It seems like a retrospective on the career of Dario Argento on the small screen is long overdue.
We’ve had the excellent autobiography Fear over the past few years, but this is the definitive account of the Italian maestro put to lense.
Talking heads such as Gaspar Noe, Guillermo Del Toro and Nicholas Refn all wax lyrical about the style and choices of Argento’s greatest hits.
The true highlights though come from those who worked with him, including Lamberto Bava, Michele Soavi, Claudio Simonetti and his daughter Asia.
With the involvement of Asia they also discuss their complicated relationships, not just when the cameras were rolling but in real life, which only makes this more of a compelling watch. We are seeing Argento the person as well as the filmmaker.
The backdrop for the documentary is Argento working on a new film, presumably 2023’s Dark Glasses, which was hailed in some circles as a minor return to form.
Panico’s best trait is that by the time the credits roll you will be dusting off your collection of Dario’s films and mulling over which era to indulge in. Will it be the assault on the senses that is Suspiria? The Giallo masterclasses of Deep Red or The Bird in the Crystal Plumage? Or, even the pure insanity of Inferno?
Ultimately, Panico is a stark reminder of Argento’s icon status and proof not many have done it better in the past 50 years.
Dario Argento Panico is streaming now on Shudder.
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