Michele Soavi's debute film was this wonderful Italian horror film that's simply one of the best slasher films ever made!
Cast and crew of a stage production find themselves locked inside their theater with an escaped homicidal maniac!
Stylish and colorful direction highlight this excellent giallo film. Soavi makes the most of his clever cinematic techniques with inventive camera work and nice set pieces. Soavi has obviously taken a page from director Dario Argento in his artsy directorial style. He turns the dank catacombs of the theater into a dark, shadowy playground for our killer, who wears a truly spooky owl's head. Soavi sets up an atmosphere of great tension, setting the occurrences during a thunderstorm, using great re-occurring imagery and making even the huge theater a claustrophobic trap for our cast. There's some great moments of smart suspense as well, like the sequence with Alicia under the stage.
Being a giallo film, there's a lot of bloody scenery to be had. There's plenty of vicious, memorable murder sequences that will please any gore-hound to no end!
The cast is pretty good, even if they are dubbed something fierce. Barbara Cupisti is fetching as the films leading lady. The film boasts a weird and beautiful rock score that has a awesome contrast with the films visuals.
All in all, Stage Fright aka Deliria is a top-notch film that's a true must-see for horror fans everywhere!
*** 1/2 out of ****
Cast and crew of a stage production find themselves locked inside their theater with an escaped homicidal maniac!
Stylish and colorful direction highlight this excellent giallo film. Soavi makes the most of his clever cinematic techniques with inventive camera work and nice set pieces. Soavi has obviously taken a page from director Dario Argento in his artsy directorial style. He turns the dank catacombs of the theater into a dark, shadowy playground for our killer, who wears a truly spooky owl's head. Soavi sets up an atmosphere of great tension, setting the occurrences during a thunderstorm, using great re-occurring imagery and making even the huge theater a claustrophobic trap for our cast. There's some great moments of smart suspense as well, like the sequence with Alicia under the stage.
Being a giallo film, there's a lot of bloody scenery to be had. There's plenty of vicious, memorable murder sequences that will please any gore-hound to no end!
The cast is pretty good, even if they are dubbed something fierce. Barbara Cupisti is fetching as the films leading lady. The film boasts a weird and beautiful rock score that has a awesome contrast with the films visuals.
All in all, Stage Fright aka Deliria is a top-notch film that's a true must-see for horror fans everywhere!
*** 1/2 out of ****