PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Growing up before the internet, I would surround myself with horror magazines, reading articles about upcoming movies, interviews with directors, and even where I could buy obscure VHS, DVDs, or t-shirts. Most of the time, I blind bought movies just to see them, build my collection, and appreciate the art. It wasn’t until the help of the internet when I was able to connect with other fans and really get down to business.
Directors have been known to make a subtle reference here and there for their favorite directors or movies. This brings me to the film, Nightmare Symphony, directed by Domiziano Cristopharo (Blue Sunset 2021) and Daniele Trani (Vore Gore 2021) and written by Antonio Tentori (Cat In The Brain 1990).
The synopsis:
A horror director who is struggling to complete his movie, while a series of gruesome murders happen all around him. Eventually, he will be forced to face his worst and scariest nightmare.
Watching this film is, at times, like watching a flashback to the era of Giallo. The sexual exploration, the music, the look and feel of what I loved, and what the directors accomplished is an absolute love letter to the genre, but without losing the voice and look of the film, where we can look back at the past and still move on into the future. People who may not be familiar with the style may be turned off with the dialogue or even the characters. For me, however, this is a great thing. It gives the viewer a chance to learn and enjoy the films that inspired Nightmare Symphony. Frank Laloggia (Lady In White 1988) does an amazing job as the actor who plays the director of the film being created in the movie. I love seeing this legendary filmmaker being guided by the next generation of Italian directors who are now changing the genre.
He was in good hands, showcasing humor, compassion, madness, sympathy to the viewers. It’s also interesting to see Poison Rogue (Sacrifice 2017 – read our interview with her here) play a vulnerable character whose death is graphic, as she’s a director that specializes in gore and death.
Overall, Nightmare Symphony does an excellent job showcasing the thin line of reality and a feverish nightmare that could entertain or baffle the viewer, much the same as if it were an actual Lucio Fulci film. The film comes out in June, and you can read about the upcoming release here.
