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A Woman's Look Into the Darkness of the Mind
Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds: The Dark Dreams of Dario Argento, Reviewed by Harvey Karten

Just ask anyone at Fangoria, the best-known magazine specializing in horror films.You'll be assured that Maitland McDonagh is a leading national authority on the genre.But wait: Maitland.Isn't that a woman's name?Yes indeed.If some people wonder how a red-blooded American male can go for chick flicks like "Pretty Woman," "The Joy Luck Club" and "The Remains of the day," those same movie fans would pigeonhole slasher pics as those made strictly for the testosterone set.

I've noticed, nonetheless, that gory films are patronized by large majorities of young men, so call McDonagh an exception. As one who has written about erotic films, to wit: "Movie Lust" and "The 50 Most Erotic Films of All Time," this author cannot be squeezed into a preconceived notion of gender preferences.

In her updated, newly-expanded tome on the films of Dario Argento, "Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds: The Dark Dreams of Dario Argento," McDonagh does not bother offering a clear impression of just why she became a fan of testosterone fare, but does say that "On the strength of `Deep Red' I started researching and found that while there was plenty of writing about the man and his films...there was nothing academic....Argento's films were a graduate student's dream...seething with subtext and vibrating with visual virtuosity."In other words, here was a director whose works she does not universally like (she agrees with me that "La terza madre" is nothing to write home about, nor is "The Bird With the Crystal Plumage"), but the film department at Columbia University requires a thesis of graduate students, and why not see if the department would accept something considered tawdry and commercial--like horror?

The book was developed out of her Master's thesis, with McDonagh's probably going through what I did with my own thesis when I hooked a publisher who showed some interest in my writing a book."Just rewrite your dissertation and remove everything that's boring," was the advice of the Utah-based editor, which decided not to accept my "book" when it was ground down to a single page.No problem with "Broken Mirrors." Though I have not seen McDonagh's thesis, probably available at Columbia's Butler library, I see that whatever it states has successfully been re-formed into a readable, often exciting piece of work.

The book is intriguing, though not targeted to the youthful fan base of of the lesser Frankenstein/Dracula/Wolfman series but rather to movie-goers who have read more than their BlackBerry messages and the Sports Illustration swimsuit issue.They can appreciate the way the author combines a scholarly tone with the reading ease of a solid novel.Look at this description of: "penny-dreadful narratives seething with subtext and vibrating with visual virtuosity."Alliteration and deftly condensed verbiage abound in the paperback's 293 pages.If these words connect with you, consider the purchase.

As for the way "Broken Mirrors" is organized, the bulk is a film by film analysis of Argento's works, which means that the best way to tackle it is to pick up the DVDs (all of Argento's films are available in that format) and then give yourself a few weeks.Set your player up with "The Bird With the Crystal Plumage," then read the chapter--one which, by the way, compares Argento with Hitchcock.Everything about the movie that has you puzzled will be explained by the text.Ditto "Four Flies and Grey Velvet," which to McDonagh represents"substantial advances over `The Bird With the Crystal Plumage.'"

You'll get McDonagh's take on whether "Suspiria" works as an extremely violent supernatural thriller, how Argento uses supernatural fantasy in "Phenomena," what happens to a woman in "The Stendhal Syndrome" who is trapped by a serial killer in an abandoned warehouse, and lots more.There are loads of black-and-white pictures of key scenes in the films.

The book concludes with an interview with the director, who believes that "all French directors are former film critics" and why he finds the American studio system distasteful: "When you work with a studio, everyone is an artist and everybody has a suggestion for some way to change your work." Perhaps the most resonant paragraph in the book opens with "...if commercial art is always in danger of becoming a whore, then high art is equally in danger of becoming an old maid."This is as good a summation as any of the high-culture, low-culture schism which is discussed on and on by art-house lovers and the strictly action-gore-sweet romance sets, the two sides sometimes agreeing no more than today's Republicans and Democrats.

