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Well, this was it, at last I was going to get the chance to do something that I had never thought possible a couple of years ago. I was going to Roma to see the premiere of Dario's latest film AND to hopefully meet the man himself.
It had all come about thanks to Alan Jones. I first met him at FrightFest 2000 where he invited me to see the Argento documentary he had been working on, 'An Eye for Horror'. We got on well and he kept me up to date with all things Argento. He had mentioned going to the NONHOSONNO premiere - something he always does with a new Argento film - and asked if I would be interested in going if he could arrange it. Obviously, I said yes.
Just after Christmas, Alan rang me and confirmed that I still wanted to go as it was going to be the weekend beginning the 6th January.
Friday January 5th
We flew into Roma's Leonardo da Vinci airport at around 17.30 and as we left the plane, Alan picked up an Italian newspaper and we found that the film was starting that night at selected cinemas throughout the city. We decided that we should go and see it before the premiere for two reasons. Firstly, we were both dying to see it anyway and secondly it would be with a paying audience as opposed to an invited one. This way we could hopefully judge the publics' reaction to the movie.
We took the train to the city and as we left the railway station I got my first taste of Roma. Straight away I liked it. The look, the feeling - everything seemed right. I had no real idea of what to expect never having been to Italy before but it was not a disappointment. After settling in to the hotel (the Hotel Astrid - a very nice place), we ventured onto the tram that took us to the Piaza del Flaminio. From there we walked to the Piaza del Popolo and found the cinema we were looking for, the Metropolitan on the Via del Corso.
Interestingly, there was no poster outside advertising the film. You would not have known it was on unless you had seen it advertised in the paper. We had to look inside on the computer screens before we realised that the film was actually showing. The only poster was just by the internal door into the cinema where it was being screened. Not an encouraging start, it seemed a rush job to get the film showing there and they had not had a chance to put the posters up.
The cinema was full though as we had to sit in the second row from the front. Now that WAS a good sign; people actually wanted to see the film. After the Italian equivalent of the 'Pearl & Dean' adverts, the film started. As the Medusa logo appeared I started my stopwatch. We were going to make sure that we got the running time correct.
I won't review the film here, as that is elsewhere on the site but suffice to say, we were in agreement that it was a major return to form for Dario. We walked back to the hotel discussing the film delighted that it was worth the effort; it would have been a big disappointment if it stunk!
Saturday January 6th
Breakfast at the hotel was served on the fifth floor giving a wonderful view out over the city. That morning we did a whistle stop tour of Roma - the Colloseum, the Hippodrome, the Spanish steps, the Parthenon, the Trevi Fountains. Roma is a walking city with all it's little lanes and back streets constantly yielding new and even prettier piazas and fountains.
We met Mark Ashworth, a dialogue coach and friend of Alan's for lunch and went to a nice little restaurant not far from the Profondo Rosso shop. However, the shop was shut due to it being a public holiday in Italy. Having said that, it hardly ever seemed that it was open anyway judging by the opening hours displayed in the window.
After a leisurely stroll back to the piaza del popolo, we sat outside and had a coffee discussing all things film as well as trying not to answer Mark's questions about NONHOSONNO before he saw it for the first time at the premiere that night.
THE PREMIERE
The film was being screened at the Fiamma cinema at 22.30 and so we got there in plenty of time. There was a throng of people outside which consisted of both guests and the general public. The first person I met was Carla, Dario's assistant. She greeted us and gave us our tickets and busily scurried off looking for the other guests she had the tickets for. Standing right in front of us was Franco Ferrini and his wife. Alan introduced us and explained that we liked the first half of the film best. Ferrini told us that he prefered the second half. Oh well.
Next Claudio Argento appeared. Once again Alan introduced me. We asked if there was an English language version of the film yet and he said it would be ready at the end of January but they still had no title. (Subsequently of course, they entitled it SLEEPLESS).
Everyone started to enter the cinema and so we decided to move as well to ensure we got a good seat. Looking around I spotted Luigi Cozzi and then a couple of rows back Fiore Argento.
