Die-hard fans of the Horror Genre - and particularly those intrigued by the body of work conjured up over the years by celebrated film director Dario Argento - packed the New Beverly Cinema on Friday night at the witching hour to catch a much-anticipated screening of a fresh print of "The Inferno".
A posse of the filmgoers were there to attend the Q & A, also, in response to an announcement that there would be an appearance by Keith Emerson of "Emerson Lake & Palmer" (who composed music for the fright-night cinematic offering) and one of the pretty female stars of the classic film.
Right off-the-bat, charismatic Emerson noted that the visionary director - Dario Argento- was the first filmmaker to incorporate rock music into the feature film creative mix.
"We rehearsed with a full orchestra in Rome," he excitedly recalled.
In so many words, he proceeded to point out that the high-brow musicians were in the dark as to how the classical music tracks would actually be used in the Inferno.
Needless to say, when the gorey footage sprang to life on the silver screen, it jolted their sensibilities.
On a more humorous note, the earthy rock star confessed that composing music for the lead actress, ended up being quite titillating.
Understandably!
The shot of the sexy star emerging from a pool of water in a skin-tight see-through blouse that he was referring to - which triggered a raucous roar of cat-calls in the Revival House that night - left little to the imagination, after all.
"The audition was really strange," she confided.
Allegedly, Argento strode into the rehearsal hall, examined her facial features for a moment or two, then made a quick exit without much consternation or thought.
A few days later, she was officially cast for the role.
Then, for some inexplicable reason - just before the shoot began - her hair started to fall out.
And, difficulties with Argento, surfaced.
"I think he thought I was dying of some dreadful disease. Maybe that is why quite a few scenes ended up on the cutting-room floor."
An actress blowing things out of proportion, perhaps?
As to the film, well, the opening scenes were stilted - melodramatic - in fact.
Although I'm a big fan of Keith Emerson (and not hankering to burst the icon's first music bubble on screen), I found the score way over the top at times.
And, not in keeping with Argento's creative musings.
For instance, Dario was allegedly keen on using a well-known classical piece for a pivotal scene at the start of the film.
After the music was laid in - and unveiled to the quirky director - he didn't recognize the piece because Emerson used 5/4 time in a bold-faced effort to take a stab at emulating the sound of a taxi bumping and grinding along the pot-holed streets of Rome.
To me, Emerson failed to hit the mark.
The tempo was too fast, for starters.
And, the jumble of quick clashing burps & jolts of strident sound, amounted to a lot of misguided noise.
Also, the music was too loud (and uneven) throughout the film - but, just maybe - that was the fault of the projectionist in the booth upstairs.
At to the film, the acting was stagey, too.
Which reminds me, casting TV actor Leigh McCloskey (who I generally like) in the male lead, was a big boo-boo.
At times, I felt I was watching a soap opera, or sloppy night-time dama on a cable network.
In the final analysis, Argento's film is an inferno mess!
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