[jacktorrance]

Looking forward to this. Any of you seen it?

[Jack Frost]

Wait, you've never seen it before?

what the heck are you waiting for!? It's great horror movie! (and sadly, probably the last good horror flick Argento ever made)

It's weird, it's gory, it's creepy.

[Craig]

Very good movie. Although I must admit, I haven't seen it in like 8 years or so.

[roycefilmwriter]

My fave Argento films are Phenomena, Opera, Tenebre, Sleepless (the one with Max Von Sydow)

[jacktorrance]

I enjoyed it. Loved the gore. And it was sweet to see the legendary Donald Pleasance in a horror movie that isn't Halloween.

Some of it was hilarious. Argento is great with gore but his skill with dialogue leaves a lot to be desired. And the way he randomly puts rock songs on the soundtrack during tense moments is just weird!

The bit where Jennifer falls into that gross pit full of maggots, sludge and dead bodies was hardcore! And the deformed kid was awesomely gruesome!

I guessed the killer was the bitch from the school. Her crazy laughing was hilarious. And when Jennifer's saved by a blade wielding monkey, I cracked up.

Good stuff.

[Craig]

Glad you liked it mate, it is indeed a great movie.

[jacktorrance]

The only other films of his I've seen are Deep Red, Suspiria and Tenebrae. Deep Red's my favourite. His next film's gonna be Dracula 3D with Rutger Hauer!

[sam]

Great movie, such a shame what's become of Argento...

[Jack Frost]

jacktorrance, on 28 April 2011 - 11:40 PM, said:

I guessed the killer was the bitch from the school. Her crazy laughing was hilarious. And when Jennifer's saved by a blade wielding monkey, I cracked up.

No kidding. There's kinda allusion to it the whole time! - Iron Maiden "Flash of the (monkey) blade"!

[Atrium Pool]

Jack Frost, on 21 April 2011 - 09:53 PM, said:

what the heck are you waiting for!? It's great horror movie! (and sadly, probably the last good horror flick Argento ever made)

Good? Opera was very good. And I don't feel bad about saying that's a fact to someone who thinks Carpenter's Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness were great. And I thought Trauma was decent and The Stendhal Syndrome was quite good. Of course, you're free to think the latter two there are thrillers.

Anyway- Argento is my favorite horror director bar none. And I adore Phenomena. Except I'm not usually a big fan of bug movies. So, I didn't love that aspect of it. But, it's Argento in his prime so there is SO MUCH imagery and music and beautiful cinematography and AMAZING set-pieces that are incredible... Just wow. This guy was THE master!!

[Jack Frost]

Atrium Pool, on 22 January 2012 - 05:22 PM, said:

Good? Opera was very good. And I don't feel bad about saying that's a fact to someone who thinks Carpenter's Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness were great. And I thought Trauma was decent and The Stendhal Syndrome was quite good. Of course, you're free to think the latter two there are thrillers.

:facepalm: x 3 ...

Trauma was idiotic, TSS was bad. Opera was the ok tho.

As for the rest of your comment... speechless.

Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness were terrific movies. It's not our problems that you are one of those people that need to have everything painted, just to understand a movie. From several of your post, it's obvious that you either don't get the movie, or make blunt ideas that make no sense with real message that movie has.

Atrium Pool, on 22 January 2012 - 05:22 PM, said:

Anyway- Argento is my favorite horror director bar none. And I adore Phenomena. Except I'm not usually a big fan of bug movies. So, I didn't love that aspect of it. But, it's Argento in his prime so there is SO MUCH imagery and music and beautiful cinematography and AMAZING set-pieces that are incredible... Just wow. This guy was THE master!!

and yet AGAIN, you make no sense. You bash me for saying Phenomena is good, then you tell you adore it. You really make less and less sense.

[Atrium Pool]

No, I didn't. You said it was the last good movie. I said GOOD? as in: you think he made no good movies afterward?

Oh, and quit insulting me. Grow up. There are many reasons a movie can be bad, don't fucking pretend you're smarter and you "get" these movies. You are no better than I am.

[Jack Frost]

Ok, with exception of Opera then.

I don't think I am better then you. I don't have a problem with you, even if our opinions clash. I placed smiley on my last "insult", so it shouldn't be taken seriously. Oh and sorry if I offended you. Really. This isn't for Craig, this is because I don't want flame wars on board and we should just enjoy conversations. So, again, sorry man, I admit I was harsh at times.

[Atrium Pool]

Thank you. Water under bridge then.

But I will never agree that Trauma and Stendhal were bad. Of course, I'm a huge Argento fan. But he's also one of the most unique and interesting directors around. (Or was before Phantom of the Opera.)

[Craig]

Well done Jack, that was a nice thing to do

[Jack Frost]

Atrium Pool, on 24 January 2012 - 11:04 PM, said:

Thank you. Water under bridge then.

But I will never agree that Trauma and Stendhal were bad. Of course, I'm a huge Argento fan. But he's also one of the most unique and interesting directors around. (Or was before Phantom of the Opera.)

