One of the True Masters of Horror Brings a Modern Day Twist to His Newest Film

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MOVIE REVIEW
Dark Glasses (Occhiali neri)
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Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Year Released: 2022
Runtime: 1h 26m
Director(s): Dario Argento
Writer(s): Dario Argento (screenplay by,) Franco Ferrini (screenplay by)
Cast: Ilenia Pastorelli, Asia Argento, Andrea Gherpelli, Mario Pirrello, Maria Rosaria Russo, Gennaro Iaccarino
Where To Watch: Premiering on Shudder October 13, 2022

RAVING REVIEW: An experience that won’t be for everyone, but if you enjoy Italian horror, this will be something to rave about! Blood, drama, and total eclipses, what more could you want?

I haven’t experienced a lot of Giallo films (a genre of mystery fiction and thrillers and often contains slasher, crime fiction, psychological thriller, psychological horror, sexploitation, and, less frequently, supernatural horror elements), and this modern take on it was an interesting introduction for me. Sure, I’ve watched some in the past, but this was the first time that I genuinely knew what I was watching before watching it.

Director Dario Argento was a true master of horror, especially in the 1970s and 80s. Some of his films are iconic horror masterpieces (even if I don’t particularly enjoy all of them.) SUSPIRIA is probably the name that most are familiar with, but he also directed THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, THE CAT O’ NINE TAILS, DEEP RED, and more.

This was Argento's most recent directorial effort and his newest since 2012’s DRACULA 3D. Overall, the film has Argento’s signature fingerprints throughout, from the unique color palette, camera movements, and tone. Far from a modern classic, the film sometimes struggles with keeping the story focused; the average runtime feels longer than it needs to, even though the pacing is pretty well done. So much of the crux of the film's success is the opening, and it indeed was fantastic. I was locked in entirely from the first scene; after the base of the story was built, struggles began.

I haven’t seen any of Argento’s films since the 1985 PHENOMENA, so that’s ten more entries into this master's filmography that I feel obligated (willingly) to try and catch up on. While I’m sure they aren’t all perfect, I won't regret watching if they’re near this level!

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