Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFULLY DONE FILM BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, 29 Oct 2007
After discovering a sacred key in New York, Rose, (Irene Miracle) announces to her brother Mark Elliot, (Leigh McCloskey) in Rome, only for his neighbor Sara, (Eleonora Giorgi) to become involved in the discovery. When a series of murders forces him to come to America, they find that the keys are part of a system used to control a powerful witch that belonged to a trio of powerful witches. When her friend Elise Stallone Van Adler, (Daria Nicolodi) decides to help him following another spree of murders, they find that the witch is about to be released from her hiding place, and race to stop her from continuing a reign of destruction.
The Good News: One of the most visually striking films around, this is also one of the greater films of Argento. He pulls out all the stops here, creating one of the most visually arresting genre films ever made. Everything is designed to hit the viewer with maximum effect--be it the lush and lurid use of color, the subtle but intriguing scene transitions, the wild murder sequences, or the rock-opera score, there's an over-the-top grandness to that makes it incredibly appealing. Lurid colors and strange lighting register in every shot, giving the proceedings a nightmarish feel that permeate these films. The standout scene of the whole film is one sequence where, early in the film, the first character is in a basement where she finds a hole in the floor leading to another room underneath the building, this one filled entirely with water. Accidentally dropping her keys into the hole in the floor, they of course are forced to dive into this submerged room, finding a picture of Mater Tenebrarum as well as encounter some surprises underwater she didn't expect to discover. That in itself is one of the greatest sequences in the film, and the eventual surprise is quite creepy. The other death scenes are very long and intense. One of the best is the sequence where the Mother grabs Rose from behind, forces down her head until she is impaled on nails sticking out of a window frame, and then she pushes down the glass to slice her throat. The glass jams in the first attempt, but the Mother quite methodically pushes it back up, and makes another. This one connects but does not kill, so it's done again. The sequence is so well done, it is actually painful to watch. Equally impressive is a segment where one character winds up slipping into a sort of creek where he is subsequently attacked by hundreds of rats that chew on him, while the character screams for help. Getting what appears to be a rescue, inexplicably his throat gets slashed. The murder sequences are all nicely done, particularly one savage stabbing near the middle of the film. What makes it so great is that they're attacked by a horde of rats in a long, incredibly drawn-out sequence. The real fireworks come at the end, with one of the greatest building-fires around, which also sets up the confrontation with the villain in a burning apartment. Delivering the requisite explanation while being framed in a mirror with fire burning all around them, the villain gets closer and closer until they break through the window with one of the greatest reveals ever. It's a simple scene that works incredibly well, and it's a surprising image that really won't be forgotten soon. That works well in giving the film a true re-watchability factor.
The Bad News: There's really only one thing in the film that wasn't on, and that was the plot. This made absolutely no sense at all, and was just basically a series of scenes that have very little in common with each other. It's hard to really describe this one any more, as it's just a confusing, illogical mess. This is the only real problem with it, but it's a major one, enough to lower it's rating considerably.
The Final Verdict: Even when it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense, it's still one of the most interesting and really fascinating works of Argento. It's not in his upper echelon of films, but it's still close enough to give this a real recommendation to hardcore European Horror and Argento fans.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Visually stunning, but thematically weak follow up to Argento's grand Suspiria., 17 Dec 2007
Inferno was director Dario Argento's little-seen follow up to his classic 1977 supernatural thriller, Suspiria; a beautifully made if slightly incomprehensible tale about witches operating behind the façade of a German ballet school for girls. This similarly flashy follow up continues the theme of witchcraft by elaborating on the idea of the "three mothers" - whilst, in the process - creating something of a semi-sequel/follow up to the film aforementioned.
The problem with Inferno, however, is simply that Argento has pared down the already minimal narrative-scope of Suspiria even further; giving us a kaleidoscopic collage of vibrant colours and carefully composed camera movements with really very little in the way of character development and plot. This renders the film curiously without terror and/or suspense; as characters are dispatched in a variety of complicated (if wholly misguided - e.g. the scene with the cats) set-pieces, whilst the audience are left to either marvel at Argento's bravura use of mise-en-scene or merely to yawn in unison.
The film, like Suspiria and other Argento films - such as the dazzling Deep Red or the masterpiece Tenebrae - has a wonderfully pensive atmosphere to it; with the gothic production design of the main location and the giddy use of colour ensuring that the film will be unlike anything else you'll ever see, or indeed, hear. The sound design of Inferno (dubbed on, naturally, as it to be expected of Italian films of this era) is also deeply unsettling and genuinely creepy, though sadly, undermined far too often by the screamingly colourful baroque/prog-influenced soundtrack by former ELP keyboardist Keith Emerson (for me, one of the film's major shortcomings).
I understand what Argento was trying to achieve; with the juxtaposition between the slow and brooding use of editing and the ominous choice of camera angles being cross-cut against a lively and, at times, almost "up-tempo" musical score to create an unnerving feeling of the unexpected; but really, by the time the film gets round to one of its most talked about set-pieces - the murder in central park - you'll be yearning for the return of previous Argento soundtrack-collaborators Goblin with that ferocious jazz-funk influenced death-rock found in films like Suspiria and Deep Red.
As with those films, Inferno is a great visual experience, especially as it's presented here in this Region 1, US DVD release from Anchor Bay; with those beautifully rich colours and a correct aspect ratio really giving us a chance to see the film as it was meant to be seen. However, those looking for a great story with interesting characters and a mind-blowing ending (such as the grand twists found at the end of Argento's more iconic giallo films) will be severely disappointed by Inferno's meandering plot and over-reliance on slow-building tension and dizzying cinematic invention.
Those who complain about Suspiria's plot making little to no sense would really be best advised to avoid this particular offering, which, as mentioned earlier, pares down the narrative scope of that particular film to the level of a Hallmark greeting card. As a result, Inferno is really a film for die-hard Argento fans only; those who are well familiar with his greater works, such as The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Four Flies on Grey Velvet, Deep Red, Suspiria, Tenebrae and Opera - anyone else should approach with a patience, and an open mind.
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dario does it again............, 9 Mar 2000
By A Customer
Brilliant! Dario does it again. At points the story does go a bit pete tong. This is pure Dario genius again. A convoluted plot involves the three mothers, who are high witches and the various people who come in to contact with them. There are also various references to works by Dante, etc and even a brief appearance by death himself. The direction and camera work is excellent. Although it can be watched individually, Dario buffs will know that this is part of a series of films concerned with witchcraft etc, also including Suspiria (also available from amazon.co.uk). Personally I believe that it is not as good as my favourite film Phenomena (Also by Dario) but it is well up there. A worthwhile addition to any cult video collection.
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