I just want to thank everyone who took the time to write about my book...
...because it was a labor of love that has taken on a life of its own. (Please excuse the fact that I had to provide a star rating in order for my comment to be published and know that I went with four stars only because I didn't want to artificially drag down the rating of my own book just because my English mother raised me to believe that modesty is next to godliness).

To this day, I'm not sure how I got the topic approved for my master's thesis at Columbia University's GSAS (I'm reminded of something someone once said about Paul Bartel's films, the gist of which was that they weren't release; they escaped), but I'm eternally grateful to Anthony Blampied, who published the first edition; Kevin McDonough (no relation, really), of the now-defunct Citadel Press, who acquired it for US distribution; and everyone who read it and cared enough to spread the word. And that includes all of you who had reservations about various parts of my analyses/interpretations: Great movies, of which Argento has made several, are slippery things that can support multiple (sometimes wildly contradictory) readings.

And just FYI, there's a new edition of the book coming out in 2010 from University of Minnesota Press. New cover, some new images and new text that discusses Argento's films since Trauma, the most recent title I was able to get into the Citadel edition (oh, and thank you Clive Barker for the great endorsement you gave me for that edition).

Broken Minds
Broken Minds is a soon to be published book. It should 'hit the streets' October 2005. Its sub title is "Hope for Healing When You Feel Like You're Losing It".
The book is about mood disorders, especially as one who has "been there", author Steve Bloem. It is co-authored by his wife Robyn Bloem.An aim of the authors is to help both the sufferer of mental illness and her/his caregivers, get out of the dark pit of depression. Stigma still surrounds depression and other forms of mental illness.The church of Jesus Christ is asked to deal with the taboo of suicide and also the pervasive pain that is inherent in maladies of the mind.
It is easy to read and chocked full of important truths for the reader. Kregel publications says it well, "A deeply personal, yet practical, book for Christians who are clinically depressed or have been diagnosed with a mental illness. Mental illness. Those words bring to mind frightening scenes of padded walls, white straightjackets, and screaming people. But mental illness is often much more subtle-and much more prevalent than we imagine. Unfortunately, people who are diagnosed as being mentally ill may not understand what is happening to them. And for Christians, some "helpful" leaders heap on guilt, saying that the problem is spiritual rather than physical in nature. This book takes Steve's personal story of major depression and weaves through it Robyn's insights and Steve's professional knowledge. The result is a tapestry of practical information- including definitions, treatment options, government services available, and interactions with the church and God-and a deep compassion for those who feel like their world is falling apart".

Amazing work on an interesting filmmaker
Maitland has written a very admirable study of one of the world's most interesting horror filmmakers. She even goes to the trouble of defending the more nonsensical moments of Arengto's films. For example, the scene in Suspiria where a murder victim stumbles across a room full of barbed wire makes no logical sense, but after you read Maitland explain how Argento works (kind of like surrealists, he uses a technique called "Automatic writing" which involves very little, if any, editing) you begin to understand that maybe Argento isn't neccesarily TRYING to make sense. At any rate she does a fine job of defending him, as well as delving into recurring themes. One of the better books on a director you will ever read.

Fascinating look at the Gialli Rancher
This is a great book.If you're a fan of Dario Argento, the Italian maestro of horror, or if you're just a fan of well-made, artistically-minded horror films, you should read this book (and should take a closer look at the films of Dario Argento).

"Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds" is out of print, but you can buy a used copy through Amazon.com (as I did) for a cheaper price.But then you must prepare yourself for a whirl-wind.

This book discusses in intimate detail the films of the great Dario Argento.The introduction gives us some context of who he is (ex-film critic, master of the beautiful and profane), where he came from (an Italian movie-making family and the tutelage of spaghetti-western-maker Sergio Leone), what he does (makes a particular style of thriller called a giallo and often draws on the broken imagery of dreams for his most effective material).

Then we're off on a film-by-film analysis of Argento's career.We study the films he's made, the choices he's made within those films, and gain an appreciation, if we don't already have one, of why this Argento is such a unique, talented film-maker.

"Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds" often reads like the film school thesis which it is.Words and phrases like "diegetic," "filmic," and the old favorite "mise-en-scene" abound.But you shouldn't let that deter you, even if you aren't of the overly critical, or analytical stock.There is a lot of fascinating stuff in this book, and you're sure to walk away from it with a bigger, more profound appreciation for the films and career of one of the greats in the horror field, Dario Argento.And if you haven't seen all of Argento's films, or if it's been a while, reading this book is a great excuse to catch up on them.

What surprised me most about this book was that it was written by a woman.I didn't realize until I turned the last page of the book and read the "about the author" section that Maitland McDonagh has two X chromosomes.I guess I assumed because of the subject matter--the deliriously violent, at times arguably woman-unfriendly world of Dario Argento's deep red "filmic" nightmares--that a man must have written the book.But what a great perspective is given from the eyes and mind of a woman writing intelligently about horror films.You must go get this book. ... Read more

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Overview of the life and career of the master of Italian horror cinema, from his first script for Leone's Once Upon a Time inthe West, to producing Dawn of the Dead, to his Terror Trilogy with his Hollywood superstar daughter Asia Argento. This is the firstexploration of the psyche and methodology of the man who galvanized global horror with his super-shock sensation, Suspiria. Meticulouslycollated into one unique volume are * every feature, interview, review of Argento's work * new material and never-before-published facts andsecrets * exclusive Argento interviews * rare stills, posters and candid behind-the-scenes photos from private collections * full-lengthinterviews with 28 collaborators, including George Romero, Max Von Sydow and Julian Sands ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Best book currently available on the topic
I agree whole heartedly with the other reviewer in stating that this volume is far more enjoyable than the other Fab Press Argento tome, "Art of Darkness".This one wins in both the literal content as well as the wealth of photos,stills,posters,etc..Whereas the other book suffered from image blurriness (at least my copy),this volume is absolutely gorgeous.Having read all the available English language books on the subject, I feel that this book has given me the best understanding of this artist and his approach to his craft. I dont know if this volume will ever be topped.

THE Argento book
PROFONDO ARGENTO is the second book I have ever bought from FAB Press. The first was ART OF DARKNESS: THE CINEMA OF DARIO ARGENTO which, to say the least, was a disappointment. A beautiful but empty pseudo-anyalis of the filmmaker's career, ART OF DARKNESS was about as stale and lifeless as any film book you'll ever encounter. It seems this problem has plagued a lot of the other tomes in the FAB Press line-up: BEYOND TERROR, their Lucio Fulci book, has also been cited as something of a waste. But PROFONDO, thankfully, trumps both of them and turns out to be one of the best, most invigorating studies of a cult filmmaker ever published.

The reason is simple: British author Alan Jones has spent the past twenty-five years or so working with Argento himself. He has been on the film sets of virtually all of the man's post-PHENOMENA films, and has access to rare behind-the-scenes info, opinions, and interviews that no one else would. Whereas Stephen Thrower felt merely content to sit in his room and type up 350 pages of heartless dross and call it a book, Jones actually has something to SHOW us. Simply put, any Argento fan cannot go without this book. Unless the director himself writes it, there will never be a better book about his career.

Features chapters dedicated to each of the man's movies up to NON HO SONNO (SLEEPLESS), interviews with cast and crew (and Argento himself), behind-the-scenes photos, color artwork, and brief sections on Argento contemporaries like Asia, Michele Soavi, etc. The only thing it doesn't have is information on the man's childhood, etc.

Profondo Sycophancy!

