About

American author Peter Neal arrives in Rome for the launch of latest book, entitled 'Tenebrae'. After the slaying of a young woman seen attempting to shoplift his new work, Peter receives a letter from a deranged murderer who tells him that his books have inspired him to go on a killing spree. From here, a series of brutal murders take place – with all the victims related to Peter or his work.

This is one of Dario Argento's finest pieces of giallo – an inventive and totally captivating thriller from a director operating at his peak. The writer-director fills the cast of characters with red herrings, allowing the audience's suspicions to be cast widely and creating a permanent air of tension. Where so many of his films (along with those of Bava and Fulci) hide their wickedness in the dark, Argento and his Suspiria cinematographer Luciano Tovoli place Tenebre's action out in the quite literal light. The wildly dynamic camera stalks its victims through often unnervingly bright surrounds, a small but potent tactic that makes it clear there is nowhere to hide. It also echoes the director's statements that he wanted the film to feel as if it were taking place in the near future, with a slight unreality to it all.

Tenebre is also one of Argento's most self-reflective pieces of work. The film is often perceived as a comment on criticisms over his treatment of female victims in his work, having Peter's violent and sexual books as a stand-in for the filmmaker's oeuvre. It's an intriguing meta-commentary (though one which Argento makes clear he refutes) and adds another layer of allure to an already enthralling giallo classic.

Alternative title: Tenebrae

R18+