Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...
... and welcome to 'Day One' of "Awesome Horror Streams for Hallowe'en Screams on Roku" where I aim to bring you the first fright flick from the carefully curated catalogue of macabre movies which have been thrilling 'Shudder UK' subscribers for almost a year now & any of which can be streamed on TV via the magic of Roku media players - so, dim the lights... and prepare for some frights! :-O
If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published yesterday, then you'll know that I plan to post one Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one horror movie per day from the current 'Shudder UK' content library. With recommendations for thirty-one of the best fright flicks I can find, by the end of the month, this means you should have plenty of great choices for your macabre movie viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring some top-notch cinematic scares come October 31st! ;-)
To get things started, I'm going to suggest "Tenebrae" [aka Tenebre] which was written and directed by Dario Argento, with cinematography by Luciano Tovoli, and featuring an awesome soundtrack by Massimo Morante, Fabio Pignatelli & Claudio Simonetti (Goblin). The reason I've decided to go with this particular film, for the inaugural post in my month-long blogathon, is that this month marks the 35th anniversary of the original theatrical release of 'Tenenbre' in Italy on 28th October 1982. Here is the poster which would have greeted Italian cinema-goers at that time:-
If you read my special hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - which I published yesterday, then you'll know that I plan to post one Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, featuring one horror movie per day from the current 'Shudder UK' content library. With recommendations for thirty-one of the best fright flicks I can find, by the end of the month, this means you should have plenty of great choices for your macabre movie viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring some top-notch cinematic scares come October 31st! ;-)
To get things started, I'm going to suggest "Tenebrae" [aka Tenebre] which was written and directed by Dario Argento, with cinematography by Luciano Tovoli, and featuring an awesome soundtrack by Massimo Morante, Fabio Pignatelli & Claudio Simonetti (Goblin). The reason I've decided to go with this particular film, for the inaugural post in my month-long blogathon, is that this month marks the 35th anniversary of the original theatrical release of 'Tenenbre' in Italy on 28th October 1982. Here is the poster which would have greeted Italian cinema-goers at that time:-
Using Dario Argento's trademark visual style, linked with one of his more coherent plots, 'Tenebre' (or, 'Tenebrae', as it was known in the UK) follows a writer, Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa), who arrives in Rome to find somebody is using his novels as inspiration (and, occasionally, as the means) to commit murder. This serial killer is bent on harassing the author while, at the same time, killing all people associated with the work on his latest book. As the death toll mounts the police are ever baffled, and the writer becomes more closely linked to the case. Meanwhile, the author conducts his own investigations... with the help of his beautiful assistant, Anne (Daria Nicolodi), and a tenacious young local named Gianni (Christian Borromeo). As the murderer brutally dispatches more & more victims, we bear witness to many well-directed and aesthetically-shot murder scenes, as the author gets closer and closer to discovering the psychopath’s identity! :-O
There is an official trailer available on YouTube, so that you can get a feel for this stylish Giallo film, and (for those who may be unfamiliar with the genre) this makes for a great introduction... although, to further whet your appetite, here is the original British Quad Poster used in UK cinemas:-
The tagline reads: "...TERROR BEYOND BELIEF" and, as we follow this descent into madness, we get just that... with "Unrelenting terror from the maker of DEMONS, CREEPERS and SUSPIRIA!". This is pure 'Giallo' and, for a genre that pretty much peaked in the 70's, this film marked a welcome return to the genre for the director after diversifying styles for a couple of films... which included the equally brilliant 'Suspiria' and, along with 'Deep Red', 'Phenomena', 'Inferno', and 'Mother of Tears' show why Dario Argento's creations were among the most influential horror films of the 70's & 80's.
Aside from being a personal favourite of mine, this film comes highly recommended for having both gorgeous visuals and a great story that engages on many different levels. It certainly does make for compelling viewing, and really makes you think - even long after it's over - so, don't be surprised if it takes multiple screenings for you to get everything you can from it... and, on that note, I suppose I'd better give you the link to watch it via the 'Shudder UK' website - for those times when you are away from your Roku device(s) - or, for anyone who doesn't yet subscribe to sign-up & start watching! ;-)
LINK TO WATCH 'Tenebrae' (1982) [dir. Dario Argento] ONLINE VIA 'SHUDDER UK' WEBSITE
Unfortunately for readers outside the UK, at the time of writing, this seminal horror classic does not appear to be available via 'Shudder' in the U.S. or Canada... however, you may have other resources at your disposal and, if you are able to find it, this Dario Argento 'Giallo' film deserves to be seen! :-)
If you do happen to watch it, and are keen to know more, there are a few good online sources for further information. WARNING: These links will redirect you to websites which most definitely contain spoilers for 'Tenebrae' by Dario Argento so - SPOILER ALERT - do not visit these websites until after you have seen the movie... unless you want to know what you're letting yourself in for! ;-)
Anyway... first up, there is an in-depth review by Slant Magazine [Twitter Feed: @Slant_Magazine] that really dissects the storyline and goes into great detail about the film. Great for tying-up any loose threads you may have been pondering after watching the film... but offering a bit too much for those of you who have yet to see it. Then, secondly there is a dedicated webpage on 'Wikipedia' with lots more interesting facts about 'Tenebrae' for horror movie fans to absorb. Lastly, for a full list of movie credits plus assorted film trivia, there is the IMDb Listing for 'Tenebrae' which may also be of use! ;-)
Since this film has spawned many devoted fans, in the 35 years since it was first released, I feel I owe it to them (and you) that a fan-made poster for 'Tenebrae' be used to round-off this article with some contemporary artwork inspired by the film... so feast your eyes on this then go enjoy the movie! ;-) :-)
CREDIT FOR ABOVE POSTER: Beyond Horror Design