Silver and Red

Niall Kitson on the life and films of the controversial Italian director, master of the the gothic slasher movie.

Dario Argento is not a man given to self-analysis. When asked by documentary maker Michel Soavi how he sees himself Argento replied that the only way he could develop any degree of self-awareness would be 'to walk into myself'. Such a gothic fantasy would prove ample creative fodder for Argento, whose steady output of genre straddling horror/thrillers have entertained audiences around the world for some 30 years now with no sign of a let up in his creative energies.

Throughout Dario Argento's career of 14 features and numerous television series he has striven to develop a unique approach to filmmaking, one which whether he knows it or not is a direct product of his personality: aesthetically driven, preoccupied with darkness and noise, and increasingly unconcerned with the conventional logic of storytelling. There is no more perfect an example of what a horror director should look like: Argento's spindly frame, pale skin and jet-black hair make him instantly recognisable as a purveyor of the macabre. But to his fans he remains a warm and accessible character, happy to spend time and sign autographs wherever he goes.

The full article is printed in Film Ireland 94