TENEBRAE: A 4K Review Of Dario Argento’s Horror Classic

Introduction

Italian director Dario Argento helped bring the subgenre of Giallo to the forefront with films that were a hit with both critics and fans of this unique type of slasher/murder fare. Influential films such as The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), The Cat o’ Nine Tails (1971), and Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) had critics calling him the Italian Hitchcock. However, the director didn’t want to be typecast. As a result, he moved away from psychological horror and sexploitation to helm a comedy, The Five Days of Milan (1973). The film was a flop.

Argento went back to doing what he does best. He made what some may call his greatest film, the celebrated Giallo masterpiece Deep Red (1975). At the height of the Giallo craze, Argento decided to take a break. He again moved away from the subgenre, preferring to take on more supernatural themes. He subsequently produced what is unquestionably his most popular and visually stunning film, Suspiria (1977). Argento was planning for a trilogy about “The Three Mothers,” ancient witches who resided in Freiburg, Rome, and New York City.

Argento’s experience making the sequel film, Inferno (1980), was a horrible one. Failing miserably at the box office, Argento never worked with a large Hollywood studio again. Consequently, he revisited the comfy chair that is the Giallo film. In what was perhaps his most underappreciated and most violent film to date, he made the cult-classic Tenebrae (1982). The film was inspired by real-life events in which an obsessed fan called Argento repeatedly, criticized him for his previous films and claimed psychological damage. The calls led to death threats against the director.

Now, over four decades later, Synapse Films releases what can be called the definitive visual restoration of a film that has had many previous versions released for home viewing. Most recently the 2016 Blu-ray release. With bonus materials galore and a vivid and stunning 2160 UHD transfer, this is a must-own for fans of Dario Argento’s work.

Synopsis

Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa) is a successful American novelist. With a following in Europe, Peter is in Italy, promoting his latest book. Accompanying Peter on the trip overseas is his agent Bullmer (John Saxon) as well as Peter’s assistant (love interest), Anne (Daria Nicolodi). Peter, unbeknownst to him, is also being followed by his jealous and bitter ex-wife, Jane (Veronica Lario). Prior to Peter arriving in Rome, a young female shoplifter (Ania Pieroni) is horrifically slashed to death by an unseen killer. It seems that a serial killer is stalking and violently killing people associated with Peter’s latest novel.

The killer soon sends Neal a letter stating that it’s actually Peter’s novels that have inspired the unknown assailant to go on a murderous spree. Subsequently, Neal contacts the local authorities who put Detectives Giermani (Giuliano Gemma) and Altieri (Carola Stagnaro) in charge of finding the killer. Both work closely with Peter since the author is sent a letter after each murder. Neal and Anne also decide to do some investigating on their own, enlisting the help of a local named Gianni (Christian Borromeo).

Tilde (Mirella D’Angelo), a lesbian journalist, and her lover are both brutally murdered at their home with a straight razor by the unseen killer. Peter then receives another disturbing letter stating that all ‘perverts’ must be destroyed. The killer believes that he/she is ‘protecting’ society by killing off LGBTQ+ people and prostitutes. As an added twist, the killer is ripping out pages of Peter’s newest novel and stuffing them into the mouths of the victims. As the death toll rises, Peter and Anne are closing in on who this psychopath might be. However, can they get to the truth before it’s too late?

Analysis

Tenebrae may be the most autobiographical film that Dario Argento ever made. The metatextual elements are thrown at the viewer right off the bat when we see Peter sitting with a copy of his new book, entitled Tenebrae. Also, the threatening letters delivered to Peter are a page ripped out (literally) of what was happening to Argento when he sat down to write the screenplay. It’s no coincidence that Peter is accused of being a misogynist by his former assistant as Argento, for most of his career, had these same accusations thrown at him. Putting all of this aside, Tenebrae remains a tight and brilliantly shot film. 

