...aka: World of Horror, The
Directed by:
Michele Soavi
The fascinating films of Italian horror stylist Dario Argento are covered in this excellent documentary constructed by director Michele Soavi, a man pretty familiar with the subject matter since he served as Argento's assistant on several of his films. It covers every Argento film from his 1969 debut (THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE) to 1984 (Phenomena aka Creepers), plus some films he helped produce and/or write (DAWN OF THE DEAD, Demons). Footage shows how the amazing luma crane shot was achieved in Tenebre (or as the subs call it: "Shadow"), how insect effects and make-up were created for Creepers (not to mention a scene where Jennifer levitates off the floor that's not even in the uncut version of the film) and how they did some of the animatronics and effects for Demons. When this documentary was first released it was a must, since it featured many astonishing and usually gory sequences that were cut from the hacked up American release versions, which were all that was available at the time. Since most of the films have been restored to their original length on DVD since, this documentary may have lost some of its original appeal, though it's still well worth watching for fans.
Argento worries a lot about his abilities as a filmmaker, makes sensible comparisons between sex and violence, attends an Emerson, Lake and Palmer concert and talks about his inspirations. The Vidmark VHS release has English language narration, but subtitled interviews and is a must see for any fan of the director. Video Search of Miami went on to release Dario Argento: Master of Horror (1991), a documentary by Luigi Cozzi, featuring more interviews and behind the scenes footage (from Terror at the Opera, Two Evil Eyes and others). There was a third Italian documentary in this series covering 1991-1997, as well as Leon Ferguson's 2001 documentary Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror (2001).
Argento worries a lot about his abilities as a filmmaker, makes sensible comparisons between sex and violence, attends an Emerson, Lake and Palmer concert and talks about his inspirations. The Vidmark VHS release has English language narration, but subtitled interviews and is a must see for any fan of the director. Video Search of Miami went on to release Dario Argento: Master of Horror (1991), a documentary by Luigi Cozzi, featuring more interviews and behind the scenes footage (from Terror at the Opera, Two Evil Eyes and others). There was a third Italian documentary in this series covering 1991-1997, as well as Leon Ferguson's 2001 documentary Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror (2001).
★★★
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