The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)

This is a difficult movie to talk about, so I apologize in advance for my plot synopsis.  The story is filled with twists and turns, which is a bit part of the fun, so I don’t want to give anything away.  Detective Anna Manni is on the trail of a brutal serial rapist and killer when she has a strange experience.  While visiting a museum she gets pulled into a painting and has a surreal experience.  In reality she never was pulled into the painting this is a psychological condition known as the Stendhal Syndrome.  Not only does she pass out and suffer from hallucinations related to it, but she also loses her memory.  This makes her vulnerable and the rapist she was tracking takes advantage of it.  Instead of killing her afterwards he takes her along for the ride.  It is hinted that he at least knows what is happening to her and might suffer from Stendhal himself.  Even after Anna escapes he pursues her and keeps drawing her back into the nightmare.  Damaged by her experience Anna struggles to put her life back together, but then the new man in her life is killed and it seems that the she will never have any peace. 

I’ve always said to my friends before showing them an Argento movie that his stuff can be an acquired taste.  I happen to love most of his movies, but I can also see why for example his emphasis on the visuals over the plot can annoy some viewers.  Though that said The Stendhal Syndrome is one of his more accessible movies when it comes to a traditional narrative and story that is easy to follow.  Argento does a great job keeping the audience guessing until the last possible moment.  The movie also has a satisfying ending that is plausible when all is revealed.  I did guess correctly at the ending, but it was just a guess and I still found it cool.  Argento fans will also be able to dig their teeth into some great visuals, including stepping into paintings (very well done), a unique look at taking pills (seemed a bit forced), and a nasty looking bullet hit that suffers a bit from some bad CGI.  Still all of these visuals are interesting and do give the movie the feel of an Argento helmed project.  Though nothing beats the bizarre image of the fish kiss early on in the movie, which I thought was awesome. 

But the Stendhal Syndrome isn’t only about unique visuals and a solid story.  The movie is very brutal at times and pulls no punches when it comes to not one, but two rape scenes involving Asia Argento’s character Anna.  They aren’t as graphic as some other rapes that I’ve seen on film, but there is a brutality to them that is far more disturbing than any amount of graphic nudity could be.  I’ve heard some critics and fans question Asia Argento as an actress, but any that do so clearly haven’t seen this movie.  I also found the camera work and lighting to be outstanding.  That shouldn’t be a surprise considering that the cinematographer was Giuseppe Rotunno, who was near the end of an incredible career.  The score is also incredible, but what else would you expect from the legendary Ennio Morricone? 

The DVD that I’m reviewing is the 2 disc special edition from Blue Underground.  It contains several special features including a nice 20 minute long interview with Dario Argento that talks about where the idea for the movie came from.  How he became interested in the Stendhal Syndrome, his own personal experiences with it as a child.  He also discusses working with his daughter and the difficult scenes they shot together.  Also included is a feature on the special effects.  Honestly they are way too proud of the CGI and digital effects they used for the movie.  But then I’m not a big fan of digital so I might be biased.  Wait no digital effects suck for the most part. 

Truthfully except for a few really bad digital effects this is a flawless movie.  You get all the visual fun that is Argento, a decent mystery that reminded me of the glory days of the Giallo, and a story that will grab your attention and not let go until the very end.  I highly recommend the Stendhal Syndrome.  For more information go to the Blue Underground website at http://www.blue-underground.com/

3 ½ out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer

© Copyright 2009 John Shatzer