Argento also amps up the violence to exceedingly high levels. This helped Tenebrae get included on the ‘Video Nasties’ list in the UK in the early ’80s. The list was created so that the press and critics could bring these films to the public forefront. This led to the creation of the Video Recordings Act of 1984 in the UK. The result was stricter censorship being enforced for films released on video. Still, as violent as Tenebrae is, it’s shockingly beautiful. Blood splatter on a clean white wall reminds the viewer of a modern work of art. There’s a stunning three-minute crane shot that Paul Thomas Anderson must have been thinking about when shooting the opening of Boogie Nights (1997).

Cast and Music

The cast of Tenebrae elevates the film to a whole other level. While Christopher Walken was the first choice to play Peter, Anthony Franciosa was clearly the right choice. In a film that is over-the-top in its violence and chaos, Walken’s eclectic mannerisms and personality would have been too much. Franciosa is the stabilizing force in a film where everything around him is falling to pieces. Daria Nicolodi is, as usual, excellent. However, this is a more benign performance than what Argento and Nicolodi fans are used to. As always, the late John Saxon is a joy to watch in what is basically a long cameo, injecting a dash of Hollywood into Argento’s film.

Any fans of Italian progressive rock (or Italian horror films) will likely know the name and band Goblin. Formed in the early 1970s by Claudio Simonetti (keyboards) and Massimo Morante (guitar), they are responsible for some of the greatest soundtracks in the history of horror films. Starting in 1975, they formed a working relationship with Dario Argento that has lasted decades. Quite honestly, Argento’s films wouldn’t be the same without Goblin’s unique psychedelic synth-heavy music. While only three of the four original members of Goblin appear on this soundtrack, it remains the truly last great collaboration between director and band. Their final collaboration together would be on the 2001 film, Sleepless.

4K Release

As one would predict, the new 2160p UHD transfer of Tenebrae looks absolutely stunning. Argento’s color palette is perfectly suited for this type of high-definition transfer. The whites are extraordinary and blood red has never looked so good. Synapse Films’ 4K Ultra HD edition is the definitive version of this film to own. Tenebrae was originally released in North America two years after its Italian release and was horribly recut and retitled as Unsane. This latest release is delivered to the viewer in its original, uncut version. As a result, Argento’s narrative is much more coherent and fluid. In addition, Goblin’s soundtrack has never sounded better with restored original DTS-HD MA lossless soundtrack options. 

Special Features

This newest release carries over the audio commentary by critics/authors Alan Jones and Kim Newman that was included on the previous Blu-ray release by Arrow. Their commentary is both insightful as well as hilarious. They are also particularly astute at breaking down Argento’s visual effects as well as his directing technique. If you are a fan of Tenebrae, their commentary is a must-listen. In case you are curious, Synapse Films has also included the original edited North American release of Unsane on a separate disc. It’s a disjointed mess.

Perhaps the best special feature in a release filled with them is the feature-length documentary Yellow Fever: The Rise and Fall of the Giallo. Coming in at almost ninety minutes, this alone is worth the price of admission. Originally appearing on the 2016 Blu-ray, it features interviews with all the masters of Giallo. Dario Argento. Umberto Lenzi. Luigi Cozzi. Ruggero Deodato. Dardano Sacchetti. All of these major players provide their thoughts and insights into the genre. Both Mario Bava and Argento are featured prominently and given the respect they rightfully deserve.

New to this release is an additional commentary track along with numerous on-camera interviews. Argento scholar Thomas Rostock provides fantastic insight, going deep into the film’s background and themes. Among the many interviews is Argento himself explaining the autobiographical origins of Tenebrae. Actor Daria Nicolodi also gives the viewer an in-depth insight into what it’s like working for Argento. Veteran cult-horror actor John Steiner discusses his career in Italian cinema and composer and Goblin co-founder Claudio Simonetti also discusses his decades-long working relationship with Argento.

Conclusion

Argento’s classic meta-giallo has been given the white-glove treatment. Synapse Films has outdone itself with what is easily the definitive packaging of Tenebrae. Loaded with extras and visually stunning in all its 4K glory, this is a must-own for fans of the film, Dario Argento or the horror genre in general. 

Tenebrae is avaialble on 4K Ultra HD now via Synapse Films.

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