As a classical singing student who also happens to be fond of horror, Opera had a very obvious appeal to me. That the movie centers its plot around a young singer and her debut at a very well shot opera house also helped. However there are quite a few things that hardly strike me as coherent or even well done. The atmosphere of life dedicated to art was approached in a too superficial way that really does not do justice to the complexity and passion that revolve around such a choice.
Of course, that is simply my opinion on the matter, there are yet a few other elements that seem to drag the movie down that do not concern anyone's experience with the world of Opera. First of all, as is already well known about Argento, the plot is inconsistent, to say the least. The main premise is about a psycho killer hell bent on killing people around the heroine. Of course, they could be quite dull just by itself, was it not the ingenuity with which these killings are performed.
***Spoiler***
The classic scene in which Betty is forced to keep her eyes open or have then ripped by a set of sharp needles attached to her lids; the mouth stabbing episode, the eye being shot through the peep-hole are all images that have engrossed the catalog of horror/thriller display tactics, having become true objects of a cult.
***End Spoiler***
The soundtrack is also quite effective although I would have used a lot more classical references, but I admit I am partial on this matter. Acting is decent although the terrible lip sync almost ruins it. As for the killer his motivation is not all that easy to decipher and his identity nothing too hard to grasp, if one tries.
I suppose the best way to enjoy this movie, however, is to simply take it as a pure visual feast and not to ponder too much about such matters as plausibility.
Still, in no way can I forgive the terrible atrocious ending, perhaps one of the more contrived cinematographic epilogues ever to strike us blind with its sheer inanity.
***Spoiler***
After we all believed that the killer is dead, action suddenly hops all the way to Switzerland, where we get to see Betty acting suspiciously like the nun from the sound of music. She even runs about the green valleys acting all happy and carefree. Obviously, all is not as well as it seems: turns out the killer is alive and...has eluded the authorities into believing he was dead by casting a theatre dummy into a fire. That is already far fetched, that he would manage to catch up with Betty and kill her manager almost effortlessly is highly unbelievable.
But the worst scene is when Betty confronts the killer, and manages to gain his trust until the police save the day. When asked how she knew the police was nearby she claims she had seen two German Shepard dogs running in a pair, which could only mean the forces of the law would soon follow. How, you ask? I do not know, but apparently this non sequitor satisfied the detective.
And then, to top it all, Betty lies down in the grass and has some sort of random soliloquy about how great life is now, as she pets a lizard and tells it to be "free my pretty one".
Atrocious, horrible, namelessly inconsiderate to one's intellect.
***End Spoiler***
All and all, this is quite an uneven movie, it has its interesting moments but it's far from being great.
Of course, that is simply my opinion on the matter, there are yet a few other elements that seem to drag the movie down that do not concern anyone's experience with the world of Opera. First of all, as is already well known about Argento, the plot is inconsistent, to say the least. The main premise is about a psycho killer hell bent on killing people around the heroine. Of course, they could be quite dull just by itself, was it not the ingenuity with which these killings are performed.
***Spoiler***
The classic scene in which Betty is forced to keep her eyes open or have then ripped by a set of sharp needles attached to her lids; the mouth stabbing episode, the eye being shot through the peep-hole are all images that have engrossed the catalog of horror/thriller display tactics, having become true objects of a cult.
***End Spoiler***
The soundtrack is also quite effective although I would have used a lot more classical references, but I admit I am partial on this matter. Acting is decent although the terrible lip sync almost ruins it. As for the killer his motivation is not all that easy to decipher and his identity nothing too hard to grasp, if one tries.
I suppose the best way to enjoy this movie, however, is to simply take it as a pure visual feast and not to ponder too much about such matters as plausibility.
Still, in no way can I forgive the terrible atrocious ending, perhaps one of the more contrived cinematographic epilogues ever to strike us blind with its sheer inanity.
***Spoiler***
After we all believed that the killer is dead, action suddenly hops all the way to Switzerland, where we get to see Betty acting suspiciously like the nun from the sound of music. She even runs about the green valleys acting all happy and carefree. Obviously, all is not as well as it seems: turns out the killer is alive and...has eluded the authorities into believing he was dead by casting a theatre dummy into a fire. That is already far fetched, that he would manage to catch up with Betty and kill her manager almost effortlessly is highly unbelievable.
But the worst scene is when Betty confronts the killer, and manages to gain his trust until the police save the day. When asked how she knew the police was nearby she claims she had seen two German Shepard dogs running in a pair, which could only mean the forces of the law would soon follow. How, you ask? I do not know, but apparently this non sequitor satisfied the detective.
And then, to top it all, Betty lies down in the grass and has some sort of random soliloquy about how great life is now, as she pets a lizard and tells it to be "free my pretty one".
Atrocious, horrible, namelessly inconsiderate to one's intellect.
***End Spoiler***
All and all, this is quite an uneven movie, it has its interesting moments but it's far from being great.