Argento Book Update/Reviews

A few reviews of my book Dario Argento have been appearing in various magazines and websites over the past month... I just thought I'd post them here and keep track of what folks are saying about it. So far, so good - it has been garnering mainly quite positive feedback. Which is great! I'll add links to more reviews as they appear.

The first review of the book appeared on the Danish website Uncut. There's an English translation here... Reviewer Lars Gorzelak Pedersen said he 'devoured' the book and "it will be welcome from both experienced Argento enthusiasts as horror fans who just want to know what the hype is about, or who want to enrich their experience of the director's films with new perspectives." 

According to the latest FrightFest emagazine, 'Dario Argento' (Kamera Books) by James Gracey is not only "Well written and comprehensive," it is also "'An invaluable guide for die-hard fans and recent converts." Thanks to Stuart Barr for the kind words!

Jennie Kermode over at Eye for Film commented: "Sure to contain something new for even the most dedicated Argento fan [...] Gracey's book is the most thorough on the subject yet."

According to Horrorview the book is a "Meticulously detailed but vividly written piece of work."

Total Film's Jamie Russell claims it "Dismembers the director's body of work like one of his knife-wielding maniacs - and is bang up to date... A decent introduction."

The review from this month's Total Film
 A closer look


An article about the book and an interview with me in The Irish News


The review as it appears in this month's SFX - amongst other things they said it was "Low on buzz-words". I'll take it!

A closer look


Horrornews.net described it as "A roadmap for fans. Do yourself a favour, pick up this book, and let it guide you into the realms of an Italian Horror master."

According to the latest review over at Cinema Somnambulist, "Gracey approaches the material with energy and intelligence... You'll be dusting off your Dario Argento DVDs to reevaluate even the titles you didn't think you liked before."

Michael Mackenzie at Land of Whimsy claims it is "A study that is commendably even-handed in its approach... An excellent introduction to Argento - Gracey clearly knows his stuff, and a love of all things Argento shines through on each page."

Greg B. over at Cinesploitation reckons "the knowledge dropped by Gracey is impressive and very thorough. As someone who is not a fan of Argento, this book actually put a bug in my ear to check out his early work."

According to The Toxic Graveyard, "It’s incredible. The amount of detail, information and analysis is astounding. Beyond that the book is a treasure trove of info." 8/10

The review in issue 104 of Rue Morgue, notes: 'Dario Argento' by James Gracey is "Concise, well-written and researched... worthwhile offering that will no doubt please diehard Argentophiles, as well as those just discovering his savagely beautiful work."

According to horror website Benevolent Street 'Dario Argento' is "Highly recommended for fans, and for those seeking to learn a little more about his movies... Make sure to check it out."

Popular posts from this blog

Whistle and I’ll Come to You (2010)

Image
Dir. Andy de Emmony After placing his senile wife in a care home, retired astronomer James Parkin (John Hurt) heads for the coast to revisit their ‘old haunts’, including the now out-of-season hotel they honeymooned in. By day he is stalked along the windswept beaches by a spectral figure dressed in white, and by night he is terrorised by strange sounds and someone, or something, attempting to enter his room… In the 2000s BBC4 attempted to reignite the old Ghost Story at Christmas tradition by adapting MR James’s A View from a Hill (2005) and Number 13 (2006). This series was seemingly short lived though, as their next outing wasn’t until 2010, and an unusual reinterpretation of James’s classic chiller Oh Whistle and I’ll Come to You, My Lad . While de Emmony’s direction captures the atmosphere and tone of James very well, this film differs significantly from other adaptations, including Jonathan Miller’s supremely unsettling 1968 take . Neil Cross’s screenplay only incorpo...
Read more

Caveat (2020)

Image
Isaac, a brooding drifter suffering from memory loss, agrees to look after Olga, the niece of his acquaintance Moe. A troubled woman prone to bouts of catatonia, Olga lives in an old, ramshackle house on an isolated island in the middle of a dark lake. Isaac agrees to wear a chained harness that prevents him from going into certain rooms. He gradually comes to learn of the unsettling history of the house and the unquiet dead it harbours within its walls... Written and directed by Damian McCarthy,  Caveat  is steeped in the Gothic tradition. With distinct echoes of the work of Edgar Allan Poe, it is ripe with a lingering atmosphere of morbidity and decay. McCarthy's screenplay toys with themes such as psychological rot, dark family secrets, and the aftermath of unspeakable violence and cruelty. The story unfolds within the creepy confines of the lonely, mouldy house, with myriad forbidden rooms, hidden passageways and concealed bloody secrets. The house itself is cut off from c...
Read more

Shankill Graveyard

Image
While staying with my parents recently in my home town of Lurgan, County Armagh, I naturally decided to pay a visit to a few of the local graveyards. Top of my list was Shankill Graveyard. Located just outside the town centre, and surrounded by a residential area, the site upon which Shankill cemetery stands was a place of worship in earlier centuries. Shankill Parish church was originally situated here before it was eventually moved to the town centre. The outline of a double ring fort is still noticeable. Amongst those at rest in the cemetery are the Brownlow family, who established the town in 1610 when they were given land beside Lough Neagh by the British government during the Plantation. They eventually contributed to the development of the linen industry the town became famous for throughout the seventeenth century. Their family vault is situated in the centre of the cemetery where the old church once stood. Apparently well off English families such as the Brownlow’s, sough...
Read more