REVIEW: The Mother of Tears

I am back to blogging after a long absence. I recently moved, so its been a bit hectic getting setup in the new digs, and now they are making me move at work again... It never ends. So back to the blog... and I intend now to pretty much just write about film and things related to film or video.

Went over to Dallas at the Magnolia to check out the latest Dario Argento movie, "The Mother of Tears: The Third Mother." This concludes the trilogy he began in the late seventies with "Suspiria" (1977) and "Inferno" (1980). Make no mistake about it, Suspiria is a masterpiece of horror. One of my all time horror movie favorites. The Goblin score is to this day one of the most annoying and unnerving scores ever. "Inferno" was a really interesting film, but its flaws kept it from Suspiria league. Now 28 years later director Argento enlists the help of his daughter, Asia to topline and complete this Mothers trilogy.

Each film is this series is about a witch. There were three of them called the Three Mothers. At one time they ruled the world with Witchcraft and whatnot, but throughout time they were suppressed and each movie details each mother's turn at resurrection and taking control of the world through darkness.



In Tears, Sarah Mandy (Asia Argento), is an American studying art restoration at the Museum of Ancient Art in Rome, examines an urn found at an ancient, decrepit grave near Viterbo. Bound within are the relics of a witch known as the Mother of Tears, Mater Lachrimarum (Moran Atias). Breaking the seal heralds the return of the beautiful yet malefic sorceress' powers, and the world is plunged into chaos. A wave of suicides and crime sweeps over Italy's capital as witches congregate to pay homage to their reborn queen. Sarah must eventually discover her latent supernatural powers with the help of her deceased mother (Daria Nicolodi) and confront Lachrimarum at the opulent Palazzo Varelli.



As with Suspiria and Inferno, Tears is gory and all the better for it. The murder scenes make you flinch in your seat. But like most of Argento's works the acting takes a back seat to the mood and the music and this is still the case here. After a while you just let it go and let the mood take you. To me Dario has been making mediocre films for about 10 years. His last film, The Stendhal Syndrome was his last work of true significance. It too starred his daughter Asia. Here his ex wife and mother of Asia Daria Nicolodi also returns for the fun. It's an Argento family reunion! But back to the mood point. There are moments that suck you into the Argento universe, as when the lesbian couple are brutally killed by a bald guy and a crazy monkey screaming in the background. The long tracking shot in the house toward the end all bring back fuzzy Argento memories of the past. Does it fit it in with the other two films in the trilogy? Kinda. It's a mixed bag. There are references to both Inferno and Suspiria, and Udo Kier from Suspiria even pops up.



So in short if you are a Argento fan, go see this! If not, you won't like it or even appreciate it. If you like bad acting and gore, then you might find some nuggets of fun. If like me you enjoy starring at Asia Argento, then you will love it. The score by Goblin member, Claudio Simonetti. The biggest problem I had with the sore is that it needed to be bigger. Maybe I am stuck in Suspiria land but the score needed to be outlandish and sick to match the visuals and it seems to take a backseat here. I want Goblin back! If your a fan of Italian horror or Argento check this one out. It's gone from Dallas, but it's touring the country now in the art houses. Check the trailer: