Opera (1987)

Country of Origin: Italy
Year of Production: 1986
Running Times: 87 mins (West Germany - video) 88 mins (Germany - theatrical) 90 mins (USA - theatrical) 91 mins 5 sec (UK - video) 95 mins 18 seconds (UK - theatrical) 103 mins (Italy - DVD) 105 mins (Italy - theatrical; video) 107 mins ('director's cut')
Format: Technicolor Super 35mm (anamorphic)
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby Stereo

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: ADC Films / Cecchi Gori Group / Tiger Cinematografica / RAI Radio Televisione Italiana
Executive Producer: Ferdinando Caputo
Producer: Dario Argento
Production Supervisors: Alessandro Calosci, Verena Baldeo
Unit Managers: Olivier Gerard, Fabrizio Diaz

SCRIPT
Script: Dario Argento, Franco Ferrini
Story: Dario Argento

DIRECTION
Director: Dario Argento
1st Assistant Directors: Paolo Zenatello, Antonio Gabrielli
2nd Assistant Director: Alessandro Ingargiola
2nd Unit Director: Michele Soavi

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Ronnie Taylor
Camera Operator: Antonio Scaramuzza
Assistant Camera: Massimo Intoppa, Maurizio Lucchini, Ugo Menegatti
2nd Unit Directors Of Photography: Luca Robecchi, Renato Tafuri
2nd Unit Camera Operator: Enrico Maggi
Steadicam Operator: Nicola Pecorini
Clapper Loader: Roberto de Franceschi
Gaffer: Fernando Massaccesi
Key Grip: Ennio Picconi
Stills: Franco Vitale, Gianfranco Massa, Roberto Nicosia Vinci
Prints: Technicolor S.p.A.
Camera Equipment: ECE SrL
Lighting: ARCO 2
Negatives: Eastmancolor Kodak

EDITING
Editor: Franco Fraticelli
Assistant Editors: Piero Bozza, Alessandro Gabriele
2nd Assistant Film Editor: Roberto Priori

MUSIC
Music: Vincenzo Bellini (Casta Diva from Norma); Brian Eno and Roger Eno (White Darkness; Balance; From the Beginning); Giacomo Puccini (Un bel di vedremo from from Madame Butterfly); Claudio Simonetti (Opera; Craws; Confusion); Giuseppe Verdi (Lady Macbeth from Macbeth; Amami Alfredo; Sempre libera from La Traviata); Bill Wyman and Terrt Taylor (Opera Theme; Black Notes)
Steel Grave (Knights of the Night; Steel Grave); Norden Light (No Escape)
Parma Theatre Chorus Directed By: Giovanni Veneri
Lyrical Music Consultants: Francesco Miracle, Gianfranco Plenizio
Music Performed By: The Arturo Toscanini Symphonic Orchestra of Emilia and Romagna
Macbeth Arias Sung By: Elisabetta Norberg Schulz (soprano); Paola Leolini (soprano); Andrea Piccini (baritone); Michele Pertusi (tenor); Maria Callas (La Traviata); Mirella Freni (Madame Butterfly)
Music Recorded At: The Elite Studios of Seramide (Mn)

SOUND
Production Sound Mixer: Giancarlo Laurenzi
Boom Operator: Stefano Rossi
Dubbing Mixer: Romano Pampaloni
Dolby Sound Consultant: Federico Savina
Sound Effects: L.M. Anzellotti
Recorded By: International Recording Srl (Rome); Gambit International (London)
ADR Director: Robert Rietty

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Chief Make Up: Rosario Prestopino
Make Up: Franco Casagni
Hair: Ferdinando Merolla
Wigs: Rocchetti & Carboni
Costume Designer: Francesca Lia Morandini
Wardrobe Assistant: Enrica Barbano
Seamstress: Francesca Grandi
Costumes: Costumi D'Arte; Sartoria Ferroni
Shoes: LCP
Jewelry: Nino Lemo

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Renato Agostini
Animatronics: Sergio Stivaletti
Assistant to Stivaletti: Barbara Morosetti
Special Effects Supplied By: Messrs. Antonio and Giovanni Corridori, German Natali
Titles and Opticals: Studio A.M. SrL

