Many years ago, a good friend of mine, who's an even bigger film
buff than I am, told me about an Italian film director named Dario Argento. Opera,
Argento's most recent film (at that time), had just been released on video--on the old
VHS format--and since I had never seen any of Argento's work, he suggested that
I sample Opera. When I rented the film, I hated it. It was a muddled mess that
didn't make any sense to me. When I told my friend what I thought of Opera, he
asked where did I get my copy. Once I told him that I had got it from the
neighborhood video rental place, my friend nearly had a fit. He explained that
the version of Opera which was released on video in America was a heavily
edited cut of the film. He insisted that I needed to experience Argento's
masterwork in its true, uncut form and in its original widescreen.
I never really gave much thought about seeing Opera again until I recently came across the
DVD version, produced by Anchor Bay, that presents Argento's film in its original
uncut, widescreen glory. And it turned out to be a much different--and better--experience
for me the second time. Opera deals with a production of Verdi's Macbeth which is
being produced by a theater company in Italy. This opera, as well as the original
stage play upon which it's based, are famously known in the theater world as being
cursed. To appear in this show brings bad luck, and some actors even refuse to openly
say the name (an actor friend of mine always refers to it as "the Scottish Play").
And so it should come as no surprise that the Verdi MacBeth loses its leading
lady after the diva suffers non-life threatening injuries after being hit by a
car. Enter Betty (Cristina Marsillach), a young understudy who is called to take
over the lead role on opening night, no less.
Yet while this may appear to be Betty's big break, Opera borrows a story twist
from the Phantom Of The Opera when it's revealed that Betty has a secret admirer
who lurks in the shadows of the opera house, admiring her from afar. When an
usher unwittingly comes across the phantom during the performance, he is killed--the
struggle causing a set of theatrical lights to fall right in the middle of
Betty's big number on stage. Shaken, but not stirred, she continues the performance
to much acclaim. Yet the phantom soon makes his presence known to her. While her
boyfriend is off making tea, Betty is grabbed, bound, and forced to watch (to
the point where needles are taped under her eyelids, preventing Betty from
closing her eyes) as the phantom viciously stabs her boyfriend to death right in
front of her. This bizzare cycle continues throughout the film, with Betty being
bound and forced to watch her phantom admirer kill someone close to her, until it
starts to take its toll on poor Betty--not to mention her friends and
co-workers!
Dario Argento has said that he hates it when viewers of his films close their eyes,
or look away during his stomach-churning murder scenes. Betty's scenes as a terrified,
trussed up onlooker (unable to move, cry out, or even close her eyes) appears to be Argento's
stylish response to the more squeamish among his viewers. He wants us all to gaze
unblinking into the face of horror, either as a form of release--or, if nothing else, to just acknowledge
the dark side of life. The murder scenes in Opera are pretty stunning moments of horror,
with helpless victims being mercilessly stabbed to death--not
to mention a chilling, cold-blooded murder scene that will make you swear off
looking through the peep hole in your door--all showing Argento at the height of
his powers. The Anchor Bay DVD is indeed the best way to see Opera, for the movie
now makes much more sense, especially with the motives of the killer (who's finally
revealed in a visually enthralling sequence that involves ravens).
And yet while the uncut version is better,
Opera is not a perfect film by any means. For one thing, Argento is more of a
master of style over substance, as common logic often goes flying out the window.
For instance, when Betty's lover comes into the bedroom to find her unexpectedly bound to a column, he
walks up to her and gets stabbed in the neck. It's a shocking cinematic moment--until you
realize that, from the angle the boyfriend is stabbed, he should have clearly
seen the killer long before the assault. The entire movie appears to be staged with
the same hyper-flourish as that of a typical opera. And knowing Argento, who once
tried to direct an opera for the stage (which was later canceled), this was probably his intent. But if
horror films are supposed to give the viewer an intense experience, then the master
of murder via high style more than delivers with Opera.
--SF
