Director: Dario Argento
Screenplay: Dario Argento
Minutes: 107
Year: 1987
Score: 8.20
Release: Scorpion Limited Edition
Opera sits next to Susperia for my favorite Argento films, which is on the left fully depends on my mood.
From RoninFlix.com:
When young opera singer Betty takes over the leading role in an avant-garde presentation of Verdi’s Macbeth, she triggers the madness of a crazed fan who repeatedly forces her to watch the brutal murders of her friends. Will her recurring childhood nightmare hold the key to the identity of this psychopath or does an even more horrific evil lay waiting in the wings?
Starring Cristina Marsillach, John Charleston, Urbano Barberini, William McNamara, Antonella Vitale, Barbara Cupisti
The first time I watched this film it was a complete miss. I was still high on the philosophical fumes of Suspiria and I was not wasn’t ready for a film which appeared sub-par next to its visual mastery. I have since done a 180 on the film and, as I mentioned earlier, it is one of my favorite Argento films in a release which matches the majestic Synapse Suspiria set punch or punch.
As soon as I understood the thematic difference I realized what makes this film so special. Whereas Susperia use intense color to amplify the story Opera focuses on music (obviously Susperia has an incredible score, but that is not this). Claudio Simonetti once again scores the majority of the film along with Brian Eno, Bill Wyman and the bands Steel Grave and Norden Light, as well as a few classic operas. This cacophony of intense is used to both sooth and jar the audience as Argento sees fit to jolt your heart rate.
That, along with typical grizzly Argento imagery really marries his style with a giallo flare which, to some, marked the pinnacle and subsequent end of the 1980s Italian horror/slasher craze. Whether or not this is true does not affect my affection for the film. As the 90s rolled in, for Argento, you can start to see a stylistic change in his technical interests shifted away towards digital effects, with exceptions.
A few years ago I ordered the previous Scorpion films release of Opera and struggled with whether or not to double dip on it and it was on with this release that I finally fully understood the value in the film. I have watched the 2.35:1 and the 1.78:1, the film looks fantastic and I assume the Orion cut does as well. The Cannes English Mono audio track, you learn in one of the commentaries contains a different dub of one of the characters. That paired with the 11 interviews, 2 commentaries, and some behind the scenes footage offers that most complete edition you could hope for. You shouldn’t be too surprised if you see this on the best of the year list in a few months.
Special Features:
- Special Features: New 2K Scan with Extensive Color Correction in 3 Presentations – 2.35:1 Super 35, 1.78:1, and the US Orion Pictures Cut
- Reversible Cover
DISC 1: Opera – 2.35:1 Super 35
- 4 Audio Tracks: English 5.1, English Stereo, Italian Mono with English Subtitles, and Cannes English Mono, English Captions
- Audio Commentary by Mondo Digital’s Nathaniel Thompson
- Interviews with Director Dario Argento and Coralina Cataldi Tassoni
- International Trailer
DISC 2: Opera – 1.78:1
- 4 Audio Tracks: English 5.1, English Stereo, Italian Mono with English Subtitles, and Cannes English Mono
- English Captions
- Audio Commentary by Film Historian Troy Howarth
- Interviews with William McNamara, and Barbara Cupisti
- Opera Music Video
DISC 3: Opera – US Orion Pictures Cut
- English Stereo Audio
- Interviews with Composer Claudio Simonetti, Screenwriter Franco Ferrini, Special Effects Artist Sergio Stivaletti , Makeup Artist Franco Casagni, Inspector Urbano Barerini, Press Agent Enrico Lucherini, and Film Historian Fabrizio Spurio
- Backstage: Behind the Scenes Footage
- US Trailer
Director: 10 – Cinematography: 8 – Edit: 8 – Parity: 4 – Main performance: 10 – Else performance:4 – Score: 10 – Sound: 7 – Story: 8 – Script: 6 – Effects: 10 – Design: 10 – Costumes:8 – Keeps interest: 10 – Lasting: 10