Now into his 80s, Dario Argento was one of the most visionary, distinctive and inventive filmmakers working in genre cinema during the 1970s and 1980s. While his output has slowed down somewhat over the years, he’s still writing and directing. Although he’s approached his subjects from slightly different angles, the Italian maestro’s output is instantly recognisable. His new film, Dark Glasses, contains all the familiar elements we’ve come to expect.
The eclipse of the sun proves to be a dark portent for Diana (Ilenia Pastorelli), whose life takes a bad turn after she’s pursued by an unknown assailant. As a result, the young escort crashes and loses her sight, killing the parents of a young Chinese boy (Andrea Zhang) in the process. She’s helped in her recuperation by Rita (Asia Argento) but although she slowly begins to adapt to her new situation, fear lurks around every corner.
Dark Glasses follows the same formula which made Argento into a household name without really adding anything new. There’s the crazed killer, the bizarre ‘attack’ scenes, a rather hapless victim, bloody murders, lurid visuals and a characteristic soundtrack. While it’s entertaining and will appeal to fans of giallo, it does feel a little bit too ‘by-the-numbers’ and rushed. That said, Dark Glasses will be a boon for fans of his work.
Dark Glasses premieres on Shudder on 13 October.
