Horror Extreme Movie Catalog

TENEBRE is genre film directed by Horror icon Dario Argento about a serial killer who is inspired by a murder mystery book called "Tenebrae". When the book's author visits Italy, the killer makes his presence known by slashing women to death with a straight razor. Eventually the police get involved (if there was a list of all time 'Films With the Worst Cops Ever', TENEBRE would be high on that list) and the book's author even tries to take matters into his own hands. At the film's conclusion a twist is revealed that comes off like Stephen King meets Scooby Doo.

At the time this movie was released, director Dario Argento was known for his supernatural films like SUSPIRIA and INFERNO, however TENEBRE is a straight-forward whodunit, faceless killer, murder mystery. It's a timeless movie that, despite its flaws, is stylish in the way that it's shot and presented as an overall film. The film boasts an awesome soundtrack provided by his usual music collaborators, consisting of random members of the band Goblin. The movie's theme song is also sampled by the Indie Rock/Electronic band Justice on their CROSS album for the songs "Phantom" and "Phantom, pt. II". While the movie is pretty solid, it does have some laughable dialogue and overdubs. The movie was filmed in English but still overdubbed nonetheless. The best line of the movie is when the book's author's assitant Anne offers a Police Officer some alcohol and then says "I'm sorry you probably don't drink on duty", to which the cop replies "I ONLY drink on duty". Wow.

Overall, TENEBRE is an awesome movie. It has moments of suspense, moments of creepyness, moments that will sneak up and scare the piss out of you, obligatory nudity, great yet sometimes ridiculous acting, an awesome and gory climax, great music, an overdramatic lesbian lovers spat, cops that drink on duty, ax murders, a young John Saxon (NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET)... need I say more? Also, the Anchor Bay release of this DVD has outstanding sound and video quality. Highly recommended.

4 stars

I often wonder if when Dario Argento passes a beautiful woman while walking down the street, does he think to himself "I'd love to kill the hell out of her!". The man has both a talent and a fetish for taking the sexiest women he can find and doing abominably brutal things to them on film. Not a complaint, mind you; just an observation. A wise man once proclaimed "death by Argento is heavenly". Indeed, there is no more stylish way for a gorgeous actress to go out then in a torrent of red in one of the man's horror films. "Tenebre" has the highest onscreen bodycount of any Argento film I've seen so far and that's an accomplishment in itself. It's a rather by-the-book murder-mystery which often pays homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's tales of Sherlock Holmes both in word and in story. Its an exceptionally watchable film for more casual viewers who don't take their horror with Argento's usual doses of surrealism and is an all-around solid entry into Italy's pantheon of giallo classics.

10 things I learned from "Tenebre":

1) Don't ever give a Doberman attitude.
2) Butterfaces = transsexuals. It's Crying Game time!
3) Clubbing yourself with a rock: surprisingly sound strategy.
4) Trick razor blades are fun and practical. Fool your friends!
5) Lesbian lover's spats are HOT...and invariably lead to horrible death.
6) Horrible death: also hot.
7) Red paint prices going up or just to lazy to pick up a brush? Try dismemberment!
8) When running away from a serial killer, always face away from the impending death regardless of your hotness or the camera's location.
9) Keep all wooden fences in good repair at all times.
10) Argento REALLY likes red.

"Tenebre" is another outstanding entry to the genre from the master and should entertain nearly any fan of murder-mysteries and/or horrific violence. The score is amazing, the red keeps a-flowin', the clothes keep a-coming off of the women, and the mystery will keep you guessing until the end makes you shout "bulls!+!" at your television. But all's fair in love, war, and mysteries so deal with it. I'm not a fan of the genre due to the rigid formulaic nature of the storytelling, but I occasionally partake and as far as giallo goes, you can scarcely do better than this.