Inferno is the Second Film in Dario Argento’s “Three Mothers Trilogy” and is Just as Visually Unique as Suspiria
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Inferno is not quite the total package as Susperia but is still an above average crazy trip and a worthy follow-up.
Written by James “Crypticpsych” Lasome
February 9, 2010
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Release: April 2, 1980 (USA)
Directed by: Dario Argento
Written by: Dario Argento
Starring:
Leigh McCloskey as Mark Elliot
Irene Miracle as Rose Elliot
Eleonora Giorgi as Sara
Daria Nicolodi as Elise Stallone Van Adler
Sacha Pitoëff as Kazanian
Gabriele Lavia as Carlo
Inferno, like the other Three Mothers Trilogy movies, is easy yet difficult to describe in that its plot is very simplistic yet at the same time very complex. In Suspiria, a German ballet school appears to be a front for a coven of black witches led by Mater Suspiriorum, the Mother of Sighs. In Mother of Tears, a sarcophagus unearthed in a Roman graveyard could lead to the second fall of Rome and the return and resurrection of the most evil of the Three Mothers, Mater Lachrymarum, the Mother of Tears.
Inferno, the first movie in which the mythos of the Three Mothers is mentioned, tells of a New York City building that houses Mater Tenebrarum, the Mother of Shadows. Rose Elliot (Miracle) is researching the Three Mothers in a rare book loaned to her by a creepy shopkeeper named�Kazanian (Pitoëff). Through clues in the book, she discovers a sub-basement
below the building containing a corpse and proof that Tenebrarum may have once lived there. Afterwards, she writes to her brother, Mark (McCloskey), in Rome about her suspicions, but he is waylaid by a strange beautiful woman with a cat who appears to be following him. His classmate, Sara (Giorgi), discovers the note after he inadvertently leaves it behind and goes to investigate it in the library. Unfortunately, she discovers a strange laboratory-like room in the building complete with a disfigured alchemist who wants to kill her. She escapes only to find herself murdered alongside a sportswriter, Carlo, she’d only just met (Lavia).
Meanwhile, Mark grows increasingly concerned after Sara’s disappearance and a disconnection while he called his sister (she was, of course, being killed) and heads over to New York to investigate himself, meeting up with the strange landlords and tenants, including Rose’s friend Elise (Nicolodi). As bizarre events continue to occur and take the lives of those around him, Mark grows closer and closer to finding out the identity of Mater Tenebrarum and the secrets of the building’s architecture. But will he survive to tell the tale?
Visually speaking, there is no doubt that Inferno was directed by the same man who brought us Suspiria. Color is used throughout the film in strange ways, producing the same otherworldly setting seen in the prior film. In addition, Inferno features many unique camera shots and brilliant cinematography. The opening sequence involving Rose swimming in a waterlogged pit in the sub-basement is beautifully shot and simply breathtaking, given that it’s almost completely underwater and that the actress did the entire scene herself. Later, the camera focuses on a chunk of glass that fell off of a doorknob to show the reflection of the killer before they pick the piece up, going into the killer’s P.O.V. One of the first kills in the film (that of Sara and Carlo) is astoundingly well shot from the reveal of the mortally wounded Carlo, through the killer stalking Sara, to Mark’s arrival on the scene afterwards and discovery of her body, to the revelation of her corpse. This film makes the audience feel utterly immersed and lost in its world, much like the characters are in the secret passageways of the building.
Inferno features a pedigree similar to that of Demons in that the crew is a who’s who of Italian horror maestros, particularly in the special effects department with the great Mario Bava and his son Lamberto (who would go on to direct Demons while Argento produced) bringing their crews and expertise to play. The result is some of the most bizarre yet utterly unique and unforgettable kills in a horror movie. In this one movie, people die by stabbing, by guillotining, and - in sequences so unbelievably bizarre I dare not spoil them - by “cat” and by “rat”. One wonders how this movie would’ve changed if it were released in the politically correct, animal rights climate of today given the film’s use of real cats and real rats for its effects.
However, it should be noted that this movie is by no means perfect. Iwas a common practice at the time to film the movie in Italian and then dub in the appropriate language for the market, leading to a film that seems like it was shot in English, only the words don’t always match the mouth movements. Some people may be put off by this. In addition, McCloskey’s performance tends to sway wildly in terms of quality. The script is generally good but has some pretty awful moments A character who actually says “Rats are eating me! Help, they’re eating me alive!” comes to mind…
By far the biggest problem with this film is what some might consider to be a cardinal sin in an Argento film: its soundtrack. Where Goblin or members of Goblin are usually associated with Argento’s work, Inferno is actually scored by Keith Emerson (of Emerson, Lake and Palmer). The work he produces is not bad in and of itself; The problem is how it’s used in the film. Some of the pieces don’t seem to match with what is on screen at all. Others have a VERY annoying tendency to jarringly stop in a place that almost seems right in the middle of the song when a scene ends, cutting to near silence and wrecking the mood. Still others even feel a little unpolished or too discordant for their own good. The soundtrack is a bit distracting.
The subpar soundtrack does not hurt Inferno enough that the film is not recommended. While it starts a bit slow, the visual style and insanely weird kills combine to create an undeniably unique and tense experience. It may not be Suspiria, but close enough to do it justice. Questions or comments about Inferno? Discuss it on The Ossuary Forums!
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