Opera is by many regarded as the last good Argento film, and even though there are some exceptions to that rule, they are largely right. The filming in Opera is something quite unlike what Argento has done before. More fluid, with long point-of-view shots, and an excellent use of light and shadows. Combine the gorgeous visuals with an engaging story, a wide range of music to both soothe and build tension, and you got Opera.

The story in Opera is both engaging and weird at the same time. In a way it’s just a well written murder mystery, but on the other it’s a dive into total psychological terror. It ends up with a strange pacing because of this, but as in many Argento movies, you can cut the tension with a knife all through the film, and even though Argento is a bit uneven when it comes to his endings, Opera has a decent one.

When it comes to the acting, there’s not much to say. It’s adequate, with a few notable exceptions of the positive variety. I especially like Cristina Marsillach as our heroine. She has the looks and the screen presence to really stand out.

The music is a mix of opera, heavy metal, and everything in between… and just as in Phenomena, mixing in the heavier music works. I have no idea how, but it does. I first found it a bit jarring, but as I have seen this film quite a few times by now, I guess it grew on me.

Opera doesn’t quite reach the top of my ranking, but the visuals are absolutely stunning, and the tension in Opera is really something else. Absolutely worth a watch if you are a fan of Argento… or just good craftsmanship in general.