In Dario Argento’s cinema, music gets under your skin
In the cinema of Dario Argentothe soundtrack was never conceived as a simple background accompaniment. In the works of the Master of Thrills, music is like a co-stara narrative force capable of anticipating fright, disorientating the viewer and defining the very identity of the image. This centrality of music is not accidental: it has its roots in a conception of horror cinema as a total sensorial art form, in which the spectator’s visceral reaction must be simultaneously attacked on multiple perceptive channels. The sound must not anticipate the terror, nor explain it: must to be the terror.
Al Milan Film Festival – in dialogue with Marina Pierri, Marco Peano and the artistic director Claudio Santamaria – the Maestro recalled the golden years of his cinema; perfect opportunity to rediscover and celebrate one of the most fascinating and influential aspects of his art: the sound of terror. The musical evolution of Argentine filmography can be divided into three great macro-eraseach marked by historic collaborations, unmistakable styles and a diametrically opposed approach to psychological tension.
The era of dissonance and the unconscious: Ennio Morricone
Dario Argento’s directorial career began with the famous “Animal Trilogy” – The bird with crystal plumage (1970), The cat o’ nine tails (1971), 4 gray velvet flies (1972) – which redefined the Italian thriller genre. For this genesis, Argento relies on the undisputed genius of Ennio Morriconewho builds soundscapes that draw heavily on childhood fears and the unconscious. Instead of resorting to classic orchestral “jumpscares”, Morricone experiments with sound to create a deep, creeping sense of unease.
In The bird with crystal plumageMorricone introduces a children’s rhyme sung in an ethereal and disturbing tone, in stark contrast to the visual violence; the use of choirs (often with the unmistakable voice of Edda Dell’Orso) creates a feeling of alienation. In The cat o’ nine tails And 4 gray velvet fliesthe music breaks down: Morricone uses atypical percussion, pulsating bass and dissonant jazz improvisations. Atonality becomes the musical translation of the killer’s fragmented mind. The use of whispered voices, panting and guttural sounds overlaid with classical instrumentation transforms the soundtrack into an extension of the killer’s breathing.
The prog and electronic revolution: the Goblin era
If the Morricone era defined the origins of Argento, the second era consecrated its global myth. Searching for more modern and energetic sounds, similar to those of the first Pink Floyd, Argento entrusted the soundtrack of Deep Red (1975) to a young Italian progressive rock band: i Goblins (initially formed by Claudio Simonetti, Massimo Morante, Fabio Pignatelli and Walter Martino), called to complete and overturn the initial work of jazz musician Giorgio Gaslini. This phase marks a clear break with the Hollywood and European orchestral tradition, transforming music into a sensorial aggression.
Instruments such as the Minimoog, the Mellotron and the pipe organ become the pillars of terror. The bass line of Deep Red it’s circular, obsessive, similar to a heartbeat on adrenaline. For Suspiria (1977), the soundtrack was composed Before of filming and fired at full volume on the set to terrify the actors. Goblin used ethnic instruments (the Greek bouzouki), bells, tribal percussion and a pioneering use of synthesizers combined with witchy voices that repeat hisses and incomprehensible words (“Witch!”, “Suspiria!”).
In the 80s, with Darkness (1982) – signed by Simonetti, Pignatelli and Morante following a temporary dissolution of the band – and Phenomena (1985), the sound abandons purely rock guitars to embrace pure electronics, vocoder, Italo-disco and heavy metal, demonstrating the incredible versatility of this partnership. This era also includes the majestic and operatic experiment of Keith Emerson For Hell (1980), which maintains the keyboard and progressive component dear to Argento but declines it in a more classic and epic form, close to Nabucco by Verdi.
The return to melodrama and the symphony: the era of Pino Donaggio
With the arrival of the 90s, Argento’s cinema underwent a mutation. Having abandoned the chromatic excesses and pop saturations of the 70s and 80s, his films become darker, psychological and melancholic. To translate this new state of mind, Argento turns to Pino Donaggiocollaborator of Brian De Palma and master of classical orchestral tension. Donaggio’s entry marks a return to the symphonic tradition, with clear references to Bernard Herrmann (Alfred Hitchcock’s historic composer).
The soundtracks of this era, starting with the American thriller Trauma (1993), rely almost exclusively on orchestras. Shrieking violins accompany moments of suspense, but the melody dominates. In Stendhal syndrome (1996), Donaggio’s music is not meant to scare, but to convey pity, dizziness and profound psychological tragedy of the protagonist (played by her daughter Asia Argento). The choruses and orchestral leitmotifs underline illness and perdition.
In works such as Do you like Hitchcock? (2005) e Two evil eyes (1990, in the episode directed by Argento, The black cat), Donaggio embroiders elegant, refined sound carpets, perfect for stories of obsession and voyeurism. The partnership with Donaggio has accompanied the director even in recent times (as in the acclaimed return Black glasses of 2022, whose original soundtrack was however entrusted to the electronics of Arnaud Rebotini, although the return to the classical form was evident in the spirit of the work).
