Opera (1987)

Director:

Dario Argento

Writers:

Dario Argento (screenplay)
Dario Argento (story)
(more)

Release Date:

19 December 1987 (Italy)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

obsession. murder. madness.

Plot:

A young opperata is stalked by a deranged fan bent on killing the people associated with her to claim her for himself.

Plot Keywords:

Opera | Killing | Psychopath | Entrails | Mutilation

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Cristina Marsillach	...	Betty
Ian Charleson	...	Marco
Urbano Barberini	...	Inspector Alan Santini
Daria Nicolodi	...	Mira
Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni	...	Giulia
Antonella Vitale	...	Marion
William McNamara	...	Stefano
Barbara Cupisti	...	Signora Albertini
Antonino Iuorio	...	Baddini (as Antonio Juorio)
Carola Stagnaro	...	Alma's mother
Francesca Cassola	...	Alma
Maurizio Garrone	...	Maurizio, the raven trainer
Cristina Giachino	...	Maria, the assistant director
György Gyõriványi	...	Miro
Bjorn Hammer	...	Cop #1
Peter Pitsch	...	Mara Czekova's assistant
Sebastiano Somma	...	Cop #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz	...	Lady Macbeth (soprano) (singing voice)
Michele Pertusi	...	Macbeth (bass) (singing voice)
Dario Argento	...	Narrator (Italian version) (voice) (uncredited)
Michele Soavi	...	Inspector Daniele Soave (uncredited)

Directed by
Dario Argento

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Dario Argento		screenplay
Dario Argento		story
Franco Ferrini		writer

Produced by
Dario Argento	....	producer
Ferdinando Caputo	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Ronnie Taylor

Film Editing by
Franco Fraticelli

Production Design by
Davide Bassan

Costume Design by
Lia Francesca Morandini		(as Francesca Lia Morandini)

Makeup Department
Franco Casagni	....	makeup artist
Ferdinando Merolla	....	hair stylist
Rosario Prestopino	....	key makeup artist
Angelo Vannella	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Verena Baldeo	....	production supervisor
Alessandro Calosci	....	production supervisor
Fabrizio Diaz	....	unit manager
Olivier Gérard	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Antonio Gabrielli	....	first assistant director
Alessandro Ingargiola	....	second assistant director
Michele Soavi	....	second unit director
Paolo Zenatello	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Gian Maurizio Fercioni	....	production designer: opera set (as Gianmaurizio Fercioni)
Maurizio Jacopelli	....	property master
Renato Lori	....	assistant art director
Osvaldo Monaco	....	property master
Valeria Paoloni	....	set dresser
Antonio Tarolla	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Nick Alexander	....	sound editor
Giancarlo Laurenzi	....	sound mixer
Romano Pampaloni	....	dubbing mixer
Stefano Rossi	....	boom operator
Federico Savina	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby Stereo

Special Effects by
Renato Agostini	....	special effects designer
Antonio Corridori	....	special effects suplier
Giovanni Corridori	....	special effects suplier
Germano Natali	....	special effects suplier
Germano Natali	....	special effects
Sergio Stivaletti	....	animatronics

Camera and Electrical Department
Roberto de Franceschi	....	clapper loader
Massimo Intoppa	....	assistant camera
Maurizio Lucchini	....	assistant camera
Enrico Maggi	....	camera operator: second unit
Fernando Massaccesi	....	gaffer (as Ferdinando Massaccesi)
Gianfranco Massa	....	still photographer
Ugo Menegatti	....	assistant camera
Roberto Nicosia	....	still photographer (as Roberto Nicosia Vinci)
Nicola Pecorini	....	Steadicam operator
Ennio Picconi	....	key grip
Luca Robecchi	....	director of photography: second unit
Antonio Scaramuzza	....	camera operator
Renato Tafuri	....	director of photography: second unit
Franco Vitale	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Enrica Barbano	....	wardrobe assistant
Francesca Grandi	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Piero Bozza	....	assistant film editor
Alessandro Gabriele	....	assistant film editor
Roberto Priori	....	second assistant film editor

