(1980)
Overall: MEH
Sadly, Dario Argento's follow-up and sequel to his seminal masterpiece Suspiria is acutely underwhelming. The script for Inferno was once again a collaboration between Argento and Daria Nicolodi, (the latter who went uncredited this round), and establishes the concept of the Three Mothers which was based off of the "Suspiria de profundis" series of essays by English author Thomas De Quincey. Switching cinematographers, Romano Albani does spellbinding work and the film is absolutely gorgeous the entire way through. Fusing purples and blues with some fantastically decorated sets, it is in many ways as much of a visual spectacle as Suspiria was. Problems come in the pacing area though as the movie is catastrophically boring. Rick Wakeman's classically inspired score occasionally livens things up a bit in a quirky way, but enormous amounts of screen time play out silently and the borderline incomprehensible story is so vapant that there are no stakes or suspense to go along with endless build ups to nothingness. One cannot underestimate how first-rate the film looks though and there are of course a few memorably silly death sequences, but coming after such a flawless landmark, it is rather a disappointment.
(1982)
Overall: MEH
Returning once more to non-supernatural giallo, Dario Argento's Tenebre, (Tenebrae, Unsane) is a typical entry for the filmmaker yet one with unfilled potential. He conceived of the story to take place in the near future, with unnatural landscapes and buildings meant to create a post-apocalyptic landscape. All of this sounds fine and good in theory, yet the finished product completely fails to convey any of it, coming off exclusively as a contemporary-set, Italian slasher movie like countless others. The director still manages to stage some clever, flashy, and of course logically-void murder sequences and the pace is kept on high alert throughout. The synthy score by various members of Goblin is pretty hooky as well and the script deliberately addresses Argento's more uppity critics and disturbed fans who both take issue with and seem to revel in the misogynistic, brutal violence in his films. It still ends up being a standard, black-gloved, "whodunit" giallo though, with a nonsensical killer reveal that hinges on a sexualized, traumatic past episode. So in other words, it is by the books while being more self-referential if not altogether more memorable.
(1985)
Overall: GOOD
One of the strangest works from Dario Argento which is clearly saying something, Phenomena, (Creepers), fuses a handful of bold, nonsensical choices into its giallo framework. The director's first collaboration with screenwriter Franco Ferrini, the desperate pairing of a young girl's psychic connection to insects and a nurse chimpanzee work just as "logically" as anything else in Argento's movies. In the lead, fifteen year-old Jennifer Connely is a long way from her Oscar winning performance in A Beautiful Mind and practically zombies her way through the silly material, while Donald Pleasence is his usual, elder statesmen self. This is notable for containing a more contemporary, rock-heavy score with both Motorhead and Iron Maiden songs making an appearance, the latter much more effectively. Bill Wyman of all people contributes some sounds as well, (as he also would do in 1987's Opera), just to add to the randomness. Unfortunately, Argento indulges in very few kill scenes and does not bust out the insanity until the last twenty minutes yet when he finally does let loose, it is laugh out loud ridiculous and more than makes up for the comparatively stagnant flow to get there. As far as endings go, this might take the prize as the Italian Hitchcock's finest and most over the top, at least in a good way.
(1987)
Overall: GOOD
Ten films into his career and Dario Argento's extravagant and nonsensical abilities when it came to textbook giallos were a very well-oiled machine, proven wonderfully with Opera, (Terror at the Opera). Once again teamed up in the script department with Franco Ferrini and working with British cinematographer Ronnie Taylor for the first time, this would mark the end of Daria Nicolodi's involvement with her former partner's films until 2007's Mother of Tears. Story inspiration came from Argento's own failed experience of directing a production of Giuseppe Verdi's Macbeth, with the infamous "needle pins taped under the eyelids" gag spawning from a joke where he openly wished that movie patrons could not turn away from the unpleasant gore in his movies. While there are enough rushed plot holes here to collapse several films, Argento and Taylor bust out the wild camera angles and highly inventive murder sequences at an almost reckless abandon. With plenty of flashy visuals and over the top moments, this is probably his best paced work since Suspiria. Harsh critics of narrative stupidity will have a field day, but for a nasty, captivating bit of tightly-wound mayhem, it is a gem.
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