“I really don’t like to explore too much of what’s behind my films. I work in a surrealistic way, like being in a trance. Sometime I wake up and begin writing when I’m still almost asleep. When I finish a picture I’m always surprised by the things I see.”
- Dario Argento from the book “Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds: The Dark Dreams of Dario Argento” by Maitland McDonagh.

This quote by Filmmaker Dario Argento is key when attempting to understand much of his work. Argento is a surrealist; approaching his cinematic creations not unlike a painter. He paints his abstract canvases in colorful, broad strokes and lets the viewer’s own psyche fill in the darker passages. In his best works such as “The Bird with the Crystal Plumage,” “Deep Red” and his masterpiece “Suspiria” the weak narratives are given a cohesiveness through strong visual composition. Much of “Suspiria” is indeed shot like a painting, with its gorgeous color palate and haunting mise-en-cine filling in the ambiguities of the story line. Sometimes this technique works, quite often it confuses. Case in point: “Inferno” the director’s follow-up to the highly successful “Suspiria.” The second in a proposed trilogy of films following the “Three Mothers” story, “Inferno” is even less concerned with plot. It’s essentially a series of stylized murder set-pieces; visually stunning yet maddeningly incoherent. This is a trend that the filmmaker would follow through the next two decades.

“Trauma” (1992), the director’s first feature-length American production (shot, in of all places, Minnesota) features one of his more linear narratives. Argento co-wrote the screenplay with American horror writer T.E.D. Klein, which might explain the tighter structure. Aura (played with a haunting conviction by Argento’s daughter Asia) is a 16-year-old anorexic who has recently run away from a clinic treating her disorder. Attempting to take her own life by jumping off a bridge, she is rescued by ex-addict David (Chris Rydell). The troubled teen reluctantly agrees to have lunch with him, but ends up stealing his wallet and running away. She’s quickly arrested by two undercover officers who return her to her parents. Her Romanian mother (Piper Laurie) and father are both spiritualists who have a planned séance that evening. Locked in her room, Aura listens as her mother conjures the spirit of a recently murdered chiropractor; the victim of a local serial killer called the Headhunter. As a violent electrical storm thunders outside, Aura’s mother unexpectedly rushes out into night, quickly followed by her husband. Aura watches through her bedroom window as her mother rushes quickly from the house into the neighboring woods. Unable to leave her locked room, the teen jumps through her second story window and follows her parents into the woods. Through the heavy rain she sees the headless body of her mother and a figure holding the heads of both her parents. The next day she contacts David (a sketch artist at a local news station) who invites her to stay with him. More murders occur by the gloved killer who brandishes a handy electrical wire device that can efficiently release a head from a body. Of course David and Aura attempt to piece together the events surrounding the death of her parents. Slowly a convoluted plot that includes psychotropic berries, a young butterfly enthusiast and a medical cover-up unfolds.

Although many of the bizarre motifs of the director are present and accounted for, the visual panache and immediacy of his best thrillers is missing here. It’s not as embarrassing as his “Phantom of the Opera,” but the execution is just as pedestrian. Sort of a cross between Argento’s giallo/detective thrillers and his stylized supernatural outings, “Trauma” is also an uneven, derivative affair. But like most Argento thrillers it does contain several memorable set-pieces and some striking visuals. (One of the more creepy moments is a subtle shot of a shadow bending over a sleeping figure.) Several of the stalking scenes are well done, but ultimately feel like the director is cannibalizing himself. There isn’t anything here that wasn’t done better in “Deep Red.” Cinematographer Raffaele Mertes (Demons 4) does a solid job in capturing the appropriate Argento light and composition. True to the director’s work, night scenes are often over lit and blue gels are a common light motif. It’s particularly comical at one point when David and Aura are walking around a “dark” house and seek out a flashlight in order to investigate a clearly well-lit room. In addition to the more linear (though no less absurd) direction of the narrative, Argento has assembled a great cast of American actors who give the film an edge his subsequent ‘90’s work is missing. Laurie once again plays an overbearing mother, though somewhat more restrained than her Margaret White character in “Carrie.” She’s only in the film briefly, but makes a strong impression in her key scenes. Frederic Forrest as the deranged Dr Judd is a lot of fun; he’s the only actor who seems to understand the surrealist bent of the director. Asia is surprisingly good in a rather troublesome role. The entire anorexia angle is handled poorly; it’s treated more as a physical disease than a psychological disorder and the statistics behind it (in the film) are almost laughable. The idea of this affliction being portrayed by a main character is truly interesting, especially in an Argento film where nuance and background are rare. But here Aura’s anorexia is as superfluous as the killer’s motives. Rydell as the male lead is also good and shares a nice chemistry with Asia. Their curious relationship in the film is made palatable by their sure performances. Character actor (and Chucky voice talent) Brad Dourif shows up rather randomly (and late) in the action, not unlike Udo Kier in “Suspiria.” It’s one of the stronger casts assembled for an Argento film and, despite its failures, one of the more dramatically involving.

Much has been made of Tom Savini’s participation on this film and the severe cuts originally imposed upon his effects work. This new version of “Trauma” is supposed to have restored all of the excised footage. Hard to imagine exactly what was cut here given the actual violence on display. Aside from a few decapitated heads, there is precious little blood and gore present, especially compared to Argento’s earlier giallos. Some of the effects are pretty laughable as well. Whose decision was it to use the actual actor’s heads (as opposed to prosthetics) in certain instances? One other (minor) quibble is the bombastic score presented here by Pino Donnagio. Donnagio is capable of great work (his score for “Carrie” is one of the most brilliant scores ever written), but the music in “Trauma” is inappropriate and poorly conceived. Far removed from the insidious, iconic music Goblin brought to the Argento’s best.

It should come as no surprise to genre fans that Anchor Bay has delivered another high quality DVD package. This restored version of “Trauma” is presented in 2:35.1 widescreen and the image is pristine. The sound (always important in an Argento production) contains both a 2.0 and a 5.1 Dolby Digital mix with little or no distortion apparent. An audio commentary is included featuring Argento authority Alan Jones. Two featurettes are included; both of note to fans. “Love, Death and Trauma” is an interesting behind-the-scenes with Argento explaining the genesis of the story elements. He goes into great detail here about the anorexia thread; making the film’s bizarre depiction all the more curious. “On Set with Tom Savini” is a short piece on the creation of the motorized decapitation gadget and subsequent beheadings. Also included are a few important deleted scenes (presented in dubbed Italian with subtitles), a short production gallery and an Argento bio. Anchor Bay also included a couple of classic Argento trailers that play before the feature begins; casting a dark shadow over the subsequent film.

“Trauma” is far from Argento’s best work yet contains what might constitute a “greatest hits” for his rabid fans. Solid camera work and good performances salvage what could have been just another minor endeavor from the “surrealist” of horror. It’s worth a rental for Argento completests and Asia fans.