Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds: The Dark Dreams of Dario Argento
Virtually unknown to mainstream moviegoers in the U.S. and even to most connoisseurs of foreign films, Italian director Dario Argento is highly esteemed among aficionados of the cinematic extremities. He's been called the Italian Hitchcock, but his work--11 films in the horror and thriller genres during the last 25 years--is far more lurid and violent than Hitchcock's. Argento often dispenses with such niceties as character development and narrative coherence in favor of the over-the-top effects his fans love; for example, in one film, a killer's madness is illustrated by shots of his pulsating brain. Most of Argento's American following consists of "psychotronic" types who disdain the scholarly critical approach, but for its verve, individualism, and technical virtuosity, Argento's work warrants such treatment. McDonagh strikes an effective balance between intellectuality and enthusiasm, offering film-by-film commentary enlivened by a generous helping of poster and production-still reproductions and topping everything off with a recent interview with Argento in which he admits, "I like when people are disgusted, because it means you've made an impression on them. A deep impression."Gordon Flagg--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.