Aenigma

In 1987, Italian horror maestro Lucio Fulci released Aenigma, a horror film imbued with classic gore and a psychological undertone. The film is star-studded with Jared Martin, known for his role in the TV series Dallas, Lara Lamberti, a German actress famous for her roles in European horror flicks, and Ulli Reinthaler, an actress featured in numerous Italian films. The movie attracts a cult audience, due to its graphic nature, and its unique blend of American horror tropes with Italian flair.

The film begins at the prestigious St. Mary’s College, an all-girls boarding school, where a prank goes terribly wrong, resulting in a shy student, Kathy, going into a coma. This horrifying incident sets the stage for the rest of the film, where a strange series of unusual and deadly events begin to unravel. Kathy, while physically incapacitated, seemingly takes on an ethereal form and wreaks havoc from beyond her hospital bed.

Jared Martin is Dr. Robert Anderson, a doctor who seeks to unravel the mystery surrounding Kathy's sudden shift in personality prior to the incident and her current state. His performance, while deviating from his dapper appearance in Dallas, is commanding and grounds the narrative with a sense of realism. Lamberti plays Eva, a newcomer at the school, who mysteriously starts acting out Kathy's revenge on her torturers. Reinthaler’s role as the ill-fated friend is well-crafted and contributes to the film's atmospheric tension.

As the plot unfolds, viewers are taken on an eerie journey filled with gruesome accidents, strange happenings and supernatural occurrences. The boundaries between psychological horror and supernatural thriller are blurred; it is left ambiguous whether the eerie events are actually caused by Kathy's vengeful spirit, or they are mere instances of guilt-induced hallucinations.

The ambiance of the film is haunting, with the St. Mary’s College serving as an eerie backdrop. The corridors, classrooms, and dormitories become the playground for the terror unleashed by Kathy's spirit. Every scene is riddled with tension, elevated by the cinematography's intertwining of shadow and light. The cinematographer - Luigi Ciccarese - deserves credit, for his work profoundly complements the storyline and keeps the audience on their toes.

Amid the blood and gore that Lucio Fulci is famous for, Aenigma also presents a somewhat sad narrative: the tale of a shy, introverted girl, who was tormented until she snapped. It's essentially a story of revenge, but Fulci exploits it and takes it to extreme, dark, and intense levels. The film dips its toes in vintage slasher style, supernatural themes, and distinctive psychological horror, providing a cinematic experience that borrows from various sub-genres.

The score, composed by Carlo Maria Cordio, enhances the atmosphere of the film, with its haunting melodies that build a sense of danger looming around every corner. The music, like the rest of the film, is slightly unorthodox yet fitting; it reflects the intention to delve deep into a unique blend of horror.

Subtle nods to Fulci's influences can be found throughout the film. As a celebrated director in the Italian horror scene, Fulci weaves elements from classic horror films into Aenigma. Notable influences include Brian De Palma's Carrie and Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, the essences of which are seamlessly incorporated into the narrative.

The narrative progression in Aenigma is a well-constructed blend of mystery, suspense, and horror. The audience is kept on their toes at each twist and turn and made to question the reality of the bizarre incidents witnessed at the college. The suspense builds on the back of skilled performances, artful direction, and chilling music, resulting in a horror film that steadily descends into nightmarish territory.

In conclusion, "Aenigma" from 1987 is a thrilling horror film experience that captures the essence of Italian horror cinema with an undeniable American twist. It is not a film for the faint-hearted, as it indulges in a liberal amount of violence, gore, and horror elements. Yet, it is an engaging watch for those who appreciate psychological horror films with a supernatural element, effectively nudging itself into the annals of cult horror cinema. Decadent, darkly humorous, and genuinely eerie, Aenigma is the personification of Lucio Fulci’s unique brand of cinematic horror.