Trauma (1993)

David Parsons (Christopher Rydell) saves Aura (Asia Argento) from committing suicide after witnessing her parents being murdered. He tries to take care of her but the murderer goes after Aura and others. Who's doing it and why? Dario Argento's first American film is very very good but not great like "Deep Red" and "Suspiria" were. Still even lesser Argento is at least 90% better than most American horror films. All of his trademarks are here--the beautiful camera work, a story that makes little sense, it moves VERY quickly and has bursts of graphic violence (although not as graphic as his other pictures). The acting is pretty good too. Rydell and Argento are attractive and OK in their roles. In smaller roles Piper Laurie (with an atrocious Italian accent), Frederic Forrest and Brad Dourif REALLY chew the scenery. When they're on screen they're lots of fun.

The debits--Argento didn't seem comfortable filming in America. The camera-work is still amazing but he seems real off sometime. Worst of all is the score. Argento wanted to work his group Goblin who did downright terrifying scores for most of his pictures. However the American investors wanted someone more tame and had Pino Donaggio to do the score. It's terrible--it doesn't fit the film at all. Also the last 20 minutes or so are really hard to follow. So good but not great Argento.

Fmovies: Trauma is a particularly significant horror in that it was the first film to be made by Italian genre master Dario Argento on American soil. Following a string of eye-catching, kaleidoscopic gialli and superior supernatural tales, Argento found himself at the door of Hollywood, an industry which, at the time, was struggling to churn out much in terms of originality in the horror/thriller genre. While he had employed English-speaking actors before, such as Jennifer Connelly, David Hemmings and Karl Malden, their roles were often crudely dubbed, and Trauma offered the director a chance to reach a broader audience with his unique - if obviously Hitchcockian - blend of build-up and terror.

Disappointingly, Trauma, if anything, represents the beginning of Argento's drastic career decline. The opening is full of promise, as a familiar black-gloved killer stalks a victim before killing her in a brutal and stylish fashion, here with a device which allows the victim to be garroted with relative ease. Bolstered by a POV style and traditionally great effects work by Tom Savini, it's a scene that could have easily been taken from one of Argento's native works. However, as popular as the giallo craze was, it didn't quite reach the general American audience, and so Trauma gets watered-down and peppered with horror clichés in an attempt to cast a wider audience net. While the tropes are there - an everyman (Christopher Rydell) is forced into sleuthing while dodging the police - it does little but frustrate as you realise that somewhere, deep down, there's probably a great giallo trying to get out.

So while the film has it's odd moment, the result is an incoherent, and somehow quite boring, mess of ideas and clashing styles. Starting promisingly, the story goes on to place anorexia sufferer Aura (Asia Argento, the director's then 17 year-old daughter) in the hands of illustrator David (Rydell) after her parents are murdered by the masked killer, and it is during this period that the film does nothing but lay out a string of red herrings, as well as creepily leering at Argento's youthful beauty. The final third is an exhausting conveyor belt of anti-climaxes, before the ludicrous (and not in an entertaining way) reveal that feels like it was made by a sub-par Tobe Hooper or Wes Craven arrives. While it's nowhere near the level of atrociousness that Argento would vomit out in 2009 with Giallo, Trauma feels like it was made by a once-great visionary who had tiredly given in to the producers' voices in his ear.

Somehow, after Argento's real masterpieces in the seventies and eighties he fully lost his genius. All his movies after Opera in 1987 cannot be taken fully seriously. Shure, Trauma includes all the classical Argento-tropes and cinematographic techniques his is know (and loved) for. But still, Trauma is not on the same top level like his earlier work. And I am not sure where actually the real contribution of Tom Savini was. The gore scenes are too clean and stay below expectation if you are familiar with Tom's and Dario's earlier work. So obviously Argento interfered in a negative way with Savini's Special-FX contribution. The solution to the who-dunnit-aspect of the movies is also - although weird enough - not really effective.

Trauma fmovies. Teenage Aura (Asia Argento) escapes a clinic where she is receiving treatment for an eating disorder. She gets rescued by a passing motorist (Christopher Rydell) who attempts to save her from committing suicide by jumping off a bridge. Things only get worse for poor Aura when she returns home to her parents (her mother played by Piper Laurie is a seer) are soon killed by a serial killer by the name of 'Head Hunter'. Aura attempts to get answers (with the help of the good Samaritan) as she fights her weakened state, the clinic personal and the serial killer.

Dario Argento once again mines the familiar giallo territory in this, his first American co-production. 'Trauma' has some of the horror masters most polished camera work. Known for his awesome killer POV shots, Argento will goes for the gusto here. 'Trauma' truly has some of his best work. The story (which was co-written by T.E.D. Klein) is a pretty solid effort complete with a twist ending. The scripts have never been the strongest components in Argento's work but this one is pretty strong and the twists and turn jell pretty well. Tom Savini once again enters slasher territory with all sorts of lovely be-headings. The fake heads created for the film are some of the best. The cast does a nice job (look for a young looking Brad Dourif in a glorified cameo) with the material. 'Trauma is another strong giallo entry by one of the Masters.

When I picked up TRAUMA at the vid-store, I wasn't really expecting much from it. I'm not a big Argento fan, but I do enjoy Italian horror/cult films. I have to say, I was totally impressed by it! It was a surprisingly great horror-suspense film with great camera work & gore as well. A lot of familiar faces in this film including James Russo, Cristopher Rydell, and Piper Laurie who you might remember from THE FACULTY. Also the lovely Asia Argento who commands the movie like she did in Michele Soavi's THE CHURCH.

Before URBAN LEGEND, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER 16, & SCREAM 3000 there was Dario Argento's TRAUMA. And if you enjoyed any of those similar movies you should love this one as well. Except this one is ten times more scarier and realistic with tons of unexpected plot twists that would put all those movies to shame. Its just too bad Argento doesn't make any more horror movies 'round these parts.

A young man (Christopher Rydell) finds an bulimic girl (Asia Argento) who has escaped her parents. When returned to them, a killer with a unique mechanical decapitation device strikes. Soon, the two must find out who the killer is, and what they want.

Released in 1993, "Trauma" has received some flak from Dario Argento fans, who consider it one of his weaker efforts. In a way, I can agree-the movie has several plot holes, the acting is largely hit and miss (Asia is pretty inexperienced here), and it's not as gory and stylish as his other films.

Yet, there's still plenty to recommend in this movie. The movie is Argento's more character and plot oriented films, and it's surprisingly easy to follow. There's also still plenty of Argento's wonderful stylish touches, and while not as gory as his previous movies, there's still some great kills (including a great bit involving an elevator). The score by Pino Donnaggio, while not as good as Argento's past musicians, is still up to task. Finally, the presence of several acting vets (including James Russo, Brad Dourif, Frederic Forrest, and an excellent Piper Laurie) don't hurt at all.

"Trauma" is not Argento's best movie, and certainly pales in comparison to movies like "Deep Red", "Suspiria", and "Inferno." As it stands though, it's an underrated movie, and worth a look, especially if you are an Argento fan.