"La Terza Madre [The Mother Of Tears]" (2007)

Directed by Dario Argento
Review based on a theatrical preview in 2008

Now let's be very clear about this from the start. I'm an Argento fan in almost every respect. Even in his direst, darkest hours (*cough* Do You Like Hitchcock? *cough*) I can always find something to adore and take away.

When Argento announced that after a small gap of 28 years that he was going to complete the "Three Mothers" trilogy (which started with the masterpieces "Suspiria" and "Inferno"), I was more than just a little bit terrified. After all, it's generally regarded that aside from the blip that was "Sleepless" in 2001, all of Argento's other work since "Opera" in 1987 is a bit, well, not up to his earlier standard.

To say that I was looking forward to seeing this, whilst at the same time dreading it, is frankly more than a bit of an understatement.

To put it simply, "Mother Of Tears" is not another "Suspiria", and nor is it another "Inferno". But it is definitely part of the trilogy, and is a return to the form that Argento devotees like myself have been waiting for.

Working with American writers Jace Anderson and Adam Gierasch, Argento makes the script more linear than the previous trilogy entries, and therein lies the main strength and weakness of the film. As a result of this more ordered approach, "Mother Of Tears" seems almost more Americanised in many respects than the U.S. shot "Trauma" in 1993. Thankfully though, visually the movie is firmly in the "Three Mothers" canon. Argento uses a lot of washed out colours and primaries to light the scenes, and in one delicious sequence reminiscent of the opening of "Deep Red" he uses a long prowling steadicam shot to build a true sense of dread.

Another welcome return after a very dry spell, are the trademark protracted death sequences. It's fair to say that if Argento's sadistic imagination has been taking a break, then it's more than made up for the time off here. "Mother Of Tears" has one of the most vicious murders in Argento's movies to date, and (in a nod to "Suspiria") it all occurs within the first 15 minutes. On top of that, we also have graphic moments involving babies, eyes, and a particularly inventive use of an extending spear.

As is usual for any film of this type, there are some elements that are lost in translation, especially the acting. Usually in an Argento movie it's a case of blaming the dubbing when things get a little stilted. However, here this excuse is invalid simply because all of the leads appear to have recorded their dialogue in English. Fans like myself will admit to being tolerant in the past, but the problem here actually comes from Asia Argento's performance. There are moments in "Mother Of Tears" which really do grate, and some of the exposition is well written but so badly delivered that it is hard to believe that this is the same actress responsible for a truly harrowing performance in his earlier "The Stendhal Syndrome".

The other issue stems around the Third Mother herself. After a brilliantly grim sequence involving riots and chaos in Rome all being caused by the rise of this demonic presence, the character is introduced as a semi-naked female clothed in red. As a result, it's more than just a little bit difficult to see how this woman could exert such power and influence on the masses. The fact is that Mater Lachrymarum is woefully underused, only appearing three times during the film. When we get to the final denouement it all seems a bit rushed, and it does turn into an Argento greatest hits package featuring pits of slime, collapsing buildings, and a coda seemingly lifted straight out of the original Italian cut for "Opera".

However, none of this really matters as the movie more than makes up for it's shortcomings in terms of style, confidence and guts (no pun intended). For an auteur nearly 70 years of age, Argento has lost none of his courage and has created a piece that might just fall short of the high standards set by "Suspiria" and "Inferno", but it closes the trilogy in an interesting way which takes themes from 30 years ago and shows (just like Romero did with "Diary Of The Dead") that his views are possibly even more relevant in the fractured 21st Century society that we now live in.

A special mention has to go to Claudio Simonetti's score, which is without a doubt the best work he has completed to date. It beautifully captures the sound of the director's earlier work without making it sound dated, and one scene in a railway station is almost made to sound like classic Hitchcock thanks to Simonetti's expansive orchestral arrangement.

Overall, "Mother Of Tears" is a return to form for the horror maestro. It might feel rather familiar at points for those who know his oeuvre, but it is a shocking and visually engaging work that despite it's obvious shortcomings is a triumphant close to a trilogy that has been 31 years in the making. I only hope that his next movie "Giallo" (which starts shooting in May) continues to herald a return to form for Dario Argento. Based on the evidence presented here, it's highly likely.

9 out of 10
A return to form for the horror auteur... and a relief for all concerned