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Davide Bassan
Art Director (Regio Theatre, Parma): Gianmaurizio Fercioni
Assistant Art Director: Antonio tarolla
Set Dresser: Valeria Paoloni
Props: Osvaldo Monaco, Maurizio Iacopelli
Props Supplied By: E. Rancati; G.R.P. Postiglione; Dedali SrL (Rome)
Furnishings: Artigiana Arredatori; E. Tappezzieri
Graphics: Modgraphic SrL di Angelo Modica

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Cinzia Malatesta
Production Secretaries: Angelo Cavallo, Egle Friggeri, Francesco Marras, Paola Rossi
Chief Accountant: Renato Rinaldo
Accountants: Carlo Du Bois, Federica Zappala
Animal Consultant: Maurizio Garrone
Birds and Animals Supplied By: Luigi Paro (Milan)
Publicists: Enrico Lucherini, Gianluca Pignatelli
Transport: Romana Trasporti Cinematografica
Insurance: Cinesicurta

LOCATIONS
Locations: Regio Theatre, Parma, Italy; Via Monserrato, Rome, Italy; Lugano, Switzerland; De Paolis IN.CI.R. Studios, Rome, Italy

CAST
Cristina Marsillach (Betty)
Ian Charleson (Marco / Mark)
Urbano Barberini (Inspector Alan Santini)
Antonella Vitale (Marion)
Daria Nicolodi (Myra)
William McNamara (Stefan Obrini)
Coralina Cataldi Tassoni (Giulia / Julia)
Barbara Cupisti (Signora Albertini)
Antonio Juorio (Baddini)
Carola Stagnaro (Alma's mother)
Francesca Cassola (Alma)
Maurizio Garrone (Maurizio)
Cristina Giachino (Maria)
Gyorivanyi Gyorgy (Miro)
Bjorn Hammer (1st cop)
Peter Pitsch (Diva's assistant)
Sebastiano Somma (2nd cop)
Michele Soavi (Inspector Daniele Soavi - uncredited)

PLOT SUMMARY

Opera understudy Betty gets her big break when diva Mara Czekova is injured in an accident. But she's soon being stalked by a maniac who forces her to watch as he slaghters her friends.

A return to form for Argento after the eccentric Phenomena (1985), Opera is a more down-to-earth film than the films that Argento had recently been producing and directing. The set pieces are astonishing, the use of an oppulent theatre for much of the action inspired and the soundtrack more eclectic than of late. It's a tragedy that Argento's reversal of fortunes was to be so short lived.

Italy
Theatrical Distributor: CDi
Video Distributor: Vivivideo
DVD Distributor: Cecchi Gori

UK
Theatrical Distributor: Rank (only shown at the Scala Cinema, King's Cross, London)
Video Distributor: Virgin Vision (1991)

USA
Theatrical Distributor: South Gate Entertainment

West Germany
Video Distributor: RCA / Columbia (5 December 1989)

Australia
Rating: R

Finland
Rating: banned

Italy
Rating: 18; later recut for a 14 certificate

UK
Rating: 18
The limited release theatrical print was cut by 35 seconds by the BBFC on top of pre-release edits made by the distributor. The video version suffered a total of 47 seconds of cuts.

USA
Rating: R

West Germany
Rating: 18

1986
May
25: Shooting begins

1987
December
19: Italy - theatrical release

1989
December
5: West Germany - video release

1990
January
5: UK - passed by the BBFC with an 18 certificate

February
Day Unknown: UK - opens at the Scala Cinema, King's Cross, London
Day Unknown: Portugal - shown at the Fantasporto Film Festival

obsession. murder. madness.

A star is born tonight... will she live to see tomorrow?

Im Zeichen des Raben - German title
Terror at the Opera - UK / USA title
Terror in der Oper - German title

SEE ALSO
Phantom of the Opera (1943)
The Climax (1944)
Quattro mosche di velluto grigio (1971)
Profondo rosso (1975)
Phenomena (1985)
Evil Dead II (1987)
Trauma (1993)

Art of Darkness pp.209-213; 281; 198
illustrated review (by Chris Gallant); credits; video data

European Trash Cinema 2:6 p.41
review

Fantasynopsis 4 p.54
review

The Psychotronic Video Guide p.562
review

Screen
credits

KEYWORDS

giallo, serial killers, opera, theatres, birds, serial killers

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009