Other crew
Angelo Cavallo	....	production secretary
Carlo Du Bois	....	accountant
Egle Friggeri	....	production secretary
Maurizio Garrone	....	animal trainer
Enrico Lucherini	....	publicist
Cinzia Malatesta	....	script supervisor
Francesco Marras	....	production secretary
Barbara Morosetti	....	assistant: Sergio Stivaletti
Gianluca Pignatelli	....	publicist
Robert Rietty	....	adr director
Renato Rinaldo	....	chief accountant
Paola Rossi	....	production secretary
Federica Zappalà	....	accountant

Production Companies

• ADC Films
• Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica

Distributors

• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1990) (UK) (theatrical)
• South Gate Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Blue Underground (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• First Release Video (1980s) (Australia) (VHS)
• Globo Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Vivivideo (Italy) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Germano Natali

Other Companies

• Teatro Regio di Parma  filmed at
• Arco 2  lighting
• Artigiana Arredatori e Tappezzieri  furnishings
• Cinevox Records  soundtrack
• Costumi d'Arte  costumes
• De Paolis I.N.C.I.R.  stages (as De Paolis IN.CI.R. - Rome)
• Dedalo S.r.l.  properties supplied by (as Dedalo SRL Rome)
• E. Rancati  properties supplied by
• G. R. P. di Postiglione  properties supplied by (as G. R. P. Postiglione)
• Gambit International  recorded by
• International Recordings  recorded by
• Nino Lembo  jewelry
• Orchestra Sinfonica dell'Emilia-Romagna "Arturo Toscanini"  orchestra (as "Arturo Toscanini Symphonic Orchestra" of Emilia and Romagna)
• Rocchetti e Carboni  wigs (as Rocchetti & Carboni)
• Romana Trasporti Cinematografici S.r.l.  transport (as Romana Trasporti Cinematografici)
• Sartoria Farani S.t.L.  costumes (as Sartoria Ferroni)

Also Known As:

Terror at the Opera (USA)

Runtime:

107 min | USA:88 min (edited version)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Italy:VM14 (re-rating) | USA:R (heavily cut) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Germany:18 (TV premiere) (1992) (heavily cut) | Germany:18 (video rating) (1988) (heavily cut) | New Zealand:R18 | Portugal:M/18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Canada:R | Finland:K-18 | Italy:VM18 | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Incir De Paolis Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

ADC Films

Trivia:

Many mishaps on set, including the death of one of the actors, led director Dario Argento to believe that the "Macbeth curse" also struck during the making of this film.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During the chase in Betty's apartment, as the killer runs POV through the house the camera tilts back and forth showing for a brief second the top of the set in Betty's room and the space above it. Also, while exiting the bedroom, lighting equipment is visible on the left side of the frame.

Quotes:

Betty: I am nothing like my mother. Nothing like her!

Movie Connections:

References Pierrot le fou (1965)

Soundtrack:

Balance

Flawed but still good

An opera diva has an accident, which leaves the door open for her understudy to take over the role. Betty (Marsillach) is now the star of Mac Beth, but someone hiding in the trenches has an opera of his own planned out. He gets his kicks out of tying Betty up, putting needles under her eyes (so she cant close them) and murdering members of the opera company before her very eyes.

"Opera" is certainly one of Argento's more ambitious films, like mixing it up with Shakesphere's Macbeth there is of course the fact that the opera performed in the film is Giuseppe Verdi's version of Macbeth but also Argento, just like Shakespeare uses ravens as an omen of death and misfortune. And like the ravens circling the castle Dunsinane, foreboding the demise of the scheming Macbeth, the ravens in OPERA play a key part in the downfall of the killer. Furthermore just like in the old play the murderer acts on the exhortation of his lover. But I don't want to go as far as saying OPERA is intended to be a remake of the either The Phantom of the Opera or Macbeth, the similarities are far too subtle. It's just a typical Argento masterstroke, and with it he gives this otherwise quite basic thriller a vivid hue of Gothic mystique.

Although this movie does have it downsides like the heavl metal soundtrack just doesn't fit in with this movie and the final scenes in this movie are a bit strange.

All in all "Opera" is something of a flawed masterpiece but still good.