Shudder Secrets: Dario Argento Panico

You have to appreciate the greats while they’re still around. Within the last decade, the horror community has lost some of its auteurs. This includes Wes Craven, Tobe Hooper, and, more recently, William Friedkin. While Dario Argento is an Italian filmmaker, he comes from the same generation as these other directors, bursting onto the scene in the early 70s with his colorful giallos and stylish kills.

Thankfully, Argento is still around and continues crafting films, including most recently Dark Glasses from 2022. Now, there’s a new documentary about the filmmaker. Dario Argento Panico, directed by Simone Scafidi, is a fine and thought-provoking look at the director’s long and storied career. It includes new and archival interviews with the giallo maestro, as well as commentary from other filmmakers and Argento’s family. While it does have some noticeable gaps, there’s far more here to enjoy than not.

Argento and Female Representation

I admit I was quite stunned to witness the focus on women and female representation in the first quarter of the documentary. Horror, including Argento’s early work, always faced backlash for its portrayal of women on screen, be it gruesome deaths or nudity. This doesn’t exclude giallos. Yet, to hear the filmmaker talk about how he sees women is simply fascinating. He notes he always gravitated towards including strong females in his films.

More specifically, Argento heaps praise upon his mother, model, and artist Elda Luxardo. He credits her for forming some of his beliefs on visuals. It’ll make you reconsider Argento’s work. There’s also an interesting quote from New French Extremity director Gaspar Noé, who says that the women in Argento’s body of work aren’t exploited, but rather, they take on an ethereal quality.

Looking at Argento’s work through female representation and portrayal is a unique take, when you consider so much academic criticism and reviews focus on the visuals and/or sound. This feels like a fresh viewpoint and a way to reconsider even his earliest giallos. However, I did wonder why no female directors were asked to comment on this very aspect. It feels like a rather large hole and perspective that’s missing, though actresses and family members, including his daughter, actress Asia Argento, do share their thoughts.

A Mostly Layered Look at Argento’s Career

As one would expect, the documentary focuses on some of Argento’s earliest hits, like The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. This earned comparisons to Hitchcock. Of course, other classics are addressed too, including Deep Red, Inferno, and of course, Susperia. However, it’s rather stunning that insufficient time is given to these classics. I desired more commentary, but it feels like they’re sort of glossed over when really, those films and that era are peak Argento. Their influence on the genre is undeniable, but you wouldn’t really now it from the doc.

Still, there’s some fascinating behind the scenes content, like vintage reels of Goblin working with Argento to score Susperia. But again, it feels like even this is too short. Music, Goblin especially, is such an integral aspect of the filmmaker’s work. I wanted more about that.

Dario Argento Panico’s Other Fascinating Tidbits

Other than thoughtful commentary on the director’s work, the doc tries to make sense of the later part of his career, specifically the work he put out in the 1990s that fell off in quality. Many interviewed cite the changes in the studio system, causing Argento to make more and more films in the U.S. In short, Italian cinema changed and so did Argento as an artist. Asia even comments that after the death of her grandfather, Salvatore, her father pulled back from the extremes in his films. She recounts that the loss was the only time she recounts her father crying.

Beyond these tidbits, the current interviews with Argento are riveting too, as he reflects on his multi-decade career and how he’s evolved as an artist. The film crew stayed with him in a hotel, so there’s plenty of fresh material. It’s also an insight into his creative process, since he was working on his next film at the hotel, as he’s done in the past.

Overall, anyone who’s a fan of the classic filmmaker will no doubt enjoy Dario Argento Panico. While it does feel like there are some gaps, there’s still plenty of meaty material here. Besides, let’s celebrate the fact Argento is still making movies.

Dario Argento Panico streams on Shudder starting February 2. Keep updated on the streaming service’s latest releases by following my Shudder Secrets column.