First is the one that interests me the most, Argento talking in Belgrade last week and mentioning that he is tired of the sense of reality within his more recent works, and that he intends to return to the baroque style of earlier work. Now, there's always fierce debate over the merits of all the various works and their aspects, with all falling in and out of favor in what seems to be a regular cylical routine - there's clear examples though of where the switch-over appears to happen - for me it is 'The Stendhal Syndrome' (1996) which most clearly bridges the gap between the younger and relatively naive drifting young film maker, in at the deepend, suddenly realising his confidence and experience then deciding to adopt a more structured and considered approach, seeing the unintentional or accidental qualities begin to drift away.
Arguably, of course, this point begins much earlier, and begins to rear its ugly head following 1982's 'Tenebrae'. You see, it's the films that follow 'The Stendhal Syndrome' that face more regular criticism, and gain interest largely because they're by Argento and not so purely because they're great films : they're more 'fingers crossed' moments. Anyway, after the relative success of the 'Masters of Horror' Series One episode 'Jenifer' (which I am still waiting for a DVD of before watching it) this past year, F Paul Wilson's short story 'Pelts' becomes his Second Series episode which is due to start filming (literally) any day now - so it's 'fingers crossed' once more, and let's hope he goes back to the less real, more surreal approach.
What concerns me most about that is that it's such a conscious decision, Argento now being a film maker with a lengthy career and all too aware of what exactly he is doing, so can he access the naturalistic and mentally challenging approach of self exile, funny substances, strange waking nightmares that he is said to have accessed during the construction of those early works, and which he may have become out-of-touch with? Lastly, this approach would also seem to be reimerging in preparation for Argento's final of the 'Three Mothers' films, now delayed and due to shoot September 2007, the first two potentially being the peak of his bizarre approach and the final needing to find a comfortable place alongside them. Also, he could try it out in a project that he has been offered by Soderbergh & Clooney's Production Company - not named or confirmed - which is touted as being a HD movie. [Source : Dark Dreams].