Inferno

Inferno, directed by the maestro of Italian horror, Dario Argento, is a 1980's labyrinthine thriller based on the suspense novel "La Settima Donna". Starring Leigh McCloskey, Irene Miracle, and Eleonora Giorgi, Inferno serves as the second instalment in Argento’s "Three Mothers" trilogy, with the first being the popular Suspiria and the last being the Mother of Tears. Bold, colorful, and brimming with the surreal, Inferno is a visual extravaganza that few horror movies of its time could rival.

Inferno orbits around the mysterious and foreboding lore of the Three Mothers, mythical witches influencing tragedies, sorrow, and despair in the world. The story is woven around the cryptic messages hidden in a book called "The Three Mothers" belonging to a young poet Rose Elliot, played by Irene Miracle. When Rose suspects the existence of one of the Three Mothers in her New York apartment building, she contacts her brother Mark, portrayed by Leigh McCloskey, a music student in Rome.

The gripping suspense unfolds as Mark, against dire warnings and ominous incidents, arrives in New York to discover the truth. The narrative kneads in elements of supernatural horror, macabre aesthetics, and a looming sense of dread. It portrays a prolonged cat-and-mouse chase where reality merges with the mystical.

Rose’s friend Sara, enacted by Eleonora Giorgi, also plays an instrumental role in the story, further intensifying the haunting climactic build-up. The film explores themes of paranoia, fear, witchcraft, and sibling relationships, amidst a backdrop of gorgeous yet eerie environs.

Inferno is a movie that sticks to your mind, owing big time to Argento's prowess in building a captivating aura. It offers a blend of horror with psychological thriller elements, which elevates the scare-factor and emotional intensity. The addition of murders entwined with puzzling situations maintains a high level of intrigue that keeps audiences on the edge.

Leigh McCloskey's portrayal of Mark presents a passionate and determined character willing to face unbelievable odds to protect his sister. Leigh brings about an impressive range of emotions, conveying fear, intrigue, and distress effectively. Similarly, Irene Miracle perfectly portrays the curiosity and anxiety of the character Rose amidst the sinister happenings around her.

Eleonora Giorgi also stands out with her idiosyncratic portrayal of Sara. Her portrayal balances an intuitive innocence with a frantic urgency that successfully aids the narrative. The performances of supporting characters, which include renowned actors like Daria Nicolodi and Sacha Pitoëff, further consolidates the film's overall success.

Argento’s signature style is vividly apparent in Inferno, with his eye for breath-taking visuals and keen sense of building climactic tension taking center stage. The film is filled with extravagant set designs, mirrored surfaces, and deeply saturating colors that evoke an eerily beautiful yet repulsively chilling atmosphere. Argento takes full advantage of the gruesome and the gory, paired with his love for bold color palettes, enhancing the sense of the uncanny and the unknown.

The film's score, composed by progressive rock maestro Keith Emerson, blends the elegance of classical music with hard-hitting electronic elements, creating a unique contrast that complements the emotionally intense and horrifying scenes on-screen.

In addition to the noticeable emphasis on visuals, Inferno also shines through its imaginative scriptwriting and unconventional narrative structure. The film unfolds in fragments, continuously shifting from one perspective to another, leaving its audiences piecing clues to decipher the disorienting maze that Argento creates. The director’s cinematic articulation generates a perplexing, almost dream-like experience filled with stunning imageries, nightmarish sequences, and haunting echoes.

Overall, Inferno is a prime example of the Argento-ian style of film-making. It’s a sometimes confusing, often gruesome, and always visually tantalizing trip into a fantasy realm of the macabre. Anyone with a taste for distinctive aesthetics, brooding themes, mesmerizing plots, and that unmistakable European horror flavor will find something to appreciate in this film. With a worthy cast, an impressive score, striking visuals, and an exhilarating storyline, Inferno is undoubtedly a stalwart tale in the genre of horror-thrillers. The movie isn’t just about narrative coherence or about the story itself—it’s about how the story is told, and in that aspect, Inferno shines.