Trauma

Italian's top-class horror director Dario Argento obviously impressed some people with his previous films ('Opera' in particular) as he was offered the opportunity to film a fully American backed production. Trauma is a gruesome and sadistic thriller from the giallo-master, completely set in Minnesota and depending on a respectable US cast. There's a serial decapitator at large and the young, anorexic Aura (director's daughter Asia Argento) seemly is his/her main-target. The good-hearted journalist David (Christopher Rydell) takes the girl under his wings after the killer got both of her parents and, as their relationship becomes more intimate, the routine of sadistic killings slowly emerges. A bone-chilling mystery from the past slowly unravels and it involves multiple (ex-)doctors from a psychiatric clinic.

The plots in gialli rarely are credible so you can count on the fact that this 'Trauma' contains several far-fetched nonsense aspects as well. Especially the U-turn twist near the end is pretty hard to digest. My advise: don't pay too much attention to this and drown in Argento's brilliant as always camera movements and the stunning portrayal of the violence. Trauma may not be as bloody as 'Tenebrae' or the more recent 'Sleepless' but some of the butchering done here still is perfectly nauseating. What else do you expect with a killer whose modus operandi includes beheading people? Unfortunately, Argento still lacks the skills to direct his actors. You can't even blame the dubbing this time, but the performances are far below average. Asia Argento is forgiven, since it was her first leading role. But I expected a little better from routine B-stars like Frederic Forrest, Piper Laurie and James Russo. Brad Dourif is a joy to observe, but his appearance is far too brief to save the dull acting. To me, Trauma turned out to be a pleasant Sunday afternoon time-waster. Not nearly Argento's most memorable film (he hasn't made any memorable film in the 90's) but maybe the ideal film for inexperienced horror fans to get into contact with Argento's work. All the trademarks that made him legendary in the field are present, but none of them is properly elaborated like it should be.

Dario Argento's "Trauma" of 1993 is definitely one of this great director's lesser films, but it is nevertheless a more than decent Thriller and better than most 90s Horror films. The 90s were a bad decade for Horror in general, and definitely also the worst decade in Dario Argento's career, with his doubtlessly worst movie "Il Fantasma Dell' Opera" in 1998. "Two Evil Eyes" of 1990 which he made with George A. Romero, was also a good Horror film, but not nearly as great as a film by Romero and Argento could have been. "Trauma" is definitely not comparable to Argento's masterpieces from the 70s and 80s. As far as I am considered, however, Argento is one of the greatest Horror directors of all-time, and films like "Suspiria", "Profondo Rosso" or "Phenomena" range high in my personal all-time favorite list. Even Argento's weaker films are usually above average, and "Trauma" is a more than decent film that easily outshines the majority of 90s Horror efforts.

Director Argento's daughter, then 18-year-old Asia Argento stars as Aura, a teenage Romanian girl who has escaped from a mental hospital where her parents sent her, supposedly to cure her anorexia. What Aura is really fleeing from, however, is a serial killer who only operates when it rains. Journalist David (Christopher Rydell) wants to help the girl...

Generally speaking, "Trauma" has everything decent Horror films need - it is stylishly filmed, atmospheric and very suspenseful from the beginning to the end. What Trauma sadly lacks, are many of the brilliant trademark Argento elements. Most of Argento's masterpieces from the 70s and 80s had brilliant scores by Progressive Rock band Goblin. "Trauma" unfortunately hasn't, which is one of the elements that I missed most. The change of scenery from Europe to the United States doesn't compliment Argento's style of film-making either. Then again, the camera work is, as usual, great, and even though the film is not quite as ultra-violent as some other Argento films, there is quite an amount of stylish, gory bloodshed. The performances are fine too (although not breathtaking), especially young Asia Argento convinces in her first leading role. The supporting cast contains Frederic Forest, Brad Dourif and Piper Laurie.

As mentioned above, "Trauma" is certainly not one of Argento's masterpieces. But even this ingenious filmmaker's lesser films are above average, and "Trauma" is definitely a more than decent 90s Giallo that Horror fans should not miss! Recommended!

Argento's American filmed giallo movie in which an unknown killer decapitates victims using a small mechanical device during rain storms. One kill is achieved by first activating a motel room fire extinguisher before execution. I liked this aspect of the movie. I noticed a few nods to Hitchcock too, some music and a shower scene. Dario's daughter Asia, 18 at the time, stars. A very attractive young woman and I am no prude but I felt her brief topless scene was not really necessary, One of the things that spoilt Trauma was for me what I can only describe as silliness, one decapitated head manages to utter a name, another yells out loud as it falls down a lift shaft. Some of the musical score would not be out of place in a comedy, so different from the Goblin soundtracks from Argento's classics. Trauma looked like nothing more than a straight to video movie, the production values were no better than a half decent TV film. When the end credit roll we suddenly get a random reggae band playing at some house. Strange. As a crime thriller/horror film Trauma is reasonable but as an Argento movie it is disappointing. Not his worst film but very poor compared to the likes of Deep Red and Suspiria.

An anorexic teenager sees her parents murdered and thinks the killer could be coming after her next, so it's up to a struggling addict to keep her safe.

Dario Argento's flair for over the top gory set pieces isn't as noticeable here and everything feels more calm and by the numbers, but every now and then, there's a shot or sequence that feels like old fashioned Argento and those moments are worth watching it for. It's also interesting to see a film of his that appears to use all live audio from the set and that takes place in America. It's jarring at first, but you get used to it.

Dario Argento makes a clunky transition to film-making in the United States with "Trauma," but still succeeds in creating an atmosphere of suspense and menace. The cast, while well-chosen, is prone to overacting (with Piper Laurie and Frederic Forrest being the key offenders), and the plot revolves heavily around coincidence. Despite this, Argento's skillful POV shots (the hospital sequence is especially impressive) imbue the film with an efficient mood of dread, and the story, once fully revealed, makes a bit more sense than the director's earlier, more artistic efforts. Tom Savini's makeup effects are well-done, but underutilized (even in the uncut version).