Tenebre (1982)

An American writer in Rome is stalked by a serial killer bent on harassing him while killing all people associated with his work on his latest book.

Director:

Dario Argento

Writer:

Dario Argento

Stars:

Anthony Franciosa, Giuliano Gemma, Christian Borromeo

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Franciosa	...	Peter Neal
Christian Borromeo	...	Gianni
Mirella D'Angelo	...	Tilde
Veronica Lario	...	Jane McKerrow
Ania Pieroni	...	Elsa Manni
Eva Robins	...	Girl on Beach
Carola Stagnaro	...	Detective Altieri
John Steiner	...	Christiano Berti
Lara Wendel	...	Maria Alboretto
John Saxon	...	Bullmer
Daria Nicolodi	...	Anne
Giuliano Gemma	...	Detective Germani
Isabella Amadeo	...	Bullmer's secretary
Mirella Banti	...	Marion
Ennio Girolami	...	Department Store Manager (as Enio Girolami)

Storyline

With Argento's trademark visual style, linked with one of his more coherent plots, Tenebrae follows a writer who arrives to Rome only to find somebody is using his novels as the inspiration (and, occasionally, the means) of committing murder. As the death toll mounts the police are ever baffled, and the writer becomes more closely linked to the case than is comfortable.

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Plot Keywords:

writer | murder | murderer | new york | rhode island | 

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Taglines:

Unrelenting terror from the maker of DEMONS, CREEPERS and SUSPIRIA!

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

X

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

English Italian Spanish

Release Date:

17 February 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tenebre

Filming Locations:

Viale Perù, 40 00060 Le Rughe RM, Formello, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sigma Cinematografica Roma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min 91 min (edited)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director's Trademark: (Dario Argento) closeup shots of the killer's hands, clad in black leather gloves.

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Goofs

On the telephone, the killer tells Peter Neal that "you wrote those words, page 46," but in fact the words quoted would have had to be on an odd-numbered page of the book TENEBRAE, given the placement of the text we see in the opening sequence.

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Quotes

[First lines]
Narrator: "The impulse had become irresistible. There was only one answer to the fury that tortured him. And so he committed his first act of murder. He had broken the most deep-rooted taboo, and found not guilt, not anxiety or fear, but freedom. Any humiliation which stood in his way could be swept aside by the simple act of annihilation: Murder."

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Crazy Credits

Anne's screams continue even as the ending credits roll.

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Connections

Referenced in Ida, Be Thy Name: The Frightful Females of Fear (2013)

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Soundtracks

Take Me Tonight
Performed by Kim Wilde

User Reviews

A cold, sterile and bloody film from Argento.

Tenebre (1982) is a cold, dark and sterile film from Dario Argento. In sterile I mean the clinical and septic surroundings that the city dwellers live in. Some of the sets are painted bright white and lighted in cool hues. The film is about a murder mystery writer named Peter Neal who comes to Rome on a business trip/vacation. During this trip, some murders are committed by a strange demented killer who's a big fan of Peter Neal. The film's translated title Shadow describes the film perfectly. To say how it relates to the film would be all too telling.

Some of the set pieces in this film are some of the most graphic and violent ones that Argento has ever concieved. They fit neatly within the confines of this tightly shot and directed thriller. One of Argento's best films (besides his opus Suspiria). I strongly recommend this picture. My favorite of the set pieces takes place in the final third of the movie. It's well worth the wait. Believe me.

A+