The Stendhal Syndrome

The Stendhal Syndrome
by Dario Argento

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DVD Reviews of The Stendhal Syndrome

DVD Review: Stylish but Incoherent
Summary: 4 Stars

"The Stendhal Syndrome," set in Italy, tells the story of police detective Anna Manni. Anna's latest case involves a serial rapist who with his last two victims added murder to his resume. Regrettably for Anna, this criminal has now set his sights on her. His first move against Manni entails luring her to a museum where she falls victim to an odd psychological malady called the Stendhal Syndrome. Named for the famous French writer Stendhal, this mental affliction causes the sufferer to undergo nausea, headaches, depression, and severe hallucinations when confronted with works of art. In Anna's case, the trip to the museum turns into nothing less than a bizarre interaction with a painting in which Anna perceives herself actually entering the picture for a quick dip in the ocean where see encounters a smoochy fish. Subsequent episodes include walking into a painting of a waterfall and entering a picture only to find herself at a murder scene. The rapist soon plays a cat and mouse game with Anna, driving her nearly mad with his attentions. The game wears Anna down, causing a rift with her policeman boyfriend and requiring periodic visits to a psychiatrist to work through the trauma she suffers at the hands of her adversary. Director Argento plays games with the viewer as well, concealing the implications of Anna's experiences with her stalker until the end of the film. "The Stendhal Syndrome" runs for a lengthy two hours, taking turns which are at times fascinating or boring.

The most basic problem with "The Stendhal Syndrome" is Argento's uneven pacing and a lack of plot coherency. All of the best effects appear in the first thirty minutes of the film, thereby letting the rest of the movie fall into a rather boring montage of scenes until again picking up steam in the last ten minutes. Don't get me wrong; I think this movie is worth watching, but I also feel it is worth watching only for a limited number of scenes. "The Stendhal Syndrome" just doesn't work as a coherent film. The plot is hazy at best, with Argento providing more questions than answers. I once read that Argento's plots often sink into a quagmire of confusion, and if this is so, maybe that explains what happened here. All I can say is that a few scenes possess incredibly great power, while the majority of the movie lags far behind. You get the sense you are watching a genius at work, but that he's a lazy genius who lacks the fortitude to carry a great idea to fruition.

Sergio Stivaletti did the special effects for "The Stendhal Syndrome," and they are quite impressive. The scenes where Anna suffers through a Stendhal episode look good considering this movie probably didn't have a big budget. Moreover, many of the graphic effects produce cringe worthy moments that should warm the heart of any serious horror connoisseur. An interview on the DVD with Stivaletti discusses in depth the problems and successes of the effects work that occurred during the course of the movie. This was the first time Stivaletti ever used computer graphics, and he did a good job overall.

The biggest surprise with this DVD is its release by Troma films. Troma, if you're not aware, is a studio dedicated to producing the worst Z grade junk in film history. One thing Troma does know how to do, however, is release DVD's with lots of extras. There are interviews with Dario Argento here, along with an interview with "Cannibal Holocaust" director Ruggero Deodato (why? I don't know), a bunch of trailers for low-grade schlock like "The Rowdy Girls," "Teenage Catgirls in Heat," "Killer Condom," and "Terror Firmer," and yet another one of those Troma Intelligence Tests. Aren't all of these extras great? Maybe so, but Troma technicians botched the transfer of the film. "The Stendhal Syndrome" is awash in haze, murky shadows, and grain. In short, the movie doesn't look as good as it should. Troma knows better.

I won't let the uneven "The Stendhal Syndrome" get me down. All directors have their difficulties, and this film, while far from great, isn't bad either. Asia Argento does a fair job in the lead, although it's difficult to imagine her as a police officer. Be sure and pay attention when Asia dons a blonde wig. She looks so much like Traci Lords that it's scary. Good effects, good gore, a great if repetitive score by Ennio Morricone, and an occasionally interesting plot make "The Stendhal Syndrome" a must see for Italian horror fans.

Description of The Stendhal Syndrome