’70s Argento at the Gene Siskel Film Center

January 8, 2023 by Jon Kitley in Movie Events and tagged Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Cat O'Nine Tails, Dario Argento, Deep Red, Four Flies on Grey Velvet, Gene Siskel Film Center, Italian horror, Suspiria, The Five Days | Leave a comment

If you’re a fan of Dario Argento, especially his early work, and live somewhat close to Chicago, you might want to check this out. Starting on Feb. 3rd, they will be screening Argento’s first 6 feature films over the course of 7 days. Below is the list of titles, dates, and times. If you haven’t had the chance to see these on a big screen, then now is your chance to knock out his early titles, which many would argue are his best, including the rare comedy he made, The Five Days, aka Five Days in Milan. For more details, you can go directly to the Gene Siskel site by clicking HERE.

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Giallopalooza at the Drive-In!

July 13, 2021 by Jon Kitley in Movie Events and tagged Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Blood and Black Lace, Cat O' Nine Tails, Dario Argento's Fear, Deep Red, Giallopalooza, Lizard in a Woman's Skin, Lucio Fulci, Mario Bava, Riverside Drive-In, Sergio Martino, Torso, What have you Done to Solange, Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key | Leave a comment

How would you like to be able to see 8 classic Italian giallo films over two nights on the big screen? Then start making your plans to go to this fall’s Drive-In Super Monster-Rama on Sept. 17th & 18th for their Giallopalooza, taking place at the Riverside Drive-in in Vandergrift, PA. The titles have have announced are some of the best of the sub-genre and are going to give fans a wide range of entertainment, from the over-the-top exploitation style of Sergio Martino (Torso & Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key) or classic giallo like masters like Dario Argento (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, The Cat O’Nine Tails & Deep Red), Mario Bava’s (Blood and Black Lace), and Lucio Fulci (Lizard in a Woman’s Skin).

Book Review – Fear: The Autobiography of Dario Argento

October 3, 2019 by Jon Kitley in Reviews: Horror Reference Book and tagged Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Cat O'Nine Tails, Dario Argento, Deep Red, FAB Press, Fear: The Autobiography of Dark Argento, Four Flies on Grey Velvet, Opera, Prondo Rosso, Suspiria | Leave a comment

Fear: The Autobiography of Dario Argento
Published by FAB Press, 2019. 288 pages.
By Dario Argento

No matter what you have to say about Dario Argento, he is a powerful voice in cinema, with a staggering amount of pictures that will be discussed at length, at movie conventions and film schools alike, for many years to come. So when news of his autobiography, which was first published in Italy in 2014, was going to see its first English version thanks to FAB Press, I immediately pre-ordered a copy.

Autobiographies can be a bit tricky, especially coming from someone as high up as Argento is. Sometimes they can be very self-indulgent, filled with self-praise, or even though while entertaining, you question the legitimacy of some, if not all of the stories. So I went into this volume with a slight trepidation as to what I was going to get. What I did get was something that felt completely honest and written from the heart. If there is one thing that is filled within each and every page, it is passion. Even in the opening chapter, when he touches on his thoughts of suicide, you can tell he is not holding back with his stories. Continue reading →

Movie Review: The Bird with the Crystal Plumage

July 2, 2017 by Jon Kitley in Reviews: Movies and tagged Arrow Video, Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Dario Argento, Ennio Morricone, Suzy Kendall, Tony Musante, Troy Howarth | Leave a comment

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)
Directed Dario Argento
Starring Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salemo, Eva Renzi, Umberto Raho, Renato Romano, Giuseppe Castellano

This is a very important title to Italian horror fans. It is, of course, the directorial debut of Dario Argento, and what would be the first film in his ‘animal trilogy’. It was this picture that would start Argento down his path as one of the most popular Italian directors, whose career has spanned more than five decades. Sure, some might frown upon some of Argento’s later films, even from the last couple of decades. But no matter how bad you might consider those films, that doesn’t change the fact that the titles in the early part of his career still are stunning classics and, more importantly, still effective today. As Troy Howarth points out in his commentary that is featured on this new disc from Arrow Video, “His reputation as one of the most influential and imaginative of genre filmmakers can never be taken away from him.” So there you go.

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