Despite the popularity of horror throughout the 70's, 80's and 90's and its acceptance by academia and critics as a valid form of cinematic expression, it is astonishing that there has been so few books about Italian director Dario Argento. The first serious study was by Maitland McDonagh in 1994's BROKEN MIRRORS, BROKEN MINDS. This was followed in 2003 by ART OF DARKNESS edited by Chris Gallant. If you're looking for books that explore the deeper themes of Argento's work then I would recommend both of these over Alan Jones' PROFONDO ARGENTO. Jones' effort is perfectly usable, but lacks the sophistication and thematic depth of the other two. The book also suffers from an irritating degree of sycophancy, which comes from Jones' well documented friendship with Argento. This is all very good, but why do we need to know about it? Far too much of this book is anecdotal, which detracts both from the enjoyment and any objective critical stance.In compensation though, as one would expect from FAB PRESS, the book is attractively illustrated. Many of the photos come from Jones' personal collection, and for this he should be commended. There is certainly enthusiasm here and one can tell that for Jones it was a labour of love, and on occasion the prose is exciting and imaginative.

As an introduction to Argento's cinema I would recommend PROFONDO ARGENTO as your first port of call (having made sure you have watched all the available films of course), compared to the other two major works on him, it is light, entertaining and readable. But be warned, in this book the story of Argento's cinema is also the story of Alan Jones, and I for one am certainly not interested in the latter.

A must-read for Dario Argento fans
If there is one valid complaint to be made about this book it is that there is too much information presented within its pages.Argento fans know there is no such thing as "too much information" when it comes to the master of Italian film, though.

Interviews, rare photos and lobby cards, film reviews and more are presented in this gorgeous book.If you are an Argento fan and haven't read this, you are truly missing out.There is something for even the most die-hard fanatic to learn.

Beautiful Argento book by a fan for the fans.
All Argento fans can rejoice with the publication of Alan Jones' book Profondo Argento: The Man, The Myth And the Magic.Everything a fan(or newcomer)wanted to know about Dario Argento's work(films, reviews, interviews, articles, etc.) is practically here. It is extremely well researched, with lots of interviews and articles, and it is profusely illustrated with images, posters and people associated with Argento's work and world. The best thing is that the book is pretty much up to date, covering Argento's latest giallo "TheCard Player." This book is definitely a work of love by a fan for the fans and I find myself always referring to it quite frequently. A true delight well worth for the price. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

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A Wonderful Comprehensive Guide
Dario Argento by James Gracey is a wonderful resource for all of us Argentophiles. It includes a brief biographical background on him but the book focuses on every single film Argento worked on. All of em. Including the films he produced! Included is a complete listing of the actors,writers,producers etc, a detailed synopsis, background on the production, comments, style/technical details, music, themes, and a final verdict FOR EVERY FILM. It's incredible. The amount of detail, information and analysis is astounding. Beyond that the book is a treasure trove of info on his filmography I had no idea about. Did you know that Argento did an Italy only comedy after Cat of Nine Tails? I didn't! Its always a pleasure to learn more about the films you love and the directors you admire. If you appreciate Dario Argento, the godfather of the giallo, do yourself a favor. Pick up James Gracey's book. And while you're at it, check out his website[...]

A Bloody Good Read
For the many filmgoers familiar with Italian horror, Dario Argento is a revered name, a standard-bearer of high style, lush cinematography, gory deaths, and edge-of-your-seat suspense.While the quality of his movie outings may have ebbed and flowed over the course of his 40+ year career, his true fans are seldom deterred by bad reviews.I've been taken to task more than once over my reviews of "Cat o'Nine Tails", which even Mr. Argento considers his least favorite film.However, in James Gracey's aptly titled "Dario Argento" from Kamera Books, I learned enough about "Cat" to stimulate my interest and actually make me want to see it again.Obviously a huge Argento fan (and one of Italian horror, as well) Gracey has produced a slender, gracefully written volume that briefly scans the filmmaker's early life before zooming in on each of Argento's films, as well as his various other projects.Each film is well-documented with interesting facts, conveniently divided into (mostly) eight areas: synopsis, background, comments, style, themes, music, trivia, and verdict.Also included are the casts and crews, providing further enlightenment to those of us interested in this particular genre. Gracey's enthusiasm for his subject and his output is contagious, and so well organized and thoughtfully presented, that it prompted me to not only revisit "Cat", but also to check out some of Argento's other work that I had previously written off due to bad word of mouth.Overall, a fast, fascinating read for movie fans and aspiring filmmakers, alike. ... Read more

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A Must-Have for Argento Fans
If you are considering buying this book with the intention of a light read, don't waste your time or money.This book goes into depth on Argento's films.The symbolism, the soundtracks and scores, the actors used, the way art plays into the master's stories and so on -- everything is examined by various writers.Even Argento's television shows are looked at.And don't think it's all praise, either.The essays are honest, and each one brings something new to Argento's work.

