Horror Extreme Movie Feature - Dario Argento: The Horror Master and The Three Mothers

Dario Argento (born September 17, 1940) is an Italian movie producer, director and screenwriter famous (among other things) for his graphic horror movies and is considered a great influence on the horror and slasher movies that have followed his work.

His distinct style of directing stands out due to his attention to the artistic factors in a movie, such as lighting, sound and color, rather than shock and splatter which results in a high tension and often deeply terrifying movie experience for the viewer. These factors combined with violence and the supernatural has made him a master in the horror genre.

In 1977, Dario Argento unleashed Suspiria, a violent supernatural thriller which (along with Profundo Rosso AKA Deep Red) is considered one of his greatest works. Suspiria is the first instalment in The Three Mothers Trilogy, followed by Inferno in 1980 and soon to be concluded with The Third Mother due to be released later this year. Argento also collaborated in George A. Romero's zombie classic Dawn of the Dead and has strongly influenced the giallo genre with movies like Trauma. More recently Dario Argento has contributed to the Masters of Horror series with Jenifer and Pelts.

Suspiria is the first movie in the Three Mothers Trilogy, the three mothers are three ancient witches residing and influencing three modern day cities. Suspiria happens in Germany and centres on a young American ballet student, Suzy Banyon (played by Jessica Harper), who has travelled to Europe to join a prestigious dance academy run by the mysterious Madame Blane (played by Joan Bennett) and Miss Tanner (played by Alida Valli). A series of bizarre incidents and the horrific murder of a student leads Suzy to discover the academy is a front for a coven of witches practising the most unholy black magic.

One of the first scenes in the movies sees the vicious murder of a student and has been described as "the most violent murder scene ever filmed".

Starring: Eva Axén, Miguel Bosé, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci, Joan Bennett.

Inferno (unofficially known as The Second Mother) is the second part of The Three Mothers Trilogy. This time the story is based in New York City where Rose Elliot (played by Irene Miracle) discovers a book called The Three Mothers detailing the existence of three evil sisters who rule the world with sorrow, tears, and darkness. Rose begins to suspect that she is living in one of the buildings specifically build for one of the sisters, she writes a letter to her brother in Rome urging him to visit, but before he arrives her investigation has led to her untimely death at the hands of a knife wielding killer.

Upon his arrival Rose's brother, Mark (played by Leigh McCloskey), investigates the murder of his sister and her suspicions of witchcraft and soon discovers a series of secret passageways in the building which lead him to Mater Tenebrarum, the mysterious Professor Arnold and the conclusion that his sister's suspicions were true.

Starring: Jr. Feodor Chaliapin, Eleonora Giorgi, Ryan Hilliard, Veronica Lazar, Leigh McCloskey.

The Third Mother (also billed in the media as Mater Lachrymarum and Mother of Tears) is the concluding part of The Three Mothers Trilogy and is due to premiere in Italy on 18 October 2007 at the Rome Film Festival.

Sarah Mandy (played by Asia Argento), an American art student studying in Rome, finds the ashes of the long-dead witch Mater Lachrymarum (known as the Mother of Tears) in an ancient decrepit grave along with a robe, a dagger and three small statues. The resurrection of the ancient evil plunges Rome into chaos as the witches of the world congregate to pay homage to their evil queen. Sarah must confront the Mother of Tears in order to stop the diabolical black magic engulfing the world and bringing a new age of darkness.

Starring: Asia Argento, Udo Kier, Cristian Solimeno, Daria Nicolodi, Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni, Moran Atias, Philippe Leroy.