Past Film/Video | Classics

Opera

(Dario Argento, 1987)

New Restoration

Close-up of a woman who has rope tied around the top of her forehead, her mouth taped closed, and needles taped below her eyeballs. She looks terrified.

Argento's mid-career classic is a gory homage to The Phantom of the Opera.

When the lead in an avant-garde production of Verdi’s Macbeth is hit by a car, promising understudy Betty (Cristina Marsillach) takes over the role. But an obsessed, masked individual begins stalking her, killing her boyfriend, her costumer, and anyone else close to her. Could it be the Macbeth curse? The film was inspired by Argento’s failed attempt to mount a stage version of Verdi’s Rigoletto. In English, Italian, and German with English subtitles. (107 mins., 4K DCP)

See the complete Retrospective: Dario Argento lineup.

Please note: The films in this series include scenes of violence, horror gore, and other disturbing images.

IMAGE CAPTION
Opera, courtesy of Intramovies.

"A violent aria of memory, bad luck, the artistic drive and the horror of the stare."
Slant Magazine

Organized with the support of Camilla Cormanni and Marco Cicala, Cinecittà.

SUPPORT FOR FILM/VIDEO PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY
Rohauer Collection Foundation

WEXNER CENTER PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
Greater Columbus Arts Council
The Wexner Family
National Endowment for the Arts
Ohio Arts Council
L Brands Foundation
The Columbus Foundation
Nationwide Foundation
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Mike and Paige Crane
Axium Packaging
CampusParc
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
President Kristina M. Johnson and Mrs. Veronica Meinhard
Nancy Kramer
Global Arts + Humanities Discovery Theme 
Larry and Donna James
Lisa Barton
Johanna DeStefano
Jones Day
Alex and Renée Shumate

Close

Past Film/Video

Opera