Trauma (1993)

A young man tries to help a teenage European girl who escaped from a clinic hospital after witnessing the murder of her parents by a serial killer and they try to find the killer before the killer finds them.

Director:

Dario Argento

Writers:

Franco Ferrini (story), Gianni Romoli (story) (as Giovanni Romoli)

Stars:

Christopher Rydell, Asia Argento, Piper Laurie

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Rydell	...	David Parsons
Asia Argento	...	Aura Petrescu
Piper Laurie	...	Adriana Petrescu
Frederic Forrest	...	Dr. Judd
Laura Johnson	...	Grace Harrington
Dominique Serrand	...	Stefan Petrescu
James Russo	...	Capt. Travis
Ira Belgrade	...	Arnie
Brad Dourif	...	Dr. Lloyd
Hope Alexander-Willis	...	Linda Quirk
Sharon Barr	...	Hilda Volkman
Isabell O'Connor	...	Georgia Jackson (as Isabell Monk)
Cory Garvin	...	Gabriel Pickering
Terry Perkins	...	Mrs. Pickering
Tony Saffold	...	Ben Aldrich

Storyline

An anorexic young woman escapes from a psychiatric clinic and meets a young man who wants to help. She is caught and returned to her parents, who are soon beheaded by a garrotting stranger making the rounds about town, apparently striking only when it rains. The orphaned young woman and her new lover launch their own investigation and are endangered when a link is discovered with the victims and a particular operation performed years before.

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Plot Keywords:

murderess | investigation | hospital | rain | serial killer | 

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Taglines:

Some Nightmares Haunt You. Some... Can Kill You.

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and terror, and for some sexuality and language

Details

Country:

Italy USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 March 1993 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Aura's Enigma

Filming Locations:

Hopkins, Minnesota, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

ADC Films, Overseas FilmGroup

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Piper Laurie revealed in 1997 that she never even bothered to see the finished film because she heard it was terrible, and that she and Frederic Forrest would constantly sit through the entire shooting laughing.

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Goofs

Severed heads cannot talk. One needs lungs in order to talk.

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Alternate Versions

The Italian DVD has 4 new deleted scenes

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Connections

References The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)

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Soundtracks

The Loss
Music by Andrea Bandel and Pino Donaggio
Arranged by Andrea Bandel
Score Conducted by Gianfranco Plenizio
Arranged and Orchestrated by Pino Donaggio and Natale Massara
Keyboards Programming and Performance by Paolo Steffan
All music published by Bixio C.E.M.S.A.

User Reviews

S10 Reviews: Trauma (1993)

Teenage Aura (Asia Argento) escapes a clinic where she is receiving treatment for an eating disorder. She gets rescued by a passing motorist (Christopher Rydell) who attempts to save her from committing suicide by jumping off a bridge. Things only get worse for poor Aura when she returns home to her parents (her mother played by Piper Laurie is a seer) are soon killed by a serial killer by the name of 'Head Hunter'. Aura attempts to get answers (with the help of the good Samaritan) as she fights her weakened state, the clinic personal and the serial killer.

Dario Argento once again mines the familiar giallo territory in this, his first American co-production. 'Trauma' has some of the horror masters most polished camera work. Known for his awesome killer POV shots, Argento will goes for the gusto here. 'Trauma' truly has some of his best work. The story (which was co-written by T.E.D. Klein) is a pretty solid effort complete with a twist ending. The scripts have never been the strongest components in Argento's work but this one is pretty strong and the twists and turn jell pretty well. Tom Savini once again enters slasher territory with all sorts of lovely be-headings. The fake heads created for the film are some of the best. The cast does a nice job (look for a young looking Brad Dourif in a glorified cameo) with the material. 'Trauma is another strong giallo entry by one of the Masters.