Cover Art

Credits

Director: Dario Argento Starring: Cristina Marsillach, Ian Charleson, Urbano Barberini and Daria Nicolodi Screenplay: Dario Argento and Franco Ferrini Music: Brian Eno, Roger Eno, Daniel Lanois, Claudio Simonetti and Bill Wyman. Classical music by Puccini and Verdi. Tagline: The last note is a real killer Country: Italy AKA: Terror at the Opera

The plot, though somewhat muddled at times, tells the story of young Betty (Cristina Marsillach) who takes up the lead role in Verdi's operatic rendering of Macbeth after the leading lady breaks her leg following a road accident. However, things are never straightforward in Argento's films, and soon our heroine finds herself the target of an obsessive and homicidal psychopath. This fiendish killer however has strange motives and forces our heroine to watch as he slices and dices his way through her friends and associates. He ensures that she sees everything by taping a row of pins beneath her eyes so that she cannot close them, and so has to endure being the spectator to his (or her?) grisly acts.

Argento drives things along at breakneck pace and there's never really any time to reflect on the ludicrousness of it all. It looks great, it sounds great – but the film never really gives any satisfactory explanation as to what has driven the killer to such extremes. That is to say, an explanation is given (which I won't give away), but it all seems rather flimsy and the film tends to fall apart at the climax. Having said that, it's a thrilling ride and one that's well worth taking. This may not be Argento's greatest work, but it's still a hell of a lot better than most directors could accomplish on their best days. The violence is stylish and almost balletic, which perfectly suits the mood and tone of the piece. The acting is first rate and the pounding score, which mixes everything from prog rock, heavy metal and classical music, really does create a cinematic delirium.

The plot does tend to get bogged down in itself at times and it seems that Argento is struggling to tell the story effectively without thoroughly confusing the viewer. Rather than closely analysing it, this is a film that you need to let wash over you and carry you along. It's a rollercoaster ride with plenty of thrills along the way, but lacking any real sense of logic. However, those familiar with Argento's work will be fully aware that logic is never the most important thing in his films. Argento is primarily concerned with striking visuals, stylish set pieces and drawing the viewer into his surreal and bizarre world of light, colour and sound. Argento's films are dreamlike and nightmarish, and Opera is no exception. The direction is fluid and kinetic and the violence is stylish and shocking – typical Argento; and make no mistake, nobody does it better than him.