Inferno (1980) (Arrow Video Blu-ray Review)
Directed By: Dario Argento
Starring: James Franciscus, Karl Malden, Catherine Spaak
Rated: 18 (UK)/Region: A & B/1X85/1080p/Number of disc: 2
Available from Arrow Video
Young poetess Rose Elliot buys a book from a local antique dealer, a diary in Latin of an architect, E. Varelli. She learns of the Three Mothers, and believes her apartment building is one of their houses. She pleads her brother Mark, who is studying musicology in Rome, to come, because she is afraid. Mark’s friend Sara reads her letter, which he left behind in class, and discovers the school is run by the Mater Lacrimarum, and is killed for this knowledge. The house of Mater Suspiriorum has already been destroyed, and by the time Mark arrives in New York City, he is investigating his sister’s murder.
So while it’s a loose sequel to Suspiria, you can tell by the looks that it is a sequel. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s really different. But it’s got enough here from a style point of view that makes it looks familure and makes you enjoy what you’re watching. Now of course I have a few complaints. While everything looks all cool and all that, we really don’t have a plot that is THAT great. There’s a good vibe, don’t get me wrong, but the plot is weak. I also think this movie really is hurt a bit by not having a good lead. We do at different times see three different women that could have been great leads in this thing to play off the male lead, but it never comes to be. Instead we are stuck mostly with just him, and I wasn’t that impressed at all with the dude for the most part. He’s by far the weakest lead I’ve seen in an Argento film, and that even covers all the male ones I’ve seen in his other films as well.
By the time this one is over, rats try to eat people. Hotdog venders go crazy during an eclipse, we are lead down more than a few roads that never have a reward or a legit payoff, but for the most part, I’d call it a fun and very stylish ride. I do think the ending is a prime example of the term “Anti-climactic”. Things reach a boiling point and then seem to be over about as fast as they got started. It’s a little bit of a disappointment, but I wouldn’t say there are enough negative complaints to bring the film down by that much as a whole. It’s not bad, and it is watchable. But, it’s not Suspiria by any means. Then again, what really is? If you want a quicker paced, strange, stunning, and violent film, then you’ll enjoy Inferno regardless of flaws.
– Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned art work
– Double-sided fold-out poster
– Collector’s Booklet featuring brand new writing on Inferno by Alan Jones, author of Profondo Argento
BLU-RAY DISC 1 CONTAINS:
– Brand new restoration of the film, available fully uncut for the first time in the UK
– High Definition Presentation of the film (1080p)
– Optional 5.1 DTS / Stereo / Mono audio
– Choice of original Italian and English audio
BLU-RAY DISC 1 – SPECIAL FEATURES:
– Introduction by star Daria Nicolodi (1080p)
– Dario’s Inferno (1080p)
– Acting in Hot Water: An Interview with Daria Nicolodi (1080p)
– The Other Mother: Making the Black Cat – Director Luigi Cozzi goes behind the scenes of The Black Cat, his rarely seen, totally unofficial, 1989 sequel to Inferno (1080p)
– Inferno Q&A with Irene Miracle, Keith Emerson and Tim Lucas (1080p)
– X marks the spot (1080p)
DVD DISC 2 – SPECIAL FEATURES:
– Dario Argento and Lamberto Bava on Inferno
– ‘Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror’ Mark Kermode narrates this documentary on Argento’s career including interviews with George A. Romero and John Carpenter
– The Complete Dario Argento Trailer Gallery
