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on 11/3/2012
Italian horror nerds are adamant about the fact Suspiria isn't technically giallo, but as far as I'm concerned it focuses on everything great about giallo (mystery, gore, crazy garish style) and cuts out all the lousy shit (failed attempts at being erotic, the assumption that 50 minutes of red herrings is an okay way to pad the movie). But I'm weird so I'll take The Beyond over both of these.
I always thought The Beyond was doodoo. Boring gore scenes, lazy use of zombies, inexplicableness that's less "Whoa, WTF?" and more "Why am I watching this?". The "failed attempts at being erotic" thing may be accurate, depending on how one defines "erotic". Like, the mechanics the film uses to achieve eroticism may not work, yet attractive Eurochicks are inherently erotic. Without clothes on, even moreso. It's been a while, but I don't recall Crystal Plumage going for the eroticism all that much. At least compared to numerous other films in the genre. I'll have to rewatch it. Anyway, the stuff you dislike about giallo films often translates into being entertaining in spite of itself. I rarely watch them expecting the conventions of good filmmaking to be observed.
Oh, Crystal Plumage definitely doesn't do the pseudo-softcore porn thing. Argento was pretty good about that sometimes. "Anyway, the stuff you dislike about giallo films often translates into being entertaining in spite of itself. I rarely watch them expecting the conventions of good filmmaking to be observed." Same may apply to The Beyond, eh? I really appreciate its almost absurdist lack of logic, even if it's not as loud or colorful about it as Suspiria.
on 11/4/2012
"Same may apply to The Beyond, eh?" Yes, yes precisely my point. There is always an alternate way of looking at a movie. People can objectively attempt to point out all the flaws of a film, yet sometimes those flaws don't hinder its entertainment value. I like the style of giallo flicks - the music, the ladies, the silliness. I don't much care if the plot is lacking. With The Beyond, I just think it's boring. Not because I'm holding it to an objective standard of "good". Others can, of course, find enjoyment in it for whatever reason.
on 1/23/2018
I've watched all the Argento films from the 70's and 80's in the past month, and Crystal Plumage is the one that works best as a story, the best acting, no tangents, but Suspiria justly deserves its reputation because of its atmospherics, though I think Goblin's score is too repetitive and overused (like Axel F. from Beverly Hills Cop) some scenes would have benefited from silence.
on 1/30/2020
Crystal Plumage is a great flick and Italian horror is phenomenal. Suspiria is my favourite out of the two here, but I'd pick Deep Red or Black Sabbath (which seems to be a great influence in Argento's style) over both.
