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The Stendhal Syndrome

Original title: La sindrome di Stendhal
  • 1996
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 53m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
8.8K
YOUR RATING
Asia Argento in The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)
Home Video Trailer from Troma
Play trailer0:40
1 Video
93 Photos
HorrorMysteryThriller

A young policewoman slowly goes insane while tracking down an elusive serial rapist/killer through Italy when she herself becomes a victim of the brutal man's obsession.A young policewoman slowly goes insane while tracking down an elusive serial rapist/killer through Italy when she herself becomes a victim of the brutal man's obsession.A young policewoman slowly goes insane while tracking down an elusive serial rapist/killer through Italy when she herself becomes a victim of the brutal man's obsession.

  • Director
    • Dario Argento
  • Writers
    • Graziella Magherini
    • Dario Argento
    • Franco Ferrini
  • Stars
    • Asia Argento
    • Thomas Kretschmann
    • Marco Leonardi
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.0/10
    8.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Dario Argento
    • Writers
      • Graziella Magherini
      • Dario Argento
      • Franco Ferrini
    • Stars
      • Asia Argento
      • Thomas Kretschmann
      • Marco Leonardi
    • 87User reviews
    • 100Critic reviews
    • 42Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 6 nominations

    Videos1

    The Stendhal Syndrome
    Trailer 0:40
    Watch The Stendhal Syndrome

    Photos93

    The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)
    Asia Argento in The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)
    Asia Argento in The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)
    Asia Argento in The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)
    Asia Argento in The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)
    Asia Argento in The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)
    Asia Argento in The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)
    Asia Argento in The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)
    Asia Argento in The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)
    Asia Argento in The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)
    Asia Argento in The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)
    Asia Argento in The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Asia Argento
    Asia Argento
    • Det. Anna Manni
    Thomas Kretschmann
    Thomas Kretschmann
    • Alfredo Grossi
    Marco Leonardi
    Marco Leonardi
    • Marco Longhi
    Luigi Diberti
    Luigi Diberti
    • Insp. Manetti
    Paolo Bonacelli
    Paolo Bonacelli
    • Dr. Cavanna
    Julien Lambroschini
    • Marie
    John Quentin
    • Anna's father
    Franco Diogene
    Franco Diogene
    • Victim's husband
    Lucia Stara
    • Shop assistant
    Sonia Topazio
    • Victim in Florence
    Lorenzo Crespi
    Lorenzo Crespi
    • Giulio
    Vera Gemma
    Vera Gemma
    • Policewoman
    John Pedeferri
    • Hydraulic engineer
    Veronica Lazar
    Veronica Lazar
    • Marie's mother
    Mario Diano
    • Coroner
    Eleonora Vizzini
    • Anna, as a child
    Maximilian Nisi
    • Luigi
    Leonardo Ferrantini
    • Alessandro
    • Director
      • Dario Argento
    • Writers
      • Graziella Magherini
      • Dario Argento
      • Franco Ferrini
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Ennio Morricone's eerie music score for the film follows the same tune played either forward or backward!
    • Goofs
      Though featuring prominently during the film's opening sequence set at the Uffizi in Florecne, Peter Bruegel's 'Landscape with the Fall of Icarus' is actually housed at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels.
    • Quotes

      Insp. Manetti: You're young. I can trust you.

    • Alternate versions
      US DVD release by Troma release is the complete version of the English language edition, but, like all English releases, is still missing around 2 minutes of material exclusive to the Italian print.
    • Connections
      Featured in Il mondo di Dario Argento 3: Il museo degli orrori di Dario Argento (1997)

    User reviews87

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Not a masterpiece, but competent enough to stand as the best of Argento's difficult 90's period
    Argento's main concern as a filmmaker is always with the camera, because for him, the camera is not only something that is used to record the action, but is a constant representation of the eye. This notion is even more important than ever before with The Stendhal Syndrome (1996), Argento's bizarre and brutal thriller, in which an inexplicable affliction pertaining to the relationship between art and the viewer is used as a springboard to a peculiar concoction of murder, rape, identity crisis and pure, psycho-sexual dread.

    The story is typical of Argento, with some wonderful references to the classic Giallo style of storytelling found in his earlier films, such as The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) and Deep Red (1975), with the continual juxtaposition between the initial police investigation and elements of amateur sleuthing, and all within the broader "stalk and slash" universe of masked killers, wandering point-of-view shots and black leather gloves. However, this is in direct contrast with the incredible viciousness presented by Argento and directed primarily at the central character, in this instance, the young female police investigator, Anna Manni. The treatment of the violence and, in particular, the sexual violence, goes way beyond the brutality of even Tenebrae (1982) or Opera (1988), as the filmmaker attempts to invade a limited psychological space - both in terms of the story and in the visual presentation - that is much deeper and more sinister than anything Argento had done before or since.

    The plot here is broken up into two very distinct halves; with the first half showing our protagonist in pursuit of a vicious serial killer who uses her affliction to ensnare her, and the second half showing the breakdown in Anna's personality following a prolonged and violent encounter with the murderer himself. The two different strands are handled well by Argento, with the first half showing his revived interest in the conventions of the Giallo and the second half demonstrating his interest in psychological issues familiar from the masterwork Tenebrae and the largely forgettable American-set thriller Trauma (1993).

    There's also a greater attempt to create something approaching reality here, with none of the vivid colours of films like Suspria (1977) and Inferno (1980) or the bravura camera movements or elements of fragmented shot-construction found in Tenebrae and Deep Red. The film points the way forward to subsequent projects, Sleepless (2000) and The Card Player (2005), the latter of the two being something of a thematic sequel to the film in question (though really, this idea makes little to no sense when considered within the context of this film's climax). As bold and different as this presentation is, it must be said that the switch in style isn't entirely successful. There are still a number of slight flaws to the film that we will come back to, but really, it is the occasional drop in quality or the seemingly unbelievable elements of the plot that jar somewhat against the two very distinct and different worlds that the director is trying to create. This still doesn't stop the film from being the best thing that Argento directed in the 90's, and his most enjoyable film overall since Opera almost ten years before.

    For me, Sleepless is still the best thing he's directed in the last twenty years, but The Stendhal Syndrome has plenty going for it, even if the abstract concept at the heart of the film may be too outlandish for many to accept. Although there are plot holes and the usual poor dubbing/listless performances, the film makes some valid points about the relationship between art and those that view it, and the always fascinating notions of sight and perception (the things we see and things we feel). Not a masterpiece for certain, but one that regardless offers an interesting idea and some truly thrilling moments of terror and dread.
    helpful•6
    0
    • ThreeSadTigers
    • Apr 15, 2008

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    FAQ1

    • What are the differences between the Original Version and the Extended Version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 26, 1996 (Italy)
    • Country of origin
      • Italy
    • Official site
      • Troma
    • Language
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Stendhal sendromu
    • Filming locations
      • Florence, Tuscany, Italy
    • Production companies
      • Medusa Film
      • Cine 2000
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $3,800,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 53 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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