overall the film was very enjoyable.

RATING: 4/5

Deep Red (1975, Dario Argento)

Another Dario Argento film, Mr. Starmummy? Aren't you sick of them yet? No, my good chap. In fact, I could hardly wait to toss this bad boy into ye olde player of dvds. Deep Red is probably tied with Suspiria as Argento's best loved film and I was really anxious to see how it held up to that film (review coming soon) and his other films.

Deep Red is a classic giallo film about a pianist, Marcus Daly (David Hemmings) who witnesses a murder and will stop at nothing to find out who the killer is. He is sure that there was a picture on the wall at the murder scene that disappeared shortly after the killing. He knows this must be the missing piece of the puzzle and goes searching for it. A series of murders soon begins, with Marcus in the middle. It seems that the killer wants to off him before he can figure out who is responsible.

Deep Red is overall an excellent film. I would say masterpiece but unfortunately the film lags a little in the middle. Most of the film is creepy, suspenseful and gory, with all of Argento's trademarks present (quirky characters, gruesome makeup effects and unconventional cinematography). Also present is a great score by Goblin, one of the best I have heard, replacing Ennio Morricone's more ethereal sounds with a more rock oriented sound. Definitely check out this film as it is a classic and well worth the time put into it.

I would suggest though that you watch it in Italian with English subtitles. The reason for this is because the English version has dialogue missing and it switches back and forth between English and Italian with subtitles. Very hard to follow in this manner.

RATING: 4/5

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970, Dario Argento)

Continuing on with the master Dario Argento is his first film as director and writer. A giallo film that I actually watched about 6 months ago and decided to revisit after watching the other two films in his "animal trilogy", Four Flies on Grey Velvet and Cat O' Nine Tails.

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage follows american Sam Dalmas (Tony Musante) visiting Italy with his girlfriend. Shortly before he is supposed to go back to the United States, he witnesses someone dressed in a black hat and trench coat try to kill a woman in an art gallery. The doors are locked but he still manages to save the woman's life. The police confiscate Dalmas' passport to make him stay in the country since he was the only witness. They believe that over time he will be able to remember important pieces of the attack that he has blocked out. Sam himself starts trying to solve the crime and finds himself the next target.

Argento proved that he was definitely capable of writing and directing an effective murder mystery his first time out. There are many great camera tricks used in this film (one of the director's trademarks), including lots of complete darkness and a POV shot of someone falling out of a window. The cast is great and the story moves along at a nice pace, with lots of twists and the usual odd characters that Argento is always good for (the scene with the painter was a little silly, but kind of creepy and gross too). Very good example of a classic giallo and a film I would recommend to those unfamiliar with Argento.

RATING: 4/5

Cat O' Nine Tails (1971, Dario Argento)

After watching Four Flies on Grey Velvet, I knew I needed to see more of Argento's early work. I've been seeking out more giallo films and I figured this would be a good addition. This is Argento's second film as a director and second film in his "animal trilogy".

A blind man (Karl Malden) and his niece recognize a man at the scene of a top secret research lab break in shortly before he "falls" in front of a train. They go to a newspaper reporter, Carlo Giordani (James Franciscus), to see if they are sure the death was accidental. As it turns out, the death was no accident and soon everyone who tries to help solve the crime ends up dead. Can they solve the crime before they end up victims?

Cat O' Nine Tails fits in nicely with Argento's other early giallo films (Four Flies on Grey Velvet and The Bird with the Crystal Plumage). It keeps you guessing while adding lots of great characters and blood-soaked deaths. There are some slow parts in the second half but the first half of the film is excellent.

RATING: 4/5

Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971, Dario Argento)

For any of you Argento fans out there or fans of long lost horror films, you may have heard of Four Flies on Grey Velvet. I came across this film a few times on lists of "films that need to be released on dvd". This is Argento's third film and the third in his "animal trilogy" of giallo films (the first two being The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and Cat O' Nine Tails, respectively). The film is finally available and I couldn't pass up the chance to check it out.

Four Flies on Grey Velvet begins with Roberto Tobias (Michael Brandon), a drummer for a rock band. He confronts a man he notices has been following him and accidentally stabs the man to death. As this is happening, he sees that someone is photographing the whole incident. Soon, photos of the accidental killing start popping up for Roberto to see - leading him to believe he is being blackmailed. Soon, people in Roberto's life start ending up dead.

I must say, that this film was worth the wait, at least for me. I've only been waiting about a year for this to come out though. Not sure if I had been waiting 38 years for it to make it's North American debut on home video, but I don't think anything could live up to those expectations. I can say though that this film is fantastic. One of the best giallo films I have seen, in fact. The story grips you from the first scene and doesn't let go until the end. Argento proves himself as a master director here. Some of the shots he uses are like nothing I've ever seen before. The cast is good, there are some great characters thrown in to help ease the tension and the mystery is top notch. Some real tense scenes here. If you're looking for a perfect representation of a giallo film, I would definitely recommend this.

RATING: 5/5