Opera
1987, directed by Dario Argento, released by Anchor Bay

Movie
Opera (a.k.a. Terror at the Opera) gets a Region 1 DVD release courtesy of Anchor Bay, which finally gives us Dario Argento's vision uncut and uncensored in the United States. Argento produced, directed, and co-wrote (with Franco Ferrini) this story of an understudy who gains fame, and a stalker, when she steps into the lead role of "Verdi's Macbeth."

From the information I found, it seems the previous version in the U.S. was trimmed by a healthy 15 to 20 minutes, from the running time on the Anchor Bay DVD, which is 107 minutes. Not having seen the Terror at the Opera edit, I can't imagine what the butchered version was like. That is a lot to have been cut out, not just a few seconds of gore here and there.

The story: The focus of Opera is Betty (played by Cristina Marsillach). As the understudy in an ambitious new production of "Verdi's Macbeth," she is forced into the lead role in the eleventh hour of the show's production. The star actress was hit by a car when leaving the theater.

Not much to say here about the plot, but as the play opens, Betty is plagued by nightmares, and a stalker, apparently obsessed with Betty begins to murder those close to her. The most horrifying aspect of these killings, is that it is seemingly done for Betty. The killer ties Betty up, and brutally kills while she is forced to watch. Needles taped beneath Betty's eyes prevent her from closing her eyes - she must watch.

Ian Charleson plays Marco, the play's director. Both he and Inspector Santini (Urbano Barberini) attempt to help Betty, but the killer is relentless. There is, however, no apparent motivation for these crimes. But the bizarre dreams that Betty is having, do they have anything to do with the murders occurring around her?

Video
Another Anchor Bay restoration from vault materials. Opera must have been lovingly restored. This is a beautifully filmed movie - shot composition, editing, and camera movements are stunning. And with this DVD, you get to see it in the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 (anamorphic transfer). Sharp, clean video from start to finish.

Audio
As with the video, quite an effort was made on the audio - and this film benefits immensely. You have the option of a Dolby Digital Surround EX track, or a DTS ES 6.1 track. There is also a plain vanilla Dolby Digital 2.0 track. Note, that all of these are English - there is no Italian language track, and no subtitles.

The score of Claudio Simonetti is wonderful. But to create an effect, Argento uses some 80s-era heavy metal guitar riffs during "kill" scenes. This may annoy some, and those particular bits of music haven't aged well.

Trash Factor
The body count is rather low in this film. But each death scene is choreographed with much care. And each murder is an extended sequence, which slowly builds suspense, before the actual killings - which are quick and brutal. Brilliant! The kills in Opera are classic.

Scissors, blades, and a bullet are well employed by Opera's killer. And keep your eye on the gold bracelet, and marvel at the killer's magician-like sleight of hand.

Very brief nudity in Opera, hardly worth mentioning. The lead, Cristina Marsillach, is attractive (making me think of Bjork at times) but she remains clothed. Some brief breast shots, keep your eyes open during the nightmare sequences.

Extras
This is a solid DVD offering, as far as special features. It's not a super-special edition, but it does give you some more info about the movie, and the creative team behind it. That is accomplished with the inclusion of a 35-minute documentary, entitled "Conducting Dario Argento's Opera". It contains comments from Argento himself, as well as the cinematographer (Ronnie Taylor), composer Claudio Simonetti, a couple of the actors (Dario Nicolodi & Urbano Barberini), and the animatronic artist (Sergio Stivaletti). Definitely worth watching.

The other extras on the disc are theatrical trailers, a music video, and an Argento bio.

Also note, that there is a 2-disc version of Opera, that Anchor Bay released alongside the single DVD version I have. The second disc of the limited edition is the Claudio Simonetti soundtrack CD. There are no additional DVD features in the limited edition.

Packaging
The cover image is stylish and eerie - it is taken from poster art. The only insert is the chapter stop card, which has the same poster reproduction on the flip side.

Overall
There is a lot about this DVD that leads me to recommend it - unfortunately, a solid, cohesive, rewarding plot is not one of the reasons. Almost from start to finish, I was disappointed with the character development, scripting, and plot. Dream / flashback sequences are interspersed, which don't do much more than confuse - and aren't satisfactorily tied together with the climax, in my opinion. Add to that a lead character that we really don’t even begin to care about - you will only question her response to the crimes that surround her.

And let's go into more detail regarding the final act - it is poor. Everything is wrapped up in the end, in a contrived way. I don't think there is any way to predict or foresee the ending - you just wait for the point in the movie where the killer flat out explains why he is doing what he is doing. To make matters worse, after that contrived revelation, there is the bizarre ending - think Dario Argento presents Rodgers & Hammerstein's "The Sound of Music". Frustrating.

Yet I still recommend this DVD. While it would be only average as far as the plot - the movie is strong when it comes to the look, mood, horror, suspense, and tension that it conveys. As well, the audio / video presentation on this DVD, and the special are well above average. I think of Opera as being a collection of brilliant scenes - they just don't fit together to create a strong story. These "brilliant scenes" include not just the obvious murder scenes, but the opera and stalking sequences. If you are an Argento fan already, this is a must buy. For casual fans of Argento, Italian cinema, or horror films - then it may be best to rent this DVD. But whether you buy or rent the DVD, do make an effort to watch this beautifully crafted film.

NOTE: If you buy this, be aware that the initial DVDs had some sort of defect. But I do not think there was an official recall. A corrected version was released by Anchor Bay - these can be identified with a white "Version 2.0" sticker on the back cover. So if you find this, then you should have no problems. If you buy a defective version, though, I think Anchor Bay will quickly replace the DVD for you. Just check their website. I had a minor problem with a previous Anchor Bay DVD - it was missing one lobby card reproduction. I emailed their customer service, and they mailed me the missing card in about a week. So I have confidence that they'll make good if you end up with a defective DVD.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD