La Terza Madre

Well, thanks to eBay and my self-programmed, region-free DVD player, I’ve had La Terza Madre/The Mother of Tears on DVD for about 6 weeks now. But today, it’s in the theaters. Well…at the local art house theater, Camera 12. I have to see this on the big screen. This is a trilogy 3 decades in the making, starting with Suspiria (1977) and continuing with Inferno (1980). These films were all written and directed by Dario Argento. He has been called the Italian Hitchcock.

Dario’s films have always been gory. The visuals, the sounds, everything done to maximize the gore. But it has never been gratuitous, believe it or not. That said, the films are definitely not for the weak of stomach. He loves to use primary colors in his movies and he is obsessed with animals and water. In 2000, Dario was awarded the Maverick Tribute Award at the Cinequest San Jose Film Festival.

The star of his latest film is his daughter, Asia Argento, who has become famous in the U.S.A. for her acting in such films as XXX, The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things and Land of the Dead as well as being the acting coach for twins Cole and Dylan Sprouse. She’s starred in several of her father’s films.

The trilogy centers around the story of three witches, or Three Mothers, known collectively as the Mothers of Sorrow. There is Mater Suspiriorum (Mother of Sighs), Mater Tenebrarum (Mother of Darkness) and Mater Lacrimarum (Mother of Tears).

My favorite quote from the new movie, seen on a parchment, is “For what you see does not exist. But what you cannot see is truth.”

I can’t wait.