Tenebrae (film)

Tenebrae (film)

Tenebrae is a 1982 Italian giallo film written and directed by Dario Argento. The film stars Anthony Franciosa as American author Peter Neal, who is in Rome promoting his latest murder-mystery novel. He becomes embroiled in the search for a serial killer who may have been inspired to kill by his novel. The movie has been described as exploring themes of dualism and sexual aberration.

About Tenebrae (film) in brief

Summary Tenebrae (film)Tenebrae is a 1982 Italian giallo film written and directed by Dario Argento. The film stars Anthony Franciosa as American author Peter Neal, who is in Rome promoting his latest murder-mystery novel. He becomes embroiled in the search for a serial killer who may have been inspired to kill by his novel. The movie has been described as exploring themes of dualism and sexual aberration, and has strong metafictional elements. It was a modest success in Italy; it reached theatres with little controversy after Argento made cuts to one of the most violent scenes. In the United Kingdom, it was added to the infamous list of “video nasties” and banned from sale until 1999. The U.S. release of the film was delayed until 1984 when it was released in a heavily censored version under the title Unsane. In its cut form, TeneBrae received a mostly negative critical reception, but the original, fully restored version later became widely available for reappraisal. The film critic and author Maitland McDonagh has said that it is “in many respects … the finest film that Argento has ever made”. The film is set in a near-future with a diminished population. Several former members of Italian rock band Goblin provided the music, a synth-heavy score inspired by rock and disco music. The director wanted to explore the senselessness of killings he had seen and heard about while staying in Los Angeles in 1980, and his feeling at the time that true horror came from those who wanted “to kill for nothing”.

He also wanted to simulate the stark, realistic lighting featured in television police shows at thetime. Tene brae utilized mostly modern-looking locations and sets to help Argento realize his intent that the film reflects aNear- future with a reduced population. The Director’s Cut: TenebraE, released in 1984, is a heavily-censored version of the 1982 Italian film, which is available for download on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK. It is also available on Blu-Ray in the United States, where it is available on DVD in the US as well as the UK, and in the U.K. and Canada. The Film: The Director’s Cut: The Film, released on DVD, is also a heavily censured version of Tene Brae, with cuts of one violent scene and a number of other scenes that have not been released in other countries. It has a running time of over two hours and 40 minutes. The Movie: The Documentary: The Movie, released at the same time as the film, is longer than the original version. It also has a longer running length of over three hours and features a cast that includes John Saxon, John Steiner, Veronica Lario, and Mirella D’Angelo also feature in minor roles. It is a direct reaction by Argento to criticism of his previous work, including his depictions of murders of beautiful women.