Tenebrae 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Tenebrae 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

One of the most important visionaries of the giallo genre, director Dario Argento was in a particularly tight spot career-wise when he decided to make 1982’s “Tenebrae.” After experiencing a global hit with 1977’s “Suspiria,” which moved his creative interests toward the supernatural, Argento hit a brick wall with the atmospheric thematic sequel, 1980’s “Inferno.” Lacking forward momentum professionally, Argento returned to his roots with “Tenebrae,” finding himself back in command of a murder mystery that emphasizes violence, playing to his strengths as a stylish conductor of hellzapoppin’ goodies. Overseeing evil and mounting paranoia, Argento goes into self-examination mode as well, emerging with an intriguingly personal take on nightmarish events, dissecting his career and mental health while delivering all the bloodshed fans could want.

Tenebrae 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray release.

Originally released on Blu-ray in 2016, "Tenebrae" is brought to UHD by Synapse Films, who offer a Dolby Vision presentation of the feature, which is sourced from a "4K restoration" of the original camera negative. The Blu-ray offered a now aged but clear look at frame information, but the 4K viewing experience is decidedly more vivid and fresh, with rich textures on facial surfaces and period costuming, doing a little more with fibrousness and sheerness. Skin particulars are ideal, communicating a sense of age and bodily harm. Interiors retain precise decoration, and exteriors are deeply dimensional. Colors are downright exciting, with bright primaries supporting cinematographic efforts, delivering striking blues and yellows, while reds are powerful, giving bloodshed true presence. Skin tones are natural. Greenery is superbly defined, along with the summer vibe of the picture. Highlights are tasteful, with a full sense of sunlight. Delineation is exact, offering deep blacks throughout. Source is in excellent condition, with some mild scratches during the main titles.

Tenebrae 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mixes for "Tenebrae" provide Italian and English-language offerings to satisfy all fans. Dialogue is compelling, delivering a clear sense of performance and defined dubbing. The booklet mentions select times when "the audio synchronization will appear slightly loose against the picture," but this isn't an egregious issue. Scoring is sharply defined, with a heavy synth presence and crisp percussion. Music provides dominance when necessary, offering compelling volume. Atmospherics are appreciable, and sound effects offer some punch.

Tenebrae 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Tenebrae

• Booklet (58 pages) features essays by Peter Strickland, Alan Jones, and Ashley Love, and a Luciano Tovoli interview, conducted by Daniel Bird. Restoration notes are also provided.

• Commentary #1 features author Maitland McDonagh.

• Commentary #2 features film historians Alan Jones and Kim Newman.

• Commentary #3 features film historian Thomas Rostock.

• Introduction (:13, HD) offers a moment with actress Daria Nicolodi.

• "Voices of the Unsane" (17:16, HD) is a making-of for "Tenebrae," featuring interviews with director Dario Argento, cinematographer Luciano Tovoli, composer Claudio Simonetti, assistant director Lamberto Bava, and actresses Daria Nicolodi and Eva Robins.

• "Yellow Fever: The Rise and Fall of the Giallo" (89:24, HD) is a feature-length examination of the popular suspense genre, directed by Callum Waddell. Collecting interviews from some of the brightest analytical minds when it comes to giallo and its influences and inspirations, the documentary submits an engaging overview of creative highlights, with special emphasis on Dario Argento's filmography. The maestro himself participates in the conversation. "Yellow Fever" is a fluid and fun picture, and a proper education for those interested in giallo and its artful, exploitative history.

• "The Unsane World of 'Tenebrae'" (15:13, HD) is an interview with director Dario Argento, who admits he used the feature to address some of the criticisms thrown his way. The helmer insists he's a nice guy, with the darkness of his movies a kind of therapy. The interviewee shares a lengthy anecdote about a stalker tormenting him during the writing process in Los Angeles, and briefly covers his work with Michele Soavi and Lamberto Bava.

• "Screaming Queen" (16:04, HD) is an interview with actress Daria Nicolodi, who admits frustration with Dario Argento's sudden diversion from his work on the "Three Mothers" trilogy, and her use in "Tenebrae," finding other parts more interesting than hers. The interviewee discusses the shooting conditions of her big screaming moments, and offers some irritation with the English language dub of her performance. Co-stars are assessed, and Argento's use of color is celebrated.

• "Being the Villain" (16:22, HD) is an interview with actor John Steiner, who details his early career in Italy, which involved spending a little time with Orson Welles. Professional highlights are shared, including steady exploitation work (he admits to feeling the strange power of a Nazi uniform), and Steiner recalls his time with many notable directors, including Dario Argento.

• "A Composition for Change" (10:04, HD) is an interview with composer Claudio Simonetti, who discusses his absence from the "Inferno" soundtrack, reuniting with Dario Argento for "Tenebrae." Favoring a more dance music sound for the feature, the interviewee explores his influences and his work to create enough music to fit lengthy scenes. Simonetti closes with an assessment of violent entertainment and its influence on the audience.

• "Out of the Shadows" (12:20, HD) is an interview with author Maitland McDonagh.

• Alternate Opening Credits (2:14, HD) are offered.

• "Unsane" End Credits Sequence (1:51, HD) uses Kim Wilde's "Take Me Tonight" to finish off the movie. Purists tend to scoff at this choice, but it's not all that inappropriate, giving the feature a pleasing synth-pop atmosphere to cut through all the screaming.

• Promotional Materials from Italy, Germany, Spain, Japan, and the United States are offered, along with a few Miscellaneous Images.

• And an International Trailer (3:16, SD) and Japanese Trailer (2:11, SD) are included.

• "Take Me Tonight" (3:51) is a music track from Kim Wilde, presented here in its E.P. form with a few accompanying images.

Tenebrae 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Tenebrae" has a few missteps, but nothing breaks the picture's spirit. Flashbacks to an initially unidentified encounter with a shadowy woman on a beach play into the psychological framework of the movie, but fail to inspire much of a reaction, carrying on for too long. True to Argento's sometimes iffy way with storytelling, character relationships aren't always defined to satisfaction, taking time for personalities to gel while the story is well under way. Quibbles are there, but the effort is strong enough to bypass them, investing in twisted turns of plot that toy with identity and motivation. The feature even monkeys around with its own madman, altering malicious perspective with such extreme subtlety, it may take a few viewings to catch the magic trick. "Tenebrae" doesn't have the sheer force of "Suspiria" or the delicious disease of "Deep Red," but it's easily one of Argento's best films, showcasing his skill with games of murder and fragmented mental states.