The Killers (1964) and Tenebrae

Clu Gulager and Lee Marvin.

The Killers (1964). Don Siegel's adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's 1946 short story "The Killers" is sadly overshadowed by the 1946 film version that made stars of Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner. Siegel's The Killers is a lean, fast-paced drama that borrows elements from the 1946 movie, but alters the narrative path. Lee Marvin and Clu Gulager play contract killers Charlie and Lee, who are hired to murder former race car driver Johnny North. The job goes off without a hitch, but Charlie (Marvin), the more experienced hit man, is bothered by the fact that Johnny knew they were coming to kill him--but chose not to flee. Charlie becomes obsessed with finding out why and, as the killers interview people who knew their victim, Johnny's story unfolds in flashbacks. John Cassavetes turns in one of his most likable performances as Johnny, whose once-promising career goes off the rails when he falls for a mobster's mistress (Angie Dickinson). The flashbacks are well done, but The Killers works best when it focuses on the contrasting title characters: the quiet, perceptive Charlie and his younger, more action-minded partner Lee. Marvin's performance foreshadows his ruthless role in the better-known Point Blank (1967), while Gulager is a revelation. It's a shame that his career was mostly limited to TV series such as The Tall Man and The Virginian. The Killers was originally intended as one of the first made-for-TV movies, but its content was deemed too violent and it received a theatrical release. A scene in which Ronald Reagan, as a ruthless criminal, slaps Angie Dickinson is often cited for its violence. However, it pales in comparison to a later scene in which Marvin's hit man brutally slugs her. You can currently stream The Killers on Rumble for free by clicking here.

Tenebrae (1982). After a detour into supernatural horror with Suspiria (1977) and Inferno (1980), filmmaker Dario Argent returned to the giallo genre where he experienced great success in the 1970s (e.g., Deep Red, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage). Tony Franciosa stars as American writer Peter Neal, who travels to Rome to promote his latest mystery, a grisly thriller titled Tenebrae. Following the death of a young woman, Peter receives a letter from the killer who claims to have been inspired by Peter's violent novels. As more murders occur, the author closes in on the identity of the murderer--but all is not what it seems. Stylish and thematically complex, Tenebrae suffers from Argento's desire to pull out all the stops--no matter the costs. There's an incredible tracking shot in which the camera crawls along the side of a building, then up and over it and down the other side. It's an amazing technical feat, but adds little to the scene's suspense. There are also anonymous flashbacks, blood-splattered killings (you've been warned!), and a doozy of a climatic twist. I'm still not sure if the latter plays fair with the audience, but it will grab your attention. Tenebrae is a a moderately-successful return to Argento's roots, but it could have been so much more. Despite starring a well-known American actor, Tenebrae received a limited release in the U.S. two years after its European premiere; it was heavily edited and retitled Unsane. 

Underrated Performer of the Week: Daria Nicolodi, the Original (Italian) Scream Queen

Most Italian film fans will likely remember actress Daria Nicolodi as the longtime partner of horror director Dario Argento. She is also the mother of actress/director Asia Argento, who has starred in films of varying countries -- including France and the U.S. -- as well as several of her father's movies.

But Nicolodi was a talented actress. She provided a number of impressive performances in Argento's movies. She was quite charming and supplied much of the comic relief in her first film with Argento, 1974's Deep Red (initially released in America as The Hatchet Murders, although a hatchet never appears in the film). She made the most of her smaller roles in Inferno (1980) and Opera (1987/aka Terror at the Opera), and she was excellent in Phenomena (1985/aka Creepers) and Tenebrae (1982/aka Unsane), the latter film as the leading lady.

However, Nicolodi made two wonderful contributions to the world of cinema. One was a commanding performance in Italian maestro Mario Bava's 1977 horror film, Shock (originally released in the U.S. as Beyond the Door II, a pseudo-sequel to an Exorcist rip-off). Not only is Nicolodi superb as the protagonist, but she also appeared in what was Bava's final film. Nicolodi's other contribution was conceptualizing and co-writing Argento's Suspiria (1977). Suspiria, concerning witches and black magic at a dance academy, is undoubtedly Argento's most popular film (and perhaps his most successful). It was also the start of his infamous "Three Mothers" trilogy, followed three years later with Inferno, and the concluding film, Mother of Tears, released after nearly three decades in 2007.

Nicolodi has also appeared in Delirium: Photo of Gioia (1987, directed by Mario Bava's son, Lamberto Bava), 1991's The Sect (aka The Devil's Daughter, directed by Argento protege, Michele Soavi), and Scarlet Diva (2000), written and directed by her daughter, Asia Argento. The Italian actress last appeared in Mother of Tears, portraying the mother of the film's star, her real-life daughter.

It's unfortunate that Nicolodi was overshadowed by her partner's success as a film director, and even her daughter has achieved at least more notoriety than her mother. Daria Nicolodi was an extraordinary artist, a natural in front of the camera. Dario Argento will always be remembered for his horror movies, but one cannot watch a movie such as Deep Red and miss Nicolodi's standout performance. Her acting accomplishments will become as timeless and renowned as the films themselves.