No prob man. As I said to Craig, I didn't think you were the bad guy.

anyway, those two are ok (I even have SS on DVD) but they are rather weak (Trauma being even bad) compared to his other movies. His usual giallo approach becomes uninteresting when he used them in all of his movies after that. Other things that bother me are his multiple endings. That was my exact problem with Tenebre, which was a great movie, but damn it, END IT ALREADY. He had like five different endings there.

Phantom of the Opera was weird. It made no real connection to original material, but it was interesting thing to watch just because of that take on classic story. But I don't remember I loved it very much. I saw it ages ago, and that was the first time I've seen Asia nude. That's the only thing I remember strongly.

oh btw, since you are Argento fan, I met him once (back in 2005 I think). He's one of the coolest laid back celebrities you could find. He invited us to beer (or a whine?), but people who brought him at that Italian Film Fest didn't allow it.

that's why I would always respect the guy, even if he didn't make a good movie in ages. Mother of Tears was disappointing. Idea was great, but execution was really bad, especially for the movie that took nearly 25 years in making.

[Atrium Pool]

I don't drink, but I'm glad you met him.

Anyway, again as a huge fan of the director's movies, I just don't get what you're saying. Really. I can understand where the killing formula in his slashers / gialli seemed repetitive. But the great thing about most of his movies is just that there's SO MUCH he puts into them. You know? In terms of story and imagery. Even Trauma is so packed full of stuff that I can't say I dislike it. I can make a list of scenes I like in the movie, again, because Argento makes complex movies. Hell, even my least favorite of his older films - Cat o' Nine Tails - has at least 5 things you have to watch the movie for / that make it a must-watch. There's no other director like him.

But I agree Trauma is one of his weaker films. Still it's a decent movie. Remember this is coming from a fan. But also remember that you just can't compare Argento to other directors. He was something special.

[Jack Frost]

hmm, exactly. Argento makes his "newer" movies too complex for there own demise (from mid '90 till now).

last one I've seen was Mother of Tears, and while it had great idea, most of them were started but never fully developed, like chaos rising in Rome. Yes, they tell it, but not much is shown. Asia having white power from her mother... all she does is ... get invisible? How powerful really Mother Lacrimarum is? She kill one or two guys then dances nude for the rest of the movie. He never fully got into her power or her character. She should be most interesting, but he did Mother Tenebre in Inferno lot better. He also fucked up his own mythos. In '80, Mother of Tears was just the most beautiful, while Mother Tenebre was the youngest and cruelest. In Mother of Tear, M Lacrimarum is the youngest, most beautiful and cruelest.


ps. Asia "joked" there might be a prequel for Three Mothers storyline.

[Atrium Pool]

I don't get what you mean with that first line. My point was that all of Argento's movies were complex - until 1998 - and that that was good. And what do you mean by "too complex for their own demise"??

Anyway, Mother of Tears wasn't too complex. It was too "big". Meaning, it tried to be like The Final Conflict (the 3rd Omen movie) meets In the Mouth of Madness meets some kind of alternate Indiana Jones take on Suspiria. All that can lead to is too much dusty architecture and "what does this sculpture mean?" mystic gratuity and an end of the world scenario where things are way too ancient and dull. Hence the international jetting to this/that church / museum / country cottage with the only modern links being cars and cellphones. It felt like a biblical epic. But I give it credit for having a few good campy moments. Like the Asian witch who's just silly. Or the witches trying to "scare" people at the airport. Or the mother throwing her baby over the bridge. Or Asia's mother's ghost telling her where in the street is safe to go like the movie were a video game or something. Or the ending.

[Jack Frost]

Atrium Pool, on 25 January 2012 - 11:36 AM, said:

I don't get what you mean with that first line. My point was that all of Argento's movies were complex - until 1998 - and that that was good. And what do you mean by "too complex for their own demise"??

They want to be complex and smart, but like I said, many of the elements are either not used properly or they get "something's missing" vibe. Or some ideas are just silly, like that one with dwarf killer (it still beats Donal Duck voice from Fulci's NY Ripper)

Atrium Pool, on 25 January 2012 - 11:36 AM, said:

Anyway, Mother of Tears wasn't too complex. It was too "big". Meaning, it tried to be like The Final Conflict (the 3rd Omen movie) meets In the Mouth of Madness meets some kind of alternate Indiana Jones take on Suspiria. All that can lead to is too much dusty architecture and "what does this sculpture mean?" mystic gratuity and an end of the world scenario where things are way too ancient and dull. Hence the international jetting to this/that church / museum / country cottage with the only modern links being cars and cellphones. It felt like a biblical epic. But I give it credit for having a few good campy moments. Like the Asian witch who's just silly. Or the witches trying to "scare" people at the airport. Or the mother throwing her baby over the bridge. Or Asia's mother's ghost telling her where in the street is safe to go like the movie were a video game or something. Or the ending.

and this is exactly what I am talking about, only I call it "complex" instead of "big".

I didn't mind Mother of Tears going nude all the time btw. She was hot... but that element was bit awkward, you know? Why does she have to walk naked?