Dario Argento -- Genius or Hack?!

[Pedderrs]

I've watched a number of Dario Argento movies recently -- The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Suspiria, Tenebre and Phenomena -- and I have to say, whilst I can really appreciate the man's sense of composition, I do find Argento's plots range from passable to downright ludicrous. I know the argument can be made that his films are primarily designed to unsettle and horrify and that he succeeds in doing those things more often than not, but are we supposed to completely overlook the lazy plot devices and ridiculous dialogue? I've heard fans of Argento neglect to address his inability to tell coherent stories by simply saying that such things are secondary to the cinematography and murder set pieces, but is this a valid excuse? Discuss.