Dario Argento Italian film director. Date of Birth: 07.09.1940 Country: Italy

Biography of Dario Argento

Dario Argento, an Italian film director, began his career as a screenwriter for B-movies but later became a classic figure in Italian horror. He fully explored the genre of giallo, which combines elements of thriller, suspense, and erotica. The director's authority is unquestionable, as he has been quoted by such masters of cinema as John Carpenter and Stanley Kubrick. Dario Argento was born on September 7, 1940, in Rome. His father, Salvatore Argento, was a well-known producer, and his mother, Elda Luxardo, was involved in photography. His uncle was also an influential producer and screenwriter, which opened up a path in the film industry for Dario from the very beginning. According to the director, one of his most vivid childhood memories is sitting on the lap of Italian movie star Sophia Loren. Argento began his career as a film critic and screenwriter. Starting in 1968, he wrote articles for the newspaper "Paese Sera" and his first screenplays. The talented young man quickly caught the attention of influential directors. During this time, Argento also met Sergio Leone and Federico Fellini, who had a significant influence on him. He wrote several scenes for Leone's film "Once Upon a Time in the West" and the screenplay for the film "One Evening at Dinner." Dario's active work attracted the attention of the prominent film producer Goffredo Lombardo who invited him to work at the "Titanus" company. There, the budding filmmaker wrote 12 screenplays within two years. In 1970, with the financial support of his father, Dario Argento released his first feature film "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage." The film was made in the giallo genre, a specific Italian subgenre that combines elements of thriller, horror, and erotica. This relatively young genre was established by another Italian horror master, Mario Bava. Taking suspense from Hitchcock, Bava combined it with distinctive visual elements, including stylish, elaborate, and bloody murder scenes, depicting the action through the eyes of the killer, the presence of black leather gloves, madness and paranoia, and explicit erotic scenes. Argento quickly embraced this new direction. Following his first film, he made "The Cat o' Nine Tails" (1971) and "Four Flies on Grey Velvet" (1972), which completed the so-called "animal" trilogy. These films demonstrated the undeniable talent of Argento and received positive reviews from critics. More importantly, they were well-received by audiences. The relatively unknown giallo genre suddenly became incredibly popular in Italy. Dario Argento gained widespread recognition after the release of the film "Deep Red" (1975). It became the work that marked the director's rise, and along with it, giallo reached unprecedented heights. During the filming of this movie, Dario met his future wife, Daria Nicolodi, who became his muse and collaborator for many years. She gave birth to their daughter Asia, who followed in her father's footsteps and became an actress and director. "Deep Red" showcased the director's unique style, with its captivating color palette and excellent cinematography. From a technical standpoint, the film was flawless, with its intense editing and nerve-wracking musical accompaniment rivalling Hitchcock's thrillers. However, the narrative and characterization of the characters did not interact well with the visual elements. Recognizing this, Argento would later structure his works by piling up long, self-contained episodes, sacrificing coherence in favor of pure emotion and special effects. In the 1970s, the director reached the peak of his creative activity, producing his best films. In 1977, the film "Suspiria" was released, followed by "Inferno" in 1979. Together with the film "The Mother of Tears," which was released in 2007, they form a trilogy about three witch sisters connected to dark forces. These films are considered the best examples of the giallo genre. Another successful film was "Phenomena" (1984), which the director himself considers his most personal work. It was shot in English and received mixed reviews from the press. However, Argento's next film, "Opera" (1987), unexpectedly turned out to be a failure. The director did not make a film for seven years, mainly working on television projects. In 1993, Argento returned to the big screen with the film "Trauma." It marked the debut of his daughter Asia as an actress. She also played the lead role in the director's next film, "The Stendhal Syndrome" (1996), which is considered one of his best works by critics. The film tells the story of a young policewoman suffering from a psychological disorder called "Stendhal Syndrome." The essence of the syndrome is that the patient perceives a work of art as genuine reality and lives within it. The policewoman follows the trail of a serial killer, living in various realities and immersing herself in parallel worlds. This film, with its complex plot and artistic techniques, was very well-received by both critics and audiences, offering a different perspective on the director's extraordinary personality. Argento restored his reputation, although some fans criticized him for becoming too "Hollywood," abandoning the razor and gloves for a gun. In 1998, the film "The Phantom of the Opera" was released, with Asia once again playing the lead role. It was selected for the competition program at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received mixed reviews. Most critics considered it a successful work, but true fans of giallo reacted negatively. In the 2000s, interest in Dario Argento waned. He mainly worked on projects for the American television channel Showtime, directing several episodes for the series "Masters of Horror." In 2014, his film "Dracula 3D," based on Bram Stoker's famous novel, was released. Despite the lack of success of Argento's recent works, he remains one of the leading directors of Italian horror. Born into a family of successful parents, he was able to seize the opportunity and reach the pinnacle of his craft. Moreover, Argento has become a cult figure and one of the most influential authors in the world of horror.