Ilenia PastorelliDARK GLASSES/BD

I first saw this film on a streaming channel in Italian with no subtitles and Loved it. Now, RLJE films along with the Shudder company have released a US release in Blu-Ray with English subtitles and now that I have watched it over 4 times, I really Love it. First of all, do not approach the film as expecting another 'SUSPIRIA' or 'DEEP RED' . It is not even a Giallo but a straight forward assault between a female call girl and a spurned client. Throughout its 86 minute running time, its a game of cat and mouse as Argento introduces the killer early on and forces the audience to deal with the ordeal of the heroine. The brilliance of Argento is that when the heroine loses her eyesight, he handicaps the viewer as well so the last 40 minutes of the film is englossed in darkened set pieces to give the images a feeling of wearing sunglasses after sunset. Just sit back and enjoy the beautiful images of Cinematographer Matteo Cocco , the pulsing synth score by Arnaud Rebotini, the tragic performance by Ilenia Pastorelli and let Argento conduct his orchestra in a way that is lacking in so called modern day Horror cinema. The film heavily resembles his short television masterpiece 'THE TRAM'-1973 for his series 'DOOR INTO DARKNESS'. According to his daughter Asia Argento interviewed in the behind the scenes extra included on the disc, 'DARK GLASSES' was supposed to be made around the time of 'THE STENDAHL SYNDROME'- 1996 and it was she who encouraged him to complete it and get it out of his system . It was worth it So here we have a wonderful thriller made by a master of horror at the young age of 82 years and running rings around the modern day filmmakers trying to emulate him. Enough said, highly recommended.

After consecutive duds - Dracula 3d, Mother of Tears and Giallo, I didn't have high expectations for Maestro of Horror, Dario Argento's, new feature film. But, from the moment I started watching, I was hooked. What an amazing opening sequence!! What set this film apart from most Argento works was that it was internationally released in his native language - Italian, with no English dubbing. This really works to the movie's advantage as dubbing can affect the overall authenticity of a film. Hearing Diana's (actress Ilenia Pastorelli) true voice as she's coping with her blindness in the hospital connects the audience to the character - something that dubbing would mostly destroy. Contrary to what many critics say, I thought the acting was very good throughout. I particularly liked one scene when the lead actress is in an abandoned warehouse and she touches a light that was inadvertently turned on and the heat from the bulb burns her hand. The only negative thing I could say about Argento's, Dark Glasses, is that it is not scary. However, it is definitely a mood piece with some beautiful shots and a wonderful soundtrack. It is very watchable and well done. It may not be a return to form for the legendary director, but it is a big step in the right direction. The "Italian Hitchcock" still has it, my friends.

With bit vibes of a horror classic, the story was good but the killer never expresses why his disdain for murdering hookers but you can take a wild guess. I was also shocked by how well the lady caller lived. Ither houses and housekeepers are cheap in Italy or she got paid molto for her services!I give this 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Since this is a newer film from horror Maestro Dario Argento, there's nothing to complain about on the quality of the disc.The film, however, leaves something to be desired.The story hits a lot of the right notes - gruesome murders, improbable camera angles, just the right amount of red herrings, and a typical Argento device, introducing the killer early on in a subtly unassuming way.But unfortunately this film feels more like someone who is a fan of Argento making an 'Argento-like' movie. It never really has a sense of frisson/danger. I never squirmed once while watching it, while I still do when watching some of his classic works.The ending is telegraphed and neatly done - too neatly, in my opinion. It's just that you know how it was going to end, and you're sitting there, looking at your watch thinking, "Okay, when do we get to the end?"For Argento die-hards, I'd say 'buy it'. For more casual fans, especially for those of his earlier work, probably skip it. I really wanted to love this one, but... Oh well. Even Maestros have their off days.

Whilst I really enjoyed this recent offering from Argento, the DVD arrived as non anamorphic 2:35:1. Even setting the player to 4:3 and zooming was not an option because the sub titles were then partially obscured. The Blu ray has no such problems.

Very interesting and entertaining Giallo film. Argento sticks close to his old formula and storytelling.

Great surreal opening and blood-soaked finale only come close to his former giallo magic, still worth watching *** 1/2

This is an excellent Argento giallo from start to end, what else do you need to know?

I'm a big fan of Dario Argento, having watched almost all of his movies. After reading some reviews, I was apprehensive about this movie. Actually, this movie is quite good if you know what to expect. If you expect a copy of his most famous giallos like Tenebrae, Opera or Deep Red, you will be very disappointed. There is no stylish murders, no mystery about the killer, no investigation from the main character to discover who is the killer.This is more like a psychological terror. If you like The Stendhal Syndrome (which I do), you will certainly like this movie. While in The Stendhal Syndrome, the killer trapped the main character in a world of fear and madness, in the Dark Glasses, the main character is trapped in a world of darkness and loneliness. It's not surprising that the idea of Dark Glasses came to Argento right after The Stendhal Syndrome. Something rare in the filmography of Argento, beside the horror, we have here a genuinely affectionate bond between the two main characters.The score and the cinematography are surprisingly very good. It's even more impressive when we know that Argento made this movie when he was 82.About the blu ray, the picture quality is quite good but as an extra, we only have a very short commentary from various persons about the movie.So, if you're a fan of Dario Argento and you like The Stendhal Syndrome, you will certainly like this movie. If you haven't watched The Stendhal Syndrome, I suggest that you watched it first because it's a better movie than Dark Glasses. I'm very happy with my purchase.

Impeccable le film :-)

This latest offering from the master horror and suspense filmmaker is certainly worth watching, even if not on the level of his greatest 1970s to 1990s works, such as The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Cat O’ Nine Tails, Four Flies on Grey Velvet, Deep Red, Suspiria, Inferno, Tenebrae, Phenomena, Opera, or The Stendhal Syndrome. I’d include this newest film with such flawed but still interesting, intense, and mostly entertaining films as Trauma, Mother of Tears, and Do You Like Hitchcock? (There are quite a few late Argento films I’ve not yet seen, such as his Phantom of the Opera, Sleepless, The Card Player, Giallo, and Dracula 3D. Reviews of these have been…mixed.) In any case, check out Dark Glasses for if you’re a fan of attractive blind women employing all available resources to fend off psychopathic killers in white vans.

Great price and fast delivery thank you