Opera

This seems to be the least loved Argento film of his prime era(1975-87) other than Phenomena. I'm afraid I've gotta dissent and say that I think this is his best film other than Suspiria. The plot/characters aren't too exciting, but it's got by far the most impressive camerawork of those films, and the most interesting set design and staging of the giallo/quasi-giallo films from that era. All in all, this is a fantastic horror/thriller with endless style, great setpieces and breathless pacing. Definitely a must see for anyone interested in such things.The setup involves the injury of the star of a staging of Verdi's Macbeth, which leads to previously unknown Betty starring in the production. She's praised, but attracts the attention of a crazed killer, who murders people while forcing her to watch. (He ties her up and forces her to watch by taping needles directly in front of her eyes, so they'll cut her she closes them.) All in all this is not the most fascinating plot in the world. I'm told that this is a reworking of Phantom of the Opera, but I wouldn't know, as I've never seen that. (Well, I did read Phantom of the Auditorium years back...) The characters are quite flat and the acting is somewhat uneven. Most of it is decent, but Cristina Marsillich isn't so great as Betty. Actually, the main problem is the way she is characterized: As pathetic and simpering, which makes her a bit obnoxious at times. Also, the killer's identity is almost painfully obvious, and his motivation is... odd. Fortunately, the plot tends not to matter much in Argento's films, and they waste particularly little screen time with it here. We have a fair bit of exposition explaining pretty much what I wrote before, then 3 horror pieces with only brief interludes between them, a brief plot point where they decide how they'll identify the killer, and then the extended climax.As usual, style is the real star of this film, and it shines here. It has lots of beautiful but cold upscale European architecture, with a bit a ominous colored lighting now and then, a la Supiria/Inferno. The camera moves constantly with ominous prowling and dreamy, ethereal steadicam shots, as well as some nice, strangely angled and decidedly off-kilter shots. Naturally, all this visual finesse is used to create some startling horror setpieces. Though the film is fairly interesting through out, it's the middle 2/3 or so that really standout. The 3 major horror pieces here are outstanding. Though the goriness of Argento's films tends to be overstated, the knifing in Opera, the first of these 3 scenes, is simply brutal, as the killer jams a nasty, triangular knife up underneath the victims jaw so that the tip of the blade comes up the back of his mouth. And the rest of the scene, while not as graphic, really portrays the brutality and horror that would come along a stabbing murder, as the killer repeatedly tries to get at the victim through his flailing arms. In this and the next scene the killing is interspliced with numerous shots of Betty's face as she witnesses the killing. The whole needle-eye thing seemed a bit weird to me when I first heard about it, but it creates a striking image, particularly when there's a single stream of blood coming down her face, like a tear. This juxtaposition really works, and makes the scenes a lot more effective. The scene backstage is the weakest of the three, but it's still very good. Early on it shows a rather large pair of scissors fall off a table to the ground, in slow motion. This isn't the most subtle bit of foreshadowing you'll ever see, but man does it work. Very ominous. And the most disturbing part of the film comes at the end of this scene, as the killer needs to retrieve a little locket, which the victim swallowed. First he pries open her mouth with the scissors, which is disturbing enough, and then has to perform an amateur tracheotomy on the corpse. You don't actually see much of anything, as it focuses on the backend of the scissors, but that's enough, particularly when combined with the hideous sound effects. The next horror piece, in Betty's apartment, is the absolute standout. It generates some real tension, as Betty and her Agent hide in the kitchen, and then search for a safe escape route, and also contains the much famed slow motion bullet-through-the-peephole-through-the-head-into-the-phone killing. Suffice to say it is worthy of it's reputation. Though brief, it is a perfectly constructed piece, and oddly beautiful in it's way. (Most notably in the final shot, as the corpse and shattered phone fall to the ground in unison)Sadly, the film falters a bit towards the end. (Spoilers ahead) It's got a double climax, and neither of them is anywhere near as good as the 3 major horror pieces just prior to it. Still, I don't dislike the second climax as much as most people. The only thing that really bothers me is the explanation of how he got away. (the police mistook a dummy for his corpse) I once watched a documentary on spontaneous combustion, and that's far more than I need to know about flaming corpses to tell one apart from a plastic dummy.I'm about outta space, so I'll close by saying I really like the soundtrack. Some of the actual opera music is annoying, but the rest is good, varying from electronic music, to pseudo-operatic stuff to heavy metal. Unlike most, I think the heavy metal works pretty well. It's generally used after the killing is already underway, so it doesn't destroy tension, and I think it actually adds intensity to the scenes. And hey, I like heavy metal.Buy it

I don't think there's a director with such equal strengths and weaknesses as Dario Argento. His visuals and camerawork are some of the best the horror genre will ever see, but his scripts always seem to underwhelm. Argento returned to familiar giaillo territory with Opera and myself and many consider it to be his last great film. In terms of style and suspense this is easily one of his best works, and one of his bloodiest. The story is extremely simplistic and shares more than a few things in common with Argento's other works, but his knack for building suspense and creating grisly set-pieces keeps the pace rolling. Unfortunately the film has a pointless and silly epilogue that kinda drags things down, but otherwise this is an entertaining, disturbing and visually stunning film that remains one of Argento's best. A must see!

