Dario Argento -- Genius or Hack?!

[MassiveMovieBuff]

My appreciation for Argento has grown quite a bit these last few years. I've seen Deep Red during that time and absolutely love it. I've also grown to love Suspiria as well thanks to the fabulous Synapse blu ray. I didn't care for Tenebrae when I first saw it a few years ago but since my love for Giallo horror has grown more I want to give it another shot. Been wanting to check out his other films.

[jess1581]

Ah yes, another thread attempting to be edgy...

Argento is legendary, and deserves his accolades.

[Zivouhr]

Argento is talented with his directing and horror ideas. Some of the music choices however, can be a concern in terms of horror music vs rock songs.

Watching Jennifer Connelly in one of her first films, Argento's Phenomenon. The movie is interesting as she sleep walks and sees visions, while an evil killer lurks the campus, but there's one glaring issue with this horror film.

The music. Whenever there's a scene that should be horror, 80's cheesy rock instrumental tracks start playing, totally spoiling any sense of danger and making it seem like a fun, high energy dance moment. It's totally wrong for setting a sense of dread and horror. It seems like maybe that was the hip thing to do at the time, add an 80s rock track to horror movies. Unless his intention was to make the horror moments fun and energetic.

This is an example of where an actual horror soundtrack could make this movie much more effective as a horror film. Just imagine if the Shining 1981's score was all rock music instead of the genius score it has? It would ruin the sense of horror completely.

[prkchopexpress]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

Argento is talented with his directing and horror ideas. Some of the music choices however, can be a concern in terms of horror music vs rock songs.

Watching Jennifer Connelly in one of her first films, Argento's Phenomenon. The movie is interesting as she sleep walks and sees visions, while an evil killer lurks the campus, but there's one glaring issue with this horror film.

The music. Whenever there's a scene that should be horror, 80's cheesy rock instrumental tracks start playing, totally spoiling any sense of danger and making it seem like a fun, high energy dance moment. It's totally wrong for setting a sense of dread and horror. It seems like maybe that was the hip thing to do at the time, add an 80s rock track to horror movies. Unless his intention was to make the horror moments fun and energetic.

This is an example of where an actual horror soundtrack could make this movie much more effective as a horror film. Just imagine if the Shining 1981's score was all rock music instead of the genius score it has? It would ruin the sense of horror completely.

zoidberg says your opinion is bad and you should feel bad about it.

[DR Herbert West]

Genius

[CreasyBear]

Somewhere in the middle, but leaning more towards hack. His lighting and aesthetics can be very eye catching, but the scripts, performances, and overall tone is just wildly inconsistent and silly, sucking any life out of the admittedly fantastic visuals.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by prkchopexpress

zoidberg says your opinion is bad and you should feel bad about it.

Okay, but I don't feel bad.

[drush9999]

He's a genius if you forget his post 90s work. The way he edits the awesome visuals to the music is sublime. One of top 10 directors for me. So genius.

[HipsterTrash]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

Argento is talented with his directing and horror ideas. Some of the music choices however, can be a concern in terms of horror music vs rock songs.

Watching Jennifer Connelly in one of her first films, Argento's Phenomenon. The movie is interesting as she sleep walks and sees visions, while an evil killer lurks the campus, but there's one glaring issue with this horror film.

The music. Whenever there's a scene that should be horror, 80's cheesy rock instrumental tracks start playing, totally spoiling any sense of danger and making it seem like a fun, high energy dance moment. It's totally wrong for setting a sense of dread and horror. It seems like maybe that was the hip thing to do at the time, add an 80s rock track to horror movies. Unless his intention was to make the horror moments fun and energetic.

This is an example of where an actual horror soundtrack could make this movie much more effective as a horror film. Just imagine if the Shining 1981's score was all rock music instead of the genius score it has? It would ruin the sense of horror completely.

Yes. The movie where a teenage Jennifer Connolly who talks to bugs to find a killer and befriends a chimp should have ambient horror music this gives a sense of dread.

Goblin/Simonetti and the rock needle drops are fantastic in that film.

[Zivouhr]

Phenomena - Flash Of The Blade - Iron Maiden - YouTube

Above is Phenomenon by Argento, which I enjoyed overall as a horror film with the exception of the rocking music choices (which actually made the movie a little more fun to watch and much less fearful), with the original music that Argento wanted in his horror film. Argento seems to enjoy more upbeat, rocking soundtracks to his films overall from the films I've watched.

The Shining Soundtrack OST - The Awakening of Jacob (HQ) - YouTube

Now if possible, detach oneself emotionally from the original Phenomenon soundtrack, and press play on the Shining soundtrack while pressing play on the Argento film/score but muting the volume, and imagine if something like this Shining 1981 soundtrack music was in place of the metal 80s rock music of Phenomenon's scenes.

What is the goal of the filmmaker is the most important question, but if provoking the feeling of fear is the goal for a pure Horror movie (not action horror or comedy horror), which music suits horror better? Rock music, or eerie horror music?

[HipsterTrash]

Goblin is eerie.

Not all horror movies goes for the intention to scare. Sometimes it's to unsettle or discomfort.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by HipsterTrash

Goblin is eerie.

Not all horror movies goes for the intention to scare. Sometimes it's to unsettle or discomfort.

Thanks.
That is true, not all horror filmmakers intend to scare the audience. The music sets the tone for the type of horror they wish to convey.

It's definitely interesting how much impact the soundtrack music has on the tone of a horror film.

Looking back on Argento's films, he wanted a lighter, more fun rock beat tone to a number of his films based on his music choices. Nothing wrong with that, if that was his intention.

[Member-682067]

Neither. Some are decent: The Bird with Crystal Plummage, Suspiria, and Deep Red. A lot are crap.

[Gacivory]

Phenomena has music from Goblin and a song from Iron Maiden. Iron Maiden rules. So therefore Phenomena’s music is pretty great to rules! Oh also there’s a Motörhead song. No one says anything bad about Motörhead!

[Jay H.]

He's neither. Some of his movies are good, some are not.