The Stendhal Syndrome
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Movie Reviews of The Stendhal Syndrome
Movie Review: intoxicating horror,talking pantings, asia goes crazy
Summary: 4 Stars
this will make you wonder about killers souls,can they enter peoples bodys after they die, why do normal people suddenly go crazy, a killing spree ...!!! this movie goes there.Movie Review: Definitely flawed, but worth seeing if you're a fan. 2.5/5
Summary: 3 Stars
I've seen this movie only once, and only a couple of days ago, but details are becoming vaguer and vaguer in my mind. This is never a good sign. It was watchable, definitely, and it generated a very strong, surreal atmosphere throughout the first half, but it fails to go anywhere terribly interesting, and gets increasingly dull as the film goes along. It's still worth seeing if you're a fan of Dario Argento, but if you aren't there are a helluva lot of others films you need to see first.
The film stars Asia Argento as a detective on the track of a serial rapist/murderer, who becomes the victim said criminal shortly after she is succumbs to the Stendhal Syndrome.(i.e. a strong physical reaction to a piece of art. Fainting is the symptom in her case) There's not much of a plot-arc here, as after the setup it is just sort of a portrait of her life, as she takes a turn for the nutty after her experience, and is again victimized by the still at-large killer. Much of the early film is quite compelling, as Asia lives in a world somewhere between reality in fantasy, where she walks in and out of paintings, accompanied by Ennio Morricone's repetitive and haunting score. However, the more surreal aspects of the film are de-emphasized in the latter portions, and are, sadly, not replaced by increased plot development or action. And, even the effective earlier portions tends to be less effective than his Dario's best work. My problem with the second half is probably heightened by the fact that I stumbled across what happens at the end of the film before actually viewing it. However, this is true of most of the Argento films I've seen, and none of the others have faultered in the latter portions to nearly the same extent. Beyond this, the hints as to the conclusion of the film are so incredibly blatant that I suspect most viewers will have no difficulty figuring it out long before the ending, though I certainly couldn't say for certain.(I'm also perhaps a bit influenced some of the reviews I've read before hand, which said that it started pretty strong but got boring by the second half. But I kinda doubt this effected me too much. There just isn't anything of interest going on in most of the second half of the film.)
Many people have talked about how disturbing the rape-scenes in this film are. Personally I'm not affected by them much. I guess this is because rape is, presumably, most disturbing and painful from a psychological standpoint, and I just can't connect that way. But, lots of people are disturbed by them, so consider yourself warned. This is a different sort of thriller than most of Argento's most famous work, so there is less of an emphasis on the horror set-piece. What this comes down to is that there aren't any really effective horror or violence related scenes in the film. Most horribly, they use some absolutely hideous computer animation for some gore and other visual effects. If you can't afford decent CGI, don't use it, for God's sake!
The acting is a mixed bag, as usual. Asia is acceptable, if not amazing, other than in the scenes where she is supposed to be 'tough' which she can't pull of at all. The rapist is pretty good too, very creepy while still seeming more or less human. No one else in the film is worthy of particular mention.
As many have said, the DVD does look rather crappy, though it isn't quite as bad as I'd imagined considering just how maligned it is.(It's not far off, however) Still, if you're expecting something like the various Anchor Bay releases of Dario Argento's films your gonna be in for a nasty surprise.
Definitely subpar, but with enough effective aspects to make it worth checking out, it you're into this sort of stuff.
Movie Review: Difficult and contradictory but occasionally fascinating
Summary: 3 Stars
The Stendhal Syndrome is probably Dario Argento's most difficult and contradictory film. On one side it's a nasty little thriller about a serial rapist and killer with some unpleasant violence (albeit not as excessive as you might expect). And yet at the same time it does make a genuine effort to build a narrative around the psychological after-effects on one of his victims as she continually reinvents herself in an attempt to run away from the experience. Unfortunately, the fact that she's played by Asia Argento, an actress with more ferocity than subtlety doesn't help. Nor does the fact that the Stendhal Syndrome itself, a form of emotional overload and physical breakdown in the presence of great works of art somewhat similar to the Jerusalem Syndrome, isn't really explored. The bad cgi when it is doesn't help either. Still, it's much, much better than the likes of Argento's pitiful Phantom of the Opera or The Card Player, but it's not essential viewing by a long, long way.
