Sleepless
Alternative Titles: Non Ho Sonno; Insomnio; I Can't Sleep.
Director: Dario Argento
Year: 2001
Starring: Max Von Sydow, Stefano Dionisi, Chiara Caselli, Rossella Falk, Gabriele Lavia
Context:
Coming three years after the misguided attempt that was THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and a year before the disappointing THE CARD PLAYER, SLEEPLESS was written with semi-frequent collaborator Franco Ferrini (EYES OF CRYSTAL, PHEONOMENA, OPERA and THE CARD PLAYER). Additionally crime television celebrity and author CARLO LUCARELLI (ALMOST BLUE) also contributed to the story leading us to suspect that it was his guiding influence that elevates SