| | | | Tenebrae
(1982) |
or Dario Argento, Tenebrae was a return to the 'Giallo'. Five years had passed since the release of Profondo Rosso, during this time he brought us the supernatural shock-vehicles:- Suspiria (1977) and Inferno (1980).
Like so many of Argento's films, Tenebrae revolves around a writer. He is Peter Neal (Franciosa), an American who writes violent suspense thrillers. Just before he arrives in Rome to promote the book, a beautiful women is killed, the pages of the book stuffed into her mouth. This is the first of many violent and brilliant set-peices of the film. The killer soon contacts Neal, claiming that he finds inspiration in his books.
Set in Rome, Tenebre has a strange architectural landscape its imaginary geography is pieced together out of fragments of the city that most of us would be unfamiliar with. Ultra-modern decor fill the interiors of hard edged buildings and empty locations are present, this not being the image of Rome that most people are familiar with. The films imagery in is shaped by the washed out stark lighting by Luciano Tovoli.
Incessantly sexualised and violent, the films strengths lie in the visuals, sublte colour shades and dreamy flashbacks... the killers identity seems to be connected in a series of sequences where a young man is seen to be humiliated by a beautiful young woman in harsh red shoes on a white beach, pastel blue ocean as a backdrop to the erotic and disturbing events taking place.
Argento as auteur is a wonderful place if you can only share this reality. With good performances from Franciosa, Saxon and most enjoyably John Steiner as the journalist Christano Berti, this is a deranged dream of a thriller where madness and irrationality form its inspiration.
The Region 1 DVD release has the full version, a relief after the film was cut and banned on video in some countries. At last we can enjoy the film the maestro himself approved.
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A violent and wonderful slice of cult 80's Euro-horror. Essential!
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You can now correct/update any item of trivia by clicking the "Update" button next to it...
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Argento claims he set this picture 'five or more years in the future'.  -Thanks to Feldman
The 'giallo' term used was the name given to mystery novels in Italy, much like 'Serie Noire' black covered thrillers in France, 'giallo' literally means yellow in Italian, like the pages on which the stories are printed.
The 'beautiful girl' in red high heeled shoes who features in a number of flashback scenes was in fact, a famous italian transvestite. -Thanks to See Pic On Left
Tenebrae featured on the infamous 'Police 55' list, which meant that the film was ceased and banned when the UK authorities cracked down, on what they called 'video nasties' in the early 80's. A cut version of the film is now available in the UK again.
John Saxon also starred in the Bruce Lee martial arts classic "Enter The Dragon".
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Find much more great trivia in the filmmaker's commentary on the Tenebrae DVD.
Rediscover your favorites! If you like
Tenebrae or 80's Horror classics, then be sure to
check out this list: ..... Lost Boys ..... Near Dark ..... Fright Night ..... Hellraiser ..... Shining ..... Poltergeist ..... Scanners ..... American Werewolf In London ..... Night of the Creeps ..... Nightmare on Elm Street ..... Paperhouse ..... One Dark Night ..... Re-Animator ..... Prom Night ..... Mausoleum ..... Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama .....[More]
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|  |  |  | | Tenebrae
Locations |
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New York City, New York, USA and Rome, Lazio, Italy were used. [Thanks to Charlie Edh]
Can you help? Do you know any of the New York, New York filming locations used for Tenebrae? [Please send them in]
|  | | | | ![[Letterbox -NOT 16:9 Enhanced]](lbx.gif) | ![[5.1 CH SURROUND]](dd5.gif) | Trailer, Commentary, Featurette |
| | | | Trailer, Commentary, Featurette |
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The throbbing theme music was recorded by progressive rock italians Goblin who impressively worked on Suspiria and other Argento classics.
The background "muzak" theme playing in the department store at the beginning of the film is taken from the soundtrack of the European version of George Romero's Dawn of the Dead (which was edited and re-scored under Dario Argento's supervision).
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Soundtrack Available:
On CD
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