The film has always had a checkered history on DVD - for all Lloyd Kaufman's boasts of releasing the uncut version, Troma's release was less than impressive and 74 seconds shorter than the Italian version (a couple of brief dialogue scenes trimmed by Argento himself) with a underwhelming transfer that offered only the English dub. The extras were a mixed bag too - three interviews with Dario Argento (one about Phantom of the Opera), a TV spot, stills gallery, interview with fx man Sergio Stivaletti and, for no discernible reason, Ruggero Deodato on Cannibal Holocaust and far too much Troma crap. Whereas the Italian PAL 2-disc DVD offered the dubbed American version and the very slightly longer subtitled Italian version on separate discs but was overcropped to 1.78:1 rather than the original 1.66:1 widescreen, Blue Underground offers the uncut film on the first disc with optional English or Italian soundtracks in 1.66:1 (the film reverts to subtitled Italian for the restored scenes) in a superb transfer supervised by cinematographer Giuseppe Rotuno that finally shows the film in it's true colors after years of grainy and washed-out transfers. There's also a good selection of substantial interviews on the second disc. Although the making of documentary on the Italian two-disc set hasn't been included, with separate interviews with Argento, special effects supervisor Sergio Stivaletti, assistant director Luigi Cozzi and production designer Massimo Antonello Geleng, there's no cause for complaint. Best of all is the fascinating interview with psychological consultant Graziella Magherini, who originally identified the syndrome in the unrelated non-fiction book that inspired the film.
Movie Review: Argento's languid thriller will divide fans like never before
Summary: 3 Stars
THE STENDHAL SYNDROME
[La Sindrome di Stendhal]
(Italy - 1995)
Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
Theatrical soundtrack: Dolby Digital
Quite unlike anything Dario Argento has directed before, THE STENDHAL SYNDROME is a grimly realistic portrait of a female police officer (Asia Argento, essentially miscast) whose encounters with a sadistic rapist/serial killer (Thomas Kretschmann) have devastating consequences. Though distinguished by some truly horrific violence, played straight by Argento with few of his trademark stylistic flourishes, the film is much too languid for its own good, wasting a lot of valuable time on an otherwise laudable attempt to depict the long-term consequences of a vicious sexual assault on the central character. Furthermore, the harsh subject matter allows no room for levity, and the austere scenario is at odds with the sumptuous artwork that acts as a catalyst for the murderous proceedings. Asia's convulsive reactions to works of art (hence the ornate title) makes her a target for Kretschmann's psychopathic killer, allowing Argento to fill the screen with paintings, sculptures and beautiful objet d'art, which offsets the film's own lack of visual flair.
But there's a fierce intelligence underpinning the somewhat predictable scenario: When Asia de-emphasizes her femininity in response to the initial attack, only to re-establish her womanhood after a second assault in which she emerges the victor (or does she?), it becomes easier to forgive the painfully obvious surprises which clog up the final quarter. Only one scene recalls the best of Argento's work: A potential victim being stalked through a dimly lit room full of oversized marble statues, a brilliantly edited sequence which suggests everything and reveals nothing. Overall, "Stendhal" may not be vintage Argento, but it's too clever and too unsettling to be easily dismissed, and it gets under the skin like no other horror film in recent memory. See it and make up your own mind.
Movie Review: One of Argento's better post-Tenebre films.
Summary: 3 Stars
The fact that The Stendhal Syndrome, one of Dario Argento's best acted films, is released by Troma on DVD is misleading. The packaging concentrates only on the most sensationalistic of the film's aspects (the gore, Asia Argento's presence in the "Sexiest Women" list of a major men's magazine).And ever since Dario Argento has started aiming for plotting and script (Trauma, The Phantom of the Opera) instead of the random stream-of-consciousness imagery that marks his best works (Suspiria, Tenebre, Inferno), his films have become shakier. The Stendhal Syndrome stands out among his '90s works thanks to a varied performance by Asia Argento, who nails the complexities of the lead character's fears, aggressions, sensuality, and the mix of strength and vulnerability that makes her final fate all the more affecting.
The Stendhal Syndrome isn't a great film, but it's certainly worth watching. When it gets under Anna's skin, such as during her pivotal moment of lashing back out at her tormentor, it's powerfully visceral filmmaking.
This DVD edition offers plenty of extras, though the lack of a commentary track is somewhat disappointing, and (again) the packaging is quite hideous. But judging from the Argento interview included, perhaps it wasn't a bad idea not to have Dario comment on the film, given his very thick and nearly incomprehensible accent. The DVD menus, however, should've been cleaned up; they're very hard to read, and the chapter division isn't meticulous enough. Why bother breaking the film up into chapters if each chunk is a good seven minutes long?