Think Phantom of the Opera but morally ambiguous. There is a back story that is very important to the main heroine. Think of her as our Christine Dae. Her watcher is more sadistic and cruel but no less obsessed. My only gripe is sometimes is the voice over and the lips synching sometimes is not good.

I'm almost at a loss for words... Like others, I didn't think anything could top "Suspiria" but in my opinion, this one does. The two-disc (DVD and soundtrack CD) is another wonderful Anchor Bay package.First of all, the picture is WONDERFUL. Although a 1987 film, it looks like it is a contemporary brand-new picture. It's the cleanest DVD for the Dario Argento films. The sound is very engaging and has total clarity. The fidelity on the soundtrack CD is a bit dated, but is clear and is an added bonus.I'm not going to dwell on what happens in this movie, but be assured that there are so many weird elements in it and they are photographed in style. Only a genius could think of and blend these elements together the way Argento did. The camera angles are superb!Argento usually has a nice-looking female lead in his pictures although they are plain rather than stunningly beautiful. Christina Marsillach is a total beauty, so if you like watching a beautiful woman in a horror film you won't find anyone better.By the way, the Anchor Bay DVD's do not play well on older DVD players. I now own several Anchor Bays, mostly Dario Argento films, and since getting a newer 16x I can play them all.

LIKE SO MANY OTHER AMAZING GIALLO MOVIES AMAZON INSISTS ON POSTING IN ITALIAN EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE FILMED IN ENGLISH ORIGINALLY. THANK YOU FOR NOT DOING THAT TO THIS ONE!!!!! AT LEAST I CAN WATCH ONE OF THEM!!!And the film is such a Masterpiece visually that I cannot help but re-watch it to engage in its exquisite absurdity. The actress is beautiful, the music is beautiful and the opera scenes are beautiful.My only gripe is I knew who the killer was from close to the beginning, but that's probably because I always assume everybody is the killer in a Giallo movie.

This is an Arrow release on DVD (in 2002), of Argento’s 1987 horror classic. And, presented in anamorphic widescreen. In addition to opera music, the soundtrack also incorporates some rock/heavy metal and a haunting theme tune (with a melody which should stay with you). After this film, some would say that Argento’s work has deteriorated. Anyway, the excellent camera work, carefully choreographed murder scenes and a few Argentoesque touches of style; make this a must for many horror fans’ DVD collection.! Is it a cut version? Well, not as far as I know; and I noticed a few frames which didn’t seem to be in the VHS tape version (which I owned some years ago). As another reviewer has pointed out, the ending seems somewhat rushed; and I can see that it looks a bit “tacked on”. If you are a horror fan (particularly if keen on Dario Argento films), then this could definitely be - for you..! Enjoy...

Argento's films have often been called 'operatic', so what better setting for a series of murders than an Italian opera house. The film has fun at the expense of modern opera productions. with its staging of Verdi's 'Macbeth' around a crashed plane, with live ravens landing on the leading lady's shoulders. But the eyes of the ravens hold the clue to the killer, and eventually we are swirling round the theatre from the ravens' viewpoint. Just one of several scenes where the camera floats wonderfully - steadicam tracking along claustrophobic corridors, slow revelations of unspeakable scenes. The film is a glorious display of style from one of cinema's masters.

Why put 'Terror' in front of the title of this work? A bit like what happened with his film Phenomena calling it 'Creepers', a bit tacky to say the least and then cutting huge chunks out of it??No, DA's 'Opera' is one of my favorites. I like the way he uses the camera and incidental music like first person perspectives spiraling down staircases, oh and that bit where he shows handing across the dagger and then repeats it - nice touches!! Unfortunetly, like with so many of his films though, the ending seems a little rushed and odd?? Other than that, it is well worth checking out, especially if you are not familiar with his films.It's a pity he didn't do his third installment of the 'Three Mothers' trilogy around this time as most of his films did degenerate from here on, with one exception in his film 'Trauma' which mixes Italian and American horror film values.Footnote:- Be careful however in purchasing the film by it's proper title 'Opera' as invariably they are NTSC only; and yes, I did get caught out with this on an earlier purchase!!

This is an O.K giallo horror but its very much at the weaker end of Dario Argento's films, its really quite slow and tedious, its nowhere near as good as "Tenebre" and "Supiria" etc, or "A Bay Of Blood" by Mario Bava.

Opera (also known as Terror At The Opera) was a notoriously difficult shoot for Argento, with a number of personal tragedies and professional setbacks befalling the film before it had even reached the production stage. It would also be something of a monument in his career; a return to form in the sense of it being the follow up to his much-criticised supernatural horror/thriller Phenomena, and his return to the giallo-style of filmmaking that he had earlier perfected with masterworks like Deep Red and Tenebrae. It was the third Argento film that I saw after later films, The Stendhal Syndrome and Trauma, neither of which left too much of an impression on me. Opera, on the other hand, was much more impressive, as it is the film of his later career that seems more indebted to the style and freedom of his earlier, more-groundbreaking works.Though I've yet to see Sleepless and The Card Player, Opera remains, perhaps, the last truly definitive Argento thriller... with the usual giallo trademarks employed to a dizzying effect in a number of vicious, though no less elaborate, dramatic set-pieces. Admittedly, like much of Argento's work, Opera can occasionally seem like something of a throwaway... a lurid thriller, populated by lightweight, clichéd characters, over-the-top performances, and too much style-over-substance. However, one scratch beneath the surface reveals something deeper, with Argento once again playing with the self-reflexive notion of films about filmmaking; the idea of seeing and the audience's relationship to the perspective of his characters. Like Tenebrae, his boldest experiment in self-reference, Opera frames it's scenes of orchestrated gore around the production of Verdi's Mac Beth, allowing Argento to comment on his own persona and attitude to his film through the character of Marco, Mac Beth's strained director, trying to do his best whilst murder and chaos is breaking out all around him.There's also the reliance on Argento trademarks... the gloved hands; the drifting point of view shots; the close-ups on the eye; and the lead protagonist who ends up knowing more about the killer than they initially suspected. However, unlike previous Argento giallos, Opera doesn't focus on a male outsider turned amateur sleuth (Bird With The Crystal Plumage, TheCat O' Nine Tails, Deep Red, Tenebrae), but instead, takes it's cue from Suspiria and Inferno, with a female lead setting something of a template for his later films, the abovementioned Trauma and The Stendhal Syndrome. In terms of enjoyment, Opera certainly rivals Argento's debut picture, Bird With The Crystal Plumage, with that continuing combination of "who-dunnit" detective work (with clues for the audience and the characters), and brutal stalk-and-slash set-pieces, the best of which involves Argento's former muse Daria Nicolodi, a peephole, a shadowy figure, and a gun.The cinematography is excellent, as ever; falling somewhere between the lurid stylisation of Suspiria's Technicolor abstraction, and the more low-key recreation of reality in Tenebrae, with the camera always moving, establishing a mood of paranoia and unease, or adapting to various character's points-of-view to swoop or linger around the grand, majestic opera house. The colours are vivid, with the interplay between the dark-shadows at the edges of the frame and the deep reds of the opera curtains (or the buckets of blood) that surprisingly pre-figure the use of colour-coding in Kieslowski's final masterpiece, Three Colours Red. Like all of Argento's best work, Opera is violence at it's most shamefully beautiful... with the director composing his scenes of murder and abuse with a painterly eye and an exquisite attention to cinematic detail.As usual, the acting isn't Oscar worthy, but, at the same time, it's hardly as abysmal as it has been in some of the recent crop of U.S. horror films clogging up our cinemas. The best version, for me, is the original Italian language release, since the dubbing is less obvious and most of the actors seem to calibrate better with their voices. There's some nice turns from lead actress Cristina Marsillach and supporting players Ian Charleson, Urbano Barberini, and the aforementioned Daria Nicolodi (in what I believe to be her last Argento role), which lend an air of prestige and performance believability to the film... though as ever, there's no doubt that it's Argento and his technicians who are really the stars of the film. Although it doesn't quite top the levels of violence seen in the earlier Tenebrae (which is still, perhaps, his most controversial work), Opera manages to stake it's claim as another vicious and violent symphony of blood, with the killer here, at one point, taking the time to stab a victim in the neck... with Argento cutting to a lovely close-up showing the knife sawing away at the jaw-bone.Another repeated method of torture involves having the heroin tied to a chair, with a strip of needles taped under her eyes, so that every time she tries to blink away from the terror, the needles dig into her eyeballs (unbelievably, Argento actually toyed with using this as an "in-cinema" marketing tool!!!), which is one of his absolute, most vicious concoctions. Unsurprisingly, Opera was heavily censored (like much of Argento's work) at the time of it's release... particularly in the UK. However, now with censorship becoming more relaxed, we can see a film like this (and Tenebrae, and Suspiria... but sadly not Deep Red and Bird With the Crystal Plumage, both of which are still cut) as the director originally intended. Opera looks great here in a re-mastered, uncut, widescreen print, with the format really making the most of Argento's bold use of cinematography.The ending has often garnered mixed reviews from most Argento fans, perhaps because it's a bit drawn out... However, while I'll admit it's nowhere near as intelligent or satisfying as the endings of his earlier films, it's still no reason to down-grade Opera, which is, regardless of the slight flaws in the finale-act, an entertaining, thrilling and mostly gripping giallo... whilst it's also, perhaps, the best place to start for those new to Argento's work.