And then in walked Dario. He wasn't all dressed up or strutting around like a 'star', he simply walked down the side of the audience, still in his anorak and acknowledged the applause by smiling and raising his hand. He stood at the front and gave a brief speech that culminated in him saying that he thought the film was his strongest piece of work for a long time. After stopping to sign some autographs, he left, as he had to get to Florence for another showing of the film.
Watching the film was a different experience to that of the previous night. After the first train murder there was spontaneous applause, something I've never experienced in a cinema before.
After the film had finished and we had left the cinema, we met Richard, who made the 'Eye for Horror' documentary. Both he and Mark were enthusing about the film, saying they thought it as good as, if not better than TENEBRE.
We met Fiore outside.
She was very sweet and told us that she was now a dress designer. She looks a lot different than I expected with her short blonde hair. We said our goodbyes and Alan, Mark, Richard and myself walked up to Harry's Bar to get a drink and talk more about the film. We got back to the hotel at 3.00 in the morning.
Sunday January 7th
Next morning we went to meet Gene Rizzo who was unit publicist on such films as 'Baron Munchausen' and the upcoming 'Four Feathers'. He lives in lovely area of Roma where we found a nearby restaurant and had another leisurely lunch. I had ravioli, grilled lamb with artichoke and finished with pannacotta. Very nice!
Later we went to see Giavanni Romoli, producer/writer of DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE one of THE great horror movies of all time and definitely Michele Soavi's best film by far. He has the biggest collection of videos, laserdiscs and DVD's I have ever seen. You name it, he has it!
Monday January 8th
The next morning we visited a film poster shop that Alan knows to get all the NONHOSONNO stuff available! It is one of the only places to get a full set of new foto busters as well as all the other different size posters from Locandina upwards. I also bought an original PHENOMENA and SCARLET DIVA Locandina. Whatever you think of the films, the posters are cool.
Then we were off to meet Dario at his apartment. On the way we walked past the building that was used as the entrance to the library in INFERNO. It is actually just apartments but what an impressive building to live in!
When we reached Dario's, I was starting to get a little nervous but I needn't have worried. Dario was at the door to his apartment and greeted us warmly. Alan introduced me as the guy responsible for DARK DREAMS and Dario shook my hand and patted me on the back as if I was an old friend!
He was in a very good mood as he had just heard that NONHOSONNO was doing good business. We chatted about the film and told him what we thought of it. When we said that we particularly loved the 'carpet crawl' he said that he thought it was one of his best ever scenes. He also said that the many references to his previous films were all intentional. We asked about the unusual end credits sequence and he told us that the reason for it was that he wanted to keep the audience there to the very end, and not have them confronted by a boring black screen so that they walk out straight away.
Alan had some questions to ask about Mario Bava for Tim Lucas's ever-forthcoming book. This prompted Dario to tell some stories that I had never heard before about INFERNO. Needless to say I wont repeat them here, as they will appear in the book.
Looking around Dario's apartment the only piece of memorabilia I could see was the snowglobe from THE STENDHAL SYNDROME that was on top of his TV.
After about an hour we said our goodbyes.
We left and then proceeded to the Opera Film offices where we met Carla. The office walls are festooned in some ultra rare posters and artwork from all of his films and the furniture in one room is from TENEBRAE! Mark met us there and we went out to lunch in a small restaurant. As chance would have it, Eleonora Giorgi from INFERNO was also there. The only reason we ended up there was because the first place we went to was too crowded.
After saying goodbye to Carla and Mark it was time to get back to the hotel, grab our stuff and get to the airport.
Conclusion
It was a pretty exhausting weekend but I wouldn't have missed it for the world. To actually get the chance to go to a premiere is one thing but to then meet your favourite director and, lets face it, hero, is another thing entirely. To get to do these things in the wonderful city of Roma as well…I will never forget it.
One last thing. A BIG thankyou to my friend Alan Jones without whom, none of the above would have been possible.
NJD 03/02/01 |
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Giallo
(pronounced 'djallo, plural gialli) is an italian 20th century genre of literature and film, which in italian indicates crime fiction and mystery. In the English language, however, it is used in a broader meaning that is closer to the french fantastique genre, including elements of horror fiction and eroticism.
The word giallo is Italian for "yellow" and stems from the origin of the genre as a series of cheap paperback novels with trademark yellow covers.
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