DARK GLASSES (REVIEW)

Dir. Dario Argento

Reviewer. Martyn Wakefield

The master of Giallo returns with DARK GLASSES and it's great to say that age has not softened the blow giving us Argento's best film in decades.

Returning to form, this sees a serial killer gruesomely attack multiple prostitutes. After a violent chase, Diana survives a confrontation but is blinded by a crash which sees a boy's family killed. From that point forward, the duo help navigate a fight for survival as the killer continues to track down his victim to finish what he started.

As with the genres best films, this is a murder mystery with plenty of claret and doesn't start away from showing us some of Argento's grizzliest moments. Ilenia Pastorelli gives a heartfelt performance of a strong woman broken down to a shell of her former self but through the aid of Andrea Zhang's Chin, gets a new chance to fight back.

The film's themes really carve as a reminder of how rich Giallo storytelling can be with a story that takes the best of PHENOMENA and TENEBRAE while giving us a relationship worth routing for. The killer is as two dimensional as they come but this is Diana's story above all.

Arnaud Rebotini's electro rock score gives chills and reminders of how music is as much a player in Argento's films as the cast. A blend of tension and sorrow, DARK GLASSES is a fine example of how Giallo films still live on and that they can hold up against even the best in the genre. Amongst the likes of DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING and THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, this instant classic is an unforgettable blend of mystery and murder.