Inferno (1980)

   
Written & Directed by: Dario Argento

Starring:

Leigh McCloskey .... Mark Elliott
Daria Nicolodi .... Elise Stallone Van Adler
Sacha Pitoëff .... Kazanian
Alida Valli .... Carol, the caretaker
Veronica Lazar .... The Nurse
Irene Miracle .... Rose Elliot
Eleonora Giorgi .... Sara

Release Dates: Theatrical: February 7, 1980 (Italy); April 2, 1980 (USA); Rome Film Festival: October, 2007; Reykjavik International Film Festival: September 29, 2012

 

 

Rating:

 

An American college student in Rome and his sister in New York investigate a series of killings in both locations where their resident addresses are the domain of two covens of witches.

 

A well concentrated beginning with the character Sara reading a book on the three mothers as well as writing to her brother and sending it off. Plus we have a nice moment when she looks at the tower with a voice discussing which key lies to where.
A nicely drawn in moment when she talks to Kazanian in his store of the place about the history of it and clues but however there's supposed to be an effective and intense moment when he gets cold towards her as well as short but this seems to be a bit off key.
Yet some nice colourised moments when she goes by an area where there's a watery pit inside the area of that tower in which a nice close up shot on an object of hers falls into the water as well as her figuring a way to try and get it back which makes you watch in suspense. Plus neat suspenseful moments when she goes into the water to try and get the object as well as showing a room under water as well as a doorway. Plus a nice jumping and creepy moment when a dead body appears next to her and she tries to get away. You wonder if she will manage to get back up after being under water for so long as this looked psychologically well done.
Also a nice moment with Mark Elliott at the university with students listening to a song on their headphones to help with their term work plus a good shot on a wicked looking woman holding a cat staring at him as this draws your attention and making things look very mysterious.
Perfect dark situation with Sara looking for the book of the three mothers as well as someone letting her know that it's almost closing hours. This leaves a chill down your spine when she wnaders into the area and a nice ghostly whisper of her name which is a good horror touch to everything. Plus a good moment when she goes into a dark area where there's boiling pots as well as a back of a creepy guy when she asks on where to leave as well as this dark figure attacking her for the book as this looked perfectly strong and internse.
Neatly done moment on Sara in an elevator and asking a guy for company and her being scared as well as them having a discussion and she puts on a record to play. Also a scene with the black gloved killer cutting heads off of paper dolls which is another attention grabber. Then a good moment with the power flickering on and off which seemed pretty suepnseful to watch and then the guy going to check out the power generator as well as her going up to see what's up which leaves a chill down your spine as well as a good shocking moment on what happpens later on.
Great dark moments with Rose cautiously walking around the corridors as well as a dark figure trying to get at her with a key falling out of a lock when he tries to get through the door to get at her as this leaves a chill down your spine while watching all of this. Plus great shots on some monstrous looking hands grabbing at her and about to plunge a mertal blade down on her which was a pleaser for this type of genre.
Impressive moments when Elise Stallone Van Adler shows Mark how the sounds carry around in the building they're residing in as well as nice flowing discussions between the two of them as well.
Well concentrated moments with Elise going up in the attic searching around as well as a window blowing open as well as having a bunch of stray cats attacking her which was supposed to look intensely violent but I really had to laugh at this moment as it looked way too funny to watch.
I also spot a scene which disturbed me greatly with Kazanian and what he does to these cats in a bag that he has trapped for invading his area as I found this unnecessary. But a good vengeful moment when we spot river rats attacking him but at the same time kinda looked a bit stupid. Yet there's someone who was working at a hot dog stand spotting this and running over to see him as you are expecting that he'd help him but we see a different shocking surprise which looked genuinely twisted.
Effective moment when Elise is looking around holding a candle and then spotting a corpse with a nice shocking shot on this object as well as her dropping her candle and then flames grow around her and she falls into a firey pit as this looked well done for a horror flick.
However nice powerful moments when Mark tries to track down some missing clues by breaking open a stone floor as well as a hilarious moment with a cat watching and suddenly jumping into this hole which is unexpected. Showed nice timing. Also good moments when he goes under and finds other passageways which looked creepy to watch. Then we spot a room full of mechanical devices and and old man revealing on what he does as it gives a good dark and powerful moment to what is happening here.
Another well powerful moment is when we see Mark nex t to the Nurse near the firey area with her acting insane as it for sure offers some mild gothic moments along with the madness that surrounds all that we see in this scene.
Bottom line is that this is a confusing sequel to Suspiria but still shot in great colourised fashion like that one but the story isn't as good. We just don't see on what is revealed too much at the end of the storyline. A bit of a disappointment. Plus some shocking moments that I thought wasn't necessary to have in the story as I mentioned it. At times it's funny with some bits. It's a bit creepy but not overly scary either. A very strange movie but for anyone who loves italian horror since there's many out there then check it out.

