Tenebrae

(1982) Written and directed by Dario Argento; Starring: Anthony Franciosa, Giuliano Gemma, John Saxon, Christian Borromeo, Mirella D’Angelo and Daria Nicolodi; Available on Blu-ray and DVD

Rating: ***½

This post is part of the John Saxon Blogathon, hosted by Gill Jacob from Realweegiemidget Reviews and Yours Truly, shining the spotlight on one of cinema’s most versatile and recognizable character actors. Be sure to check out all the great posts about this singular talent.

Peter Neal: “Well, I’ve made charts. I tried building a plot the same way you have, tried to figure it out, but I just have this hunch that something is missing, a tiny piece of the jigsaw. Somebody who should be dead is alive, or somebody who should be alive is already dead.” 

Captain Germani: “Explain that.” 

Peter Neal: “You know, there’s a sentence in a Conan Doyle book: ‘When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.’”

Giallo (or the plural, Gialli) films, named after a popular type of Italian pulp novel, are curious murder mysteries, famous for their labyrinthine plots, spectacular death scenes and wild titles. There are several giants of the genre, but few have earned the praise that Dario Argento has garnered. Argento didn’t invent the giallo movie, but considering some of the classics he’s created, including The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Four Flies on Gray Velvet, and Deep Red (no, Suspiria isn’t a giallo), it would be easy to make that oversight. Argento returned in top form with Tenebrae (Italian for “darkness”),*  displaying his usual panache for creating suitably over-the-top imagery to match the grand themes of his stories. 

* Fun Fact #1: The film’s title was changed to Unsane in the U.S.

Successful American mystery writer Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa)* arrives in Rome to a controversy. Someone** seems to be emulating his latest novel, Tenebrae, perpetrating a series of violent murders based on his work (one victim is found slashed to death, with pages of the book stuffed in her mouth). He’s immediately questioned by police detective Germani (Giuliano Gemma), who’s a big fan of his books, and familiar with the various modus operandi he employs. His dedicated secretary Anne (played by Argento’s frequent collaborator and former partner, Daria Nicolodi)*** tries her best to make him comfortable throughout the ordeal, while his agent Bullmer (John Saxon) endeavors to keep the police and press at bay. He’s grilled by Tilde (Mirella D'Angelo), a critic, about the alleged misogyny in his books (a little self-reflexive moment for Argento, regarding criticisms of his own movies). Little does she suspect, however, that she and her lesbian lover Marion (Mirella Banti) will be the next victims. As bodies continue stacking up, Neal initiates his own amateur investigation, while confronting repressed memories of an incident in his younger years. The film flashes back to Rhode Island, where he witnessed the murder of a mysterious woman in white with red shoes (Eva Robins). By becoming entwined in the case, he discovers the truth could be fatal. 

* Fun Fact #2: Argento’s first choice for Peter Neal was Christopher Walken. 

** Fun Fact #3: The killer’s black-gloved hands belong to none other than Dario Argento, who often stood in for the murderer in his movies. 

*** Fun Fact #4: For the English version, Nicolodi’s voice was dubbed by American actress Theresa Russell.

Of course, Tenebrae wouldn’t be a self-respecting giallo without ample splashes of blood and flashes of skin. One of the most memorable murder scenes involves Marion as she relentlessly pursued by the crazed killer while clad in only a towel that seems in danger of flying off at any moment.* One of Argento’s hallmarks is the almost fetishistic presentation of broken glass, with shards flying everywhere in slow motion – all the better to cut the unfortunate victims to ribbons. Another component that makes an Argento movie special is the unmistakable, synth-heavy music of Goblin. While not officially credited to the band, for all intents and purposes it’s a Goblin score, featuring band members Massimo Morante, Fabio Pignatelli and Claudio Simonetti (who are credited separately). 

* In the preceding scene, when Marion seduces a young man in front of Tilde, she wears an ensemble that leaves little to the imagination, bringing to mind something my mother would often say: “That’s a nice outfit she’s almost wearing.”

The role of Bullmer is a nice change of pace for John Saxon, who’s often relegated to detective roles (or similar), in movies such as this. As Neal’s upbeat literary agent, it’s a relatively minor role, but Saxon milks it for all its worth. If nothing else, it illustrates how Saxon had a comic side, something rarely displayed on screen. When Neal questions Bullmer whether his favorite hat would stay on, he bobs his head in exaggerated movements, resembling a pigeon on acid. I don’t normally associate Saxon with “silly,” but this is a fun exception. Bullmer deflects the police and snooping reporters, but still has time for a little sugar on the side, having an affair with Neal’s mentally unstable fiancée Jane (Veronica Lario). Sadly, this plot thread is never quite fleshed out, but it adds another wrinkle to the list of suspects.

Although a slight step beneath his very best, only because the novelty of the genre’s conventions had worn a bit thin by the ‘80s, Tenebrae has a lot going for it. It’s artfully shot (thanks to cinematographer Luciano Tovoli), and the story keeps you guessing until the end. In her insightful commentary, critic/film scholar Maitland McDonagh observed that Tenebrae isn’t like an Agatha Christie story, where the plot is meticulously constructed in a way that you can logically deduce who the killer is. Instead, Tenebrae, like many of Argento’s films, relies on imagery and actions that frequently defy logic, colorful characters, and a cockamamie explanation for the killer’s motive. Considering the identity of the killer is a bit of a cheat, don’t strain your brain trying to figure it out. Like many giallo films (especially one by Argento), it’s best to sit back and enjoy the wild ride. 

 

Sources for this article: Blu-ray commentary by Maitland McDonagh