FAB Press publishes some incredible books on film, and this is no exception.It's a labor of love, like all of FAB's books, and is meant for fans who take their directors/films seriously.Worth it at twice the price. ... Read more

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Video Watchdog # 50 - Mario Bava; Dario Argento ... Read more

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Les achats comprennent une adhésion à l'essai gratuite au club de livres de l'éditeur, dans lequel vous pouvez choisir parmi plus d'un million d'ouvrages, sans frais. Le livre consiste d'articles Wikipedia sur : Ténèbres, Opéra (Film, 1987), Les Frissons de L'angoisse, le Syndrome de Stendhal, L'oiseau Au Plumage de Cristal, Deux Yeux Maléfiques, le Chat à Neuf Queues, Suspiria, Inferno (Film, 1980), La Troisième Mère, the Card Player, Phenomena, le Fantôme de L'opéra (Film, 1998), Quatre Mouches de Velours Gris, le Sang Des Innocents, Trauma (Film, 1993), Giallo (Film, 2009), Cinq Jours à Milan. Non illustré. Mises à jour gratuites en ligne. Extrait : Ténèbres est un film d'horreur italien de 1982 écrit et réalisé par Dario Argento, mettant en scène Anthony Franciosa, John Saxon, et Daria Nicolodi. Après une période dans le registre du fantastique avec les films Suspiria en 1977 et Inferno en 1980, Ténèbres marque un retour de Argento au giallo, un genre cinématographique principalement italien popularisé en grande partie par le réalisateur dans les années 1970 mais inventé par Mario Bava dans les années 1960, pouvant se définir comme un film policier avec un assassin habillé en noir et tuant à l'arme blanche. Le film raconte l'histoire d'un écrivain américain faisant la promotion de son dernier roman policier à Rome, et se trouve confronté à un tueur en série qui s'inspire de son œuvre littéraire pour concrétiser ses pulsions meurtrières. Le film sortit en Italie et dans la plupart des pays européens sans la moindre censure, mais fut interdit aux mineurs et censuré au Royaume-Uni. Il ne sortit aux États-Unis qu'en 1984, dans une version censurée, sous le titre Unsane. Sous cette forme expurgée, Ténèbres reçut un mauvais accueil de la part des critiques, tandis que la version intégrale, diffusée bien plus tard, permit sa réhabilitation. Ce film est même considéré par certains comme le dernier vrai chef d'œuvre de Argento. Pet...http://booksllc.net/?l=fr ... Read more

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This is nonfiction commentary.Chapters: Tenebrae, the Mother of Tears, Inferno, Suspiria, Two Evil Eyes, the Three Mothers, Phenomena, Deep Red, the Bird With the Crystal Plumage, Opera, the Stendhal Syndrome, Four Flies on Grey Velvet, Trauma, the Phantom of the Opera, the Cat O' Nine Tails, Sleepless, the Card Player, Giallo, the Five Days, Do You Like Hitchcock?. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 123. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Tenebrae (also known as Tenebre) is a 1982 Italian horror thriller film written and directed by Dario Argento. The film stars Anthony Franciosa, John Saxon, and Daria Nicolodi. After having experimented with two exercises in pure supernatural horror, Suspiria (1977) and Inferno (1980), Tenebrae represented Argento's return to the giallo form, a sub-genre he had helped popularize in the 1970s. The story concerns an American writer promoting his latest murder-mystery novel in Rome, only to get embroiled in the search for a serial-killer who has apparently been inspired to kill by the novel. The film was released in Italy and throughout most of Europe without experiencing any reported censorship problems, but was classified, prosecuted, and banned as a "video nasty" in the United Kingdom. Its theatrical distribution in the United States was delayed until 1984, when it was released in a heavily censored version under the title Unsane. In its cut form, Tenebrae received a mostly negative critical reception, but the original, fully restored version later became widely available for reappraisal. It has been described by Maitland McDonagh as "the finest film that Argento has ever made." Peter Neal (Franciosa) is an American writer of violent horror novels whose books are tremendously popular in Europe. In Italy to promote his latest work, entitled Tenebrae, he i...http://booksllc.net/?id=4011202 ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Ilona Staller, Leonardo Da Vinci, Dario Argento, Adriano Celentano, Umberto Veronesi, Jovanotti, Roberto de Nobili. Excerpt:Adriano Celentano Adriano Celentano (born 6 January 1938) is an Italian singer , songwriter , comedian , actor , film director and TV host . Biography Celentano was born in Milan at 14 Via Gluck, about which he later wrote the famous song "Il ragazzo della via Gluck" ("The boy from the Gluck Street"). His parents were from Foggia , in Apulia , and had moved north for work. According to urban legend, before beginning his singing career, Celentano was a student of Ghigo Agosti (European rock pioneer) during Agosti's 1955-1956 Northern Italian tour, which was also guitarist Giorgio Gaber 's debut. Heavily influenced by his idol Elvis Presley and the 1950s rock revolution, he is also known as the most famous dancer of the Hula hoop fad . For the last 40 years he has retained his popularity in Italy, selling millions of records and appearing in numerous TV shows and movies. In the latter respect, he has also been a creator of a comic genre, with his characteristic walking and his facial expressions. For the most part, his films were commercially successful; indeed in the 1970s and part of the 1980s, he was the king of the Italian box office in low budget movies. As an actor, critics point to Serafino (1968), directed by Pietro Germi , as his best performance. As a director he frequently casts Ornella Muti , Eleonora Giorgi and his wife Claudia Mori. He and Claudia have three children; Rosita, Giacomo and Rosalinda Celentano , most notable to worldwide audiences for playing Satan in Mel Gibson 's The Passion of the Christ . He also often works as a host on several Italian television shows. He has released forty albums : comprising twenty nine studio albums, thr... ... Read more

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The John Carpenter File #9 magazine from 1989, some minor cover scratches/wear, overall fine+. ... Read more

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Chapters: Cafu, Dario Argento, Rodrigo Possebon, Fabiano Santacroce, Eugenio Consolini, Vinícius Bácaro, Alexandra Araujo, Alexandre Feller, Saad Assis, Clayton Baptistella, Marcelo Dilglay Damiao. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 46. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Marcos Evangelista de Moraes (born 7 June 1970), better known as Cafu, is a former Brazilian footballer. He was given this nickname due to his speed up and down the right flank which was reminiscent of Cafuringa, a Brazilian forward from the 1970s. Cafu was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. He is best known for his tireless overlapping runs. One of six children, Cafu was raised in the Jardim Irene favela of São Paulo. He was an average student as he soon discovered his love for football and preferred playing over studying. At the tender age of seven, he was able to attend a football academy and soon moved up to the junior sides of Nacional-SP, Portuguesa and Itaquaquecetuba. He also played futsal for two years. In the early 1980s, he could not get his foot in the door as he was rejected from the youth squads of Corinthians, Palmeiras, Santos, Atlético Mineiro, and Portuguesa. It was not until 1988 that he made the youth squad of hometown club São Paulo, and subsequently won the Copa São Paulo youth tournament that year, but he warmed the bench the next season as São Paulo won the 1989 Campeonato Paulista. It was during this time, however, that São Paulo youth coach Telê Santana became Cafu's mentor. He suggested that Cafu move from the midfield to wingback, a spot into which Cafu made the transition with ease despite never previously playing the position. He had soon anchored onto the first team, as São Paulo won back-to-back Copa Libertadores in 1992 and 1993. In 1994, he w...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=615800 ... Read more