Thoughts on Opera(1987)

What a movie to pick as my first giallo to write about. To start it isn't the greatest showcase for a giallo, but it does have many of the giallo trademarks such as the black gloves,faceless killer,many red herrings,and sleazy death scenes. Not only is it my first giallo, but my first Dario Argento review as well. But might as well start with a master.



The plot is kind of like a phantom of the opera twisted into a s and m nightmare. A new production of Macbeth is being made by a horror director turned opera director. The lead singer is hit by a car before the opera on opening night. Needing a replacement singer, they turn to Betty(Christina Marsillach)a young hopeful singer. During the first performance a man is murdered and a raven attacks Betty on stage. After the show, while Betty is enjoying some r&r with her boyfriend, Betty is tied up and forced to watch the killer murder her boyfriend by way of having pins taped under her eyes. Betty now how has to help catch the killer or give the cops the info they need to uncover the reasons of this psycho.



Opera was one of the darkest and most brutal of all of Argento's movies. It Phenomena(1985) and filmed during a bad time for him, some of his family and crew died during the making of the film. Opera reflects this so the movie has more anger and bleakness to it.

Instead of a money or hidden secret plot like in most giallos(or gialli), The killer in Opera is purely in it for the kicks of forcing someone to watch a murder. In a way you could view it as Argento reflecting his image or power as a director who can play viewer like a piano. This way of thinking makes this killer very different then most of the dull slashers of other 80's fare.



Being this is a Argento movie theres many things to a eye open for such as: the P.O.V. shots from the killer, the great track shots, and some of the best shot and edited murder scenes of film history. Argento is truly master of that last one. Opera has some of his best work. The one that stands out the most is the death of the dress maker(played by Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni). It's well edited and the teeth pulling is a extra perverse bit. The flashbacks to Betty's mother is another great set of scenes with some of the best camera work Ive seen in a long time. The last scene that comes to mind is the bullet thur eye scene, where a bullet shot Thur a door past Daria's eye to the house phone.

Another great trait of a Argento movie is the music. Claudio Simonetti of Goblin gives another great score to the movie. Like Phenomena, this movie also has heavy metal music added to some murder scenes, unlike the usual replays of Goblin.



Acting wise Chistina Marsillach is alright as Betty, but at times she seems too whiney and she also does a bunch of stupid things that makes me want to root for her. Ian Charleson does a great suspicious director,tho his under used. Urbano Barnerini is the little off cop, his hollow turning his screen time(spoiler he gets better near the end,but that's a plot twist). Daria Nicolodi is great in her limited screen time as Betty's agent and she gets one hell of a death scene. Lastly Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni is a looker but she didn't bring much to the movie other then before and after her death scene.

Opera isn't what i would call a good start for people to get into Argento or gialli, but it would be a great second film. Truly one of the better Italian horror movies to watch.