Mario Bava, Lucio Fulci, or even Sergio Martino may pop into cinephile’s heads when thinking of Giallo’s greatest directors. But only one name is truly synonymous with the Italian sub-genre, and that’s Dario Argento. Don’t believe us? Maybe “Dario Argento Panico,” a new doc about the director that premieres on Shudder next month, will convince the uninitiated.
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Simone Scafidi‘s doc takes a retrospective look at Argento’s life and career, from his early days making classic Giallos like “The Girl Who Knew Too Much” to his aesthetically daring apex of “Suspiria,” “Inferno,” and “Tenebrae.” “Dario Argento Panico” features interview with Argento, his daughter Asia Argento, as well as filmmakers like Guillermo Del Toro, Gaspar Noé, and Nicolas Winding Refn, and screenwriter Franco Ferrini.
Here’s an official synopsis for “Dario Argento Panico,” courtesy of Shudder:
In the secluded ambiance of hotel rooms, Dario Argento crafted his greatest cinematic creations, seeking solace from the outside world to delve into his nightmares. Now, he finds himself in a hotel room to return to the very setting that ignited his creative fervor to conclude his latest script and participate in an intimate interview, all while being followed by a film crew documenting his life for a movie about his illustrious career.
“Dario Argento Panico” follows up Scafidi’s previous film, 2019’s “Fulci For Fake,” a similar doc about Lucio Fulci’s career. That film premiered as an official selection at the Venice Film Festival. Other works by Scafidi include 2015’s “Zanetti Story” and “Eva Braun,” and 2013’s “La Feste.”
And good news for NYC residents: to commemorate the release of “Dario Argento Panico,” Shudder and the IFC Center will present “Panic Attack: The Films Of Dario Argento,” a series of films celebrating some of Argento’s greatest work. The series runs from January 31-February 8 at the IFC Center. Check out the full list of screening films below:
Suspiria (1977) dir. Dario Argento
Opera (1987) dir. Dario Argento
Deep Red (1975) dir. Dario Argento
Dario Argento Panico (2024) dir. Simone Scafidi
The Cat o’Nine Tails (1971) dir. Dario Argento
Dracula 3D (2013) dir. Dario Argento
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) dir. Dario Argento
Vortex (2021) dir. Gaspar Noé
Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1982) dir. Dario Argento
“Dario Argento Panico” premieres exclusively on Shudder on February 2. Watch the trailer for the doc below.