The acting is quite average as some of it is overdubbed by US actors but some was left as is which you could tell. It's hard to review it but I will do my best.....
Leigh McCloskey (Mark Elliott) had the lead key role as the american student studying music in which he seemed to have the okay decent looks and appeal to his role but seemed rather stiff with his lines and energy too. However seeme3d to get into certain parts when acting drugged or out of it. Shows decent energy when trying to find some clues or showing hyped energy when the terror strikes him. He has a background in soap operas as alot of the times those performances are wooden and he seemed to be somewhat that way in this one.
Daria Nicolodi (Elise Stallone Van Adler) was mediocre in her role as a somewhat pretty lady in which she seemed to show off well onto the camera regardless as one of those mysterious types but a decent one. She seemed to show okay energy within her discussions on situations. Also reacts well to things which shows off nicely too.
Sacha Pitoëff (Kazanian) seemed to have the right looks and motive as an eccentric old coot who has a wicked and bitter attitude. His voice was overly dubbed but seemed to pull his weight off in a decent fashion. Was good by being coldblooded to a cat as well as freaking out near the end of his performance when he is attacked by rats as he brings a nice hype to this. Certainly knew his stuff inside and out as one of those grumpy old bastards.
Alida Valli (Carol, the caretaker) had the right lookms and motive for her role even if her voice was overdubbed she seemed to get into her role very well coming across as someone wickedly charming. Also shows off a nice evil type of behavior. She was well remembered for being this way and stood out the most of the cast. Seemed to be a good character actress with some nice versatality.
Veronica Lazar (The Nurse) seemed to draw in well as an odd type which she offers a convincing untrustworthy type of mysteriousness surrounding her. Was convincing as someone whom is unique. The end of her performance was a true horror class act when she cackles hysterically showing a perfect darkness to her wicked insanity bringing her energy to a great hype.
Irene Miracle (Rose Elliot) shows off a good heatlhy type of looks and appeal to her part as she seemed to show some nice energy within whatever she did here. Plus shows a convincing eagerness to find out some clues on what she read as she reacts well to spooky things as well as showing nice adrenaline too. Was passable in her role and worked hard on portraying it not leeting an ounce down.
Eleonora Giorgi
(Sara) showed off her accent well in which this was a good thing instead of having her voice dubbed over. Shows nice anxious reactions to stuff as well as having a good timid type of behavior along with trying to ask someone to keep her company and was convincing by acting desperate with her spooked behavior. Also does a good job freaking out and bringing her struggling energy to a punch.

Dead corpse is revealed underwater
Blade slices through a woman's neck
Knife is stabbed through a guys neck
Eyes gouges out of a corpse
Someone's forehead is sliced

Alot of great powerful composing done by Keith Emerson in which we have some effective piano music during the beginning of the film as well as alot of creepy dark violin music that sounds catchy as well as in your face classical compsoing when the terror strikes which was powerfully concentrated. We also have dark synthesizer music as this sounded creepy as well. Plus there's the odd chanting female sounds as this was powerfully done as well.