Not wanting to show favouritism, especially after the frankly pathetic Luc Besson Season, I've decided to opt for a later effort by Dario Argento to complete his season of films. I hadn't seen this before, but I can't say that I had high hopes; I would have been happy with anything approaching average. Let's see whether The Card Player approaches that lofty target or will it skip away squealing like a rotund fellow in mountain man country.
Anyone following the career of Argento will have probably guessed that it's the latter. It barely feels like an Argento film. The bad dubbing and bad acting combined with highly dubious character motivations and dodgy dialogue are all in place as usual, although here they just give it an amateur feel rather than adding to the overall fun and enjoyment as in his earlier productions. But - and this is the important bit - they had atmosphere and style on their side (and even a bit of substance occasionally). This doesn't. The trademark Argento style is virtually invisible. The deaths in particular should be the pinnacle of stylishness. Nope. Nothing memorable.
The story actually sounds vaguely interesting at first glance. A serial killer kidnaps an unlucky passerby then plays a game of online poker against the police to decide the fate of his unwilling victim. If the police win the kidnappee goes free. If not, it's razor blade meets neck time. To make matters worse the police have to watch the murder on a webcam. Not too bad an idea is it? (The story, not the murdering of members of the public. That's plain anti-social.)
In practise, it's dire. Anyone who has played any poker will just be shouting and ranting at the screen during the card scenes. The game they play is so simplistic and short that it is pretty much entirely based on luck. Even the greatest poker players wouldn't be able to win more than fifty percent of their games. Yet the characters beat themselves up regularly over their lack of skill (or congratulate themselves on their prowess). It also suffers from the usual flaw of poker films: the quality of the hands they pull out of the bag. In a best of three hands situation, most will probably be won by a pair. Not here.
The music is by Claudio Simonetti. Ooh, you're thinking, that must bump the rating up a bit. No. It doesn't. The score just doesn't fit with the style of the film and feels like a separate entity. It's not even very pleasant in its own right. A big disappointment.
The only positive is the inclusion of Liam Cunningham as a disgraced cop. His performance here is nothing compared to the performance Poliakoff got out of him in Shooting the Past but he's easily the best thing about the film. When he's on screen The Card Player gets close to being watchable. He adds an actorly weight to the proceedings that no-one else comes close to.
So it's a down ending to The Dario Argento Season (think yourself lucky that it wasn't The Mother of Tears though) but let's not forget all the great films he's made. His final average score will be revealed soon, but for now this poor effort gets a lowly:
2/10
evlkeith
If you like this you could also try:
Rounders, The Cincinnati Kid.
Film three in our season of all things Argento is Tenebrae, a return to the giallo genre after his dalliance with the supernatural in Suspiria (review coming soon). When I had my first Dario obsession in the early nineties, I was more enamoured by his fantasy supernatural offerings. But now I tend to lean more toward his gialli.
Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa) is a popular crime writer whose most recent novel Tenebrae inspires a killer to go and do killings. Neal gets together a Scooby gang consisting of his assistant Anne (Daria Nicolodi) and plucky golf jumper wearing freak Gianni (Christian Borromeo) to help him solve the case. The police become involved when Neal begins to gets threatening letters from the killer. Black leather murdering gloves, a knife, a razor and an axe all feature prominently from there on in. Excellent.
At some point in the not too distant past, I had a minor rant about nobody being interested in finding out who the killer is in a giallo, and that the mystery is only there to provide some lovely murders. Which is fine by me. But here, the identity of the killer is pretty intriguing. There are some blatant red-herrings, but the possible list of candidates is high. Until they all get slaughtered. I don't want to spoil it if you haven't seen it, but there is a moment in the final third when something a little on the unbelievable side happens, and the old spidey-sense is definitely tingling. Although on watching the film a second time, the identity of the killer is fairly obvious due to some recurring themes and images, one of which is directly linked to the killer. It's cleverly done though and rewards repeat viewings.
Along with a nifty mystery there are some (obviously stylish) gruesome murders that build in intensity. The first half seems pretty tame by today's standards but things soon get going and the red stuff flows. Or sprays. Everywhere. There are a fair few iconic images in Tenebrae but surely the most well known is of a lady being slashed as the camera looks through a large hole in her shirt. Logic goes out of the window to enable this legendary shot. The lady in question is rather nervous - there is a killer on the loose after all - and she senses that someone is lurking about in her house. So she changes her top. If ever someone breaks into my house in the middle of the night and starts stalking me with a slashing razor, I'm going to try that tactic. It works on the basis that the murderer won't want to get blood on your freshly washed and ironed shirt. This may work if the killer was my mum, but apart from that...
Tenebrae has a look that you don't get now. The film stock used produces a rich feel to the colour, even when the colours are pale and muted. You may expect that the cinematography would involve lots of shadow and dark recesses, it is a giallo after all. But no. The electricity meter must have run out numerous times during the making of this. Even exterior night scenes are brightly lit. There is nowhere to hide. It all adds up to a gorgeous looking film.
North by Northwest may have sprung to mind, a thriller where the hero is chased in broad daylight. And this isn't the only link between that film and Tenebrae. Neal's agent, Bulmer (John Saxon) is waiting for a meeting out in a public square. The scene plays out, without dialogue, as Bulmer watches the people's lives around him. It is shot in a Hitchcock style: the character looks at something, we see that something, then we see the character's reaction to it. But in a twist on the cornfield scene from North by Northwest, people surround Bulmer. Eventually, he turns out to be just as alone as Roger Thornhill. A great scene.
Dario wrote this film to goad his critics who thought that if he can make these horrific films then he must be a sadistic misogynist murdering paedo. The character of Peter Neal could easily be substituted for Dario himself. Although initially Argento's great plan doesn't seem to have worked - the killer goes for attractive ladies after all - but as the plot develops, his dastardly plan is revealed. As a viewer, I'm not sure why I enjoy horror films, (something discussed in Karl Kaefer's Danse Macabre post) but it's something that I should ponder on. I just know that I'm not a murderer. And I doubt Dario is either.
Is Tenebrae as good as Deep Red then? Not quite. But that is down to personal taste. In Deep Red, I love the dark sequences in the old house, where David Hemmings chips away at the plaster. The cinematography in Tenebrae actually works against it and comes across as cold. Which fits the tone but not my need for atmosphere. Still, it's a great film that improves like a fine wine. Or, if beer is your preferred beverage, a fine bottle of Timothy Taylor's. Now I've finished writing this lovely review, let me just go and shut the dungeon door before a passerby hears that scream.
8/10
evlkeith
If you like this you could also try:
Deep Red, Don't Torture a Duckling, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.
Well, I waited and waited. And at no point during the whole running time did a pig flying a plane appear. I was severely disappointed and aggrieved. How I laughed when I realised that I'd been watching Profondo Rosso and not Porco Rosso. (Another similar, but true, story is that I thought Billy Elliott was a football film. I don't know where I got that from but I spent the whole film waiting for him to hang up his ballet shoes and put on some boots and shin pads. Stupid useless film.)
Enough of this larking around, let's get on to the film proper. I saw Deep Red about eighteen years ago in a freezing cold, grimy little house in Hull. It didn't really compare to my other Argento favourites at the time. So I haven't watched it since. Until now, for this special Dario Argento season. I must say that it's way better than I'd originally thought.
Marcus Daly (David Hemmings - looking suspiciously like Rik Mayall) is a pianist who witnesses a murder. He teams up with ace reporter Gianna Brezzi (Daria Nicolodi) to discover the identity of the mysterious killer who funnily enough has a liking for black leather murdering gloves and keeping his/her face hidden.
Yep, we're in giallo territory and all of the usual giallo trappings are present and correct: logic that makes less sense than the answers on 3-2-1, the aforementioned murdering gloves, a preposterous central conceit that leads to the final reveal of the killer, great music (by Goblin - their first collaboration with Dario), heightened sound effects and, of course, stylishly shot murders.
It's not the goriest of offerings but it contains the Dario staple of slamming a lady's head through a plate glass window, a woman getting her head par-boiled in a bath and an incident where a mantlepiece meets a poor fellow's teeth at great velocity. The effects are all quite pleasant but the blisters on the face of the scald victim are particularly realistic.
But strangely I don't enjoy it for the killings - although they do help - I like it for two other reasons. The first is the creepy tension filled atmosphere when Marcus enters an old house at night and starts chipping away at a wall to reveal a painting. This scene lasts ages but the score and the slow reveal of the image keep it thoroughly engaging. My other reason is the relationship between the two leads, who are both supremely watchable throughout. At many times Deep Red plays more like a romantic comedy than a thriller. For evidence, look at any of the scenes that contain the tiny Lupin style car. This light-hearted feel adds a different flavour to a film that is very dark on occasions.
Deep Red falls a little foul of Argento's technical giddyness. Just as Opera was marred by steadicam overuse, Deep Red suffers from macro abuse. A few shots are okay but he does tend to overdo it a tad. But this film also shows Dario taking in wider influences (possibly introduced to him by Daria Nicolodi). One scene includes a virtual recreation of Edward Hopper's 'Nighthawks', even down to the way that the characters all sit perfectly still.
One last reason to watch this film: if you've seen Don't Look Now, one scene will be permanently engraved on your brain due to its ability to make the viewer squirm and back away from the screen. Deep Red has a similar moment with a deeply disturbing clockwork child-sized doll.
Deep Red has definitely gone up in the Dario rankings. It will be interesting to see how Suspiria and Tenebrae fare against it. (Inferno was one of my previous favourites but in a bizarre twist of events the uncut version has spoilt it for me. I really don't want to see a cat eating a live mouse. I prefer the cut version for once.)
9/10
evlkeith
If you like this you could also try:
Lizard in a Woman's Skin, Four Flies on Grey Velvet.
The Luc Besson Season was a bit of a disaster with an average rating of only two. Low quality. Let's see how Mr Argento fares. In our first instalment, Dario tries his hand at fusing giallo and fantasy elements with Phenomena. With mixed results. Does anyone actually care who the killer is in gialli? All I'm bothered about are the quality of the murdering gloves they wear and the death scenes.
So how do the murders stand up? Stylish but pretty tame. Only two deaths stick in the mind: one involving two of Dario's trademarks, head through glass and extreme slow-motion, the other while brief, comes as a shock on first viewing. It's a disappointment after the delights of Tenebrae and Suspiria.
But it has got more to offer in the fantasy department, despite being completely stupid. A young Jennifer Connelly plays Jennifer, a girl with the supernatural ability to make insects frisky. While insects can be used to solve crimes and determine the time of death it seems a bit of a stretch that an insect could lead you to the killer. Just let it fly in front of you, follow it, and there you go. Episodes of CSI would become suspiciously similar if this technique worked. As for there being a link between insects and the human soul...
The characters are all in stupid horror film mode. People wander blindly into murdering situations. The killer barely has to break into a sweat. Word of warning: if there's a murderer on the loose, and someone you know starts behaving psychotically, don't swallow a tablet that they've given you. Regardless of how much they shout at you. Just in case you were tempted.
Like the majority of Dario's early efforts, Phenomena looks great. Architecture is beautifully lit and shot, as you'd expect and there's a gorgeous shot of Connelly (Jennifer, not Brian) rising out of the water at night, a fire burning in the background. It also does disgusting pretty well too. A 'swimming pool' scene is particularly full of grue, when the film takes a satisfying dark turn towards the end.
I sincerely hope that Phenomena isn't used as a training aid for professionals dealing with mental illness. Here are some things I learnt: sleepwalking = psychophrenia. Doccortex had a sleepwalk. Once. Lock him up. Something else that I found out is that mental asylums should have a number of levels. And as the levels are descended, the inmates should get increasingly monstrous. A bit like hell. So let me get this straight: posh middle class children should go to huge ornate private schools, whilst children with mental health issues should be locked in the fiery depths of Satan's buttcheeks. Sounds like part of the Tory manifesto.
Despite its numerous failings (a blatant piece of thieving from Don't Look Now, Donald Pleasance's comedy Scottish accent and some jarring rock tunes on the soundtrack) I cant help quite liking this film. It has an atmosphere that Opera lacked. Connelly's sleepwalking episodes add to the fairy tale quality. Not Connelly's best. Not Dario's best. But worth a watch for a razor wielding monkey alone. (The rental copy I watched on Blu-ray had an extra bonus feature: it kept randomly swapping languages. One minute it was in English, then Italian. The most surreal was when it went into German.)
6/10
evlkeith
If you like this you could also try:
Monkey Shines, Dark City, Suspiria, Tenebrae.
This is Dario's first film as a director and it hints at the things to come in his later work (including the glorious murdering gloves). Not yet fully formed but the visual flourishes are already present, as opposed to the total lack of gore. Blood, yes. Gore, no.
Sam Dalmas (Tony Musante) witnesses an attempted murder and is unable to help as he is trapped in between two glass sliding doors. The police arrive, let him out and give him a mild grilling. They soon lose interest in him as a suspect and he is left to his own devices, becoming an amateur detective trying to track down the killer. He is plagued by the fact that he's sure he saw something that night that just doesn't seem right...
If you've seen Deep Red you will recognise that last sentence. It's exactly the same idea but here it is a feels like a bit of a cheat. In Deep Red you can go back and actually see the clue that the character missed. Here, you can't. It is cleverly staged but not as satisfying as his later film.
At the time The Bird with the Crystal Plumage was very well received and opened the floodgates for other Italian gialli. This is the first time I've seen it and I can understand why it did well and has been influential. But I think it pales in comparison to Deep Red. For me, it's missing the unnerving atmosphere and the engaging characters. Plus, despite being cut a fair bit back in the day, it is incredibly tame now. The entertainment value hinges on the mystery, the clues and the quirky supporting characters.
Because it's Dario you know there are going to be some great set pieces and yep, there are. The initial attempted murder is a standout sequence, as is a scene where the killer hires a hitman (?) to take out Sam. The chase takes us through a bus station and then into the streets of Rome. It has a pretty good punchline too.
Having spawned many imitators, such as Lizard in a Woman's Skin, this is a film that lovers of gialli should watch. Prepare yourself for a lack of gore and it's a well made thriller. But if you're new to this sub-genre give Deep Red a go instead first.
6/10
If you liked this you could also try:
Deep Red, Lizard in a Woman's Skin, Four Flies on Grey Velvet.
The third in Dario's "Animal Trilogy", (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and The Cat o'Nine Tails being the other two entries) Four Flies on Grey Velvet still has Dario finding his directorial style. I hadn't seen this before, and to be honest it's not one of his best (that title surely has to go to Suspiria?) Let's see what it's got to offer...
A gentleman with big hair and a comedy moustache. Right, I'm sold. What else?
Michael Brandon (from TV series Demspey and Makepeace) stars as Roberto, a married man who is unfortunately involved in an accident that looks suspiciously like a murder. To his chagrin, a creepily masked photographer takes some snaps of the supposed crime. Then all of his friends start getting killed...
Four Flies on Grey Velvet is a strange one, because it sits somewhere between comedy and your usual Dario film. A private detective becomes involved in the plot, when Roberto starts getting a bit jumpy. Private detective: Rockford. That's the first thing that springs into my mind. Tough. Rugged. Lives in a caravan on a beach. Not so here. The detective is so completely camp, it's bordering on pantomime. I was waiting for some Larry Grayson catchphrases to appear, but sadly not. Another scene is set at a coffin exhibition. There are some cracking lines; one customer complains about a coffin being uncomfortable, the seller informs him that they've never had any complaints from their clients.
Then there is the flip side of the comedy coin: the deaths. They are nowhere near as gory as his later offerings but they are pretty stylish. I can't say that the sequences are scary but they are certainly tense, especially the death of Dalia. Where some films are 'Slashers', this is more in the 'Bump, Nick and Grazer' sub-genre. Dalia's death scene contains a pathetic 'dragging down stairs' shot that is almost as bad as the one in The House by the Cemetery, but Dario pulls the scene round with a brilliant use of reflections. The final death is pretty impressive with Dario getting to use an ultra high-speed camera. All set to beautiful music by Ennio Morricone. So good it made me raise my rating by at least one point.
As with most gialli the plot is a tad bonkers at times. The idea that an impression of the final image seen by a murder victim is left on the eyeball is mildly preposterous but I couldn't help but like the way the idea was used. Stupid yet fun.
There is a recurring shot that pops up at various points in the film, much like the guts scene in Catch 22. It involves a beheading that would have given me nightmares when I was younger. But, unlike Catch 22, the final version on the shot lacks any real power and the editing looks a bit dodgy to me. It's a shame, because I was imagining it was going to be so much better.
I wasn't very keen on this through the first half, although it had grown on me by the end. There are better Dario films to watch first, if you haven't seen any yet, but this is a film for more than just the completists. Oh, and God makes an appearance too.
6/10
evlkeith
If you like this you could also try:
Suspiria, Tenebrae, Deep Red, Lizard in a Woman's Skin.
