Special Sub-Topic: Dario Argento - The Master of Italian Horror Click Here To Play: Dario Argento - The Master of Italian Horror

Dario Argento received screenwriting credit on what landmark spaghetti western starring Henry Fonda?

Once Upon A Time In The West. Sergio Leone directed this epic western concerning a man who is seeking revenge for the murder of his brother. It also concerns a recent widow's attempt to open a train depot. This movie marks one of the few, if only, times that Henry Fonda played a downright evil character. The movie also stars Charles Bronson, Jason Robards, and Claudia Cardinale

What Academy Award winning actress starred in Argento's insect-laden slasher film "Phenomena"?

Jennifer Connelly. "Phenomenon" was known in America by the title "Creepers" and had almost 20 minutes edited out of it. It is about a young girl with a psychic link to insects that help track down a serial killer. (I am not making this up.) The overrated Ms Connelly won the best supporting actress Academy Award for "Beautiful Mind".

What star of "Profondo Rosso", about the brutal murder of a psychic, received writing credit on the Argento's supernatural thriller "Suspiria"?

Daria Nicolodi. "Profondo Russo" is also known in America as "Deep Red, or "The Hatchet Murders". It is the supreme example of "giallo" filmmaking. A "giallo" film is a murder mystery with a lot of violence and sex. The name means "yellow" and is derived from the color of the covers of trashy suspense novels from the 1950s. "Suspiria", written by Nicolodi and Argento, is a creepy movie about witches in a ballet school. Nicolodi is also the mother of Argento's daughter Asia.

The first of Argento's animal trilogy is what "giallo" classic starring Suzy Kendall and Tony Musante?

The Bird With The Crystal Plumage. "Four Flies" and "Cat" are both a part of the trilogy; but the first one, "Plumage", is still considered by many to be his undisputed masterpiece. A writer witnesses what he believes is the attempted murder of a young woman. He doesn't realize what he has witnessed and the killer starts to stalk the writer and his girlfriend.

Which movie is considered to be the sequel to "Suspiria" and the second movie in a trilogy about the Three Mothers?

Inferno. "Inferno" carries the story of the Three Mothers to New York City. It is not as superior as "Suspiria", but still worth viewing by Argento fans. The scene where the heroine enters a secret room filled with water is priceless. Unfortunately Argento seems to have abandoned the idea of a third film.

Besides starring in "Suspiria", Jessica Harper appeared in what cult film, which is about a failed musician stalking a rock and roll producer and the concert hall he built? Hint - This movie was directed by Brian DePalma.

Phantom of the Paradise. Argento did direct a version of "Phantom of the Opera" starring Julian Sands and Asia Argento. Jessica Harper appeared in the strange sequel to the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" called "Shock Treatment".

Dario Argento appeared in what vampire spoof, directed by John Landis, director of "American Werewolf in London"?

Innocent Blood. "Innocent Blood" does not contain the wit of "American Werewolf in London", but it does have an interesting plot. Anne Parillaud plays a vampire who only feeds on mobsters. She accidentally ends up turning one into a vampire and has to stop him. Landis used many horror movie veterans in cameos including Argento as a paramedic and Sam Raimi, director of "Evil Dead", as the Roma Meat Man.

Argento teamed up with which American director and "living dead" icon to co-direct the tribute to Edgar Allen Poe known as "Two Evil Eyes"?

George Romero. "Two Evil Eyes" has 2 different Poe stories. The first one, directed by Romero, is kind of dull considering the director. The second one, however, features Harvey Kitel at his craziest. Argento was also a producer on Romero's masterpiece "Dawn of the Dead".

Just like Alfred Hitchcock, Argento appears in all of his films; however you never see his face. What do you see?

His Hands. Argento's hands are usually the hands of the killer. He feels it helps add to the vouyeristic element of his films.

Besides being a director and writer, Argento successfully produced what movie, which was directed by Lamberto Bava and launched a sub-genre of Italian horror?

Demons. "Demons" is about people, locked inside a movie theatre, watching a horror movie about demons eating people. The demons begin to leave the film and start to kill the movie audience. "Demons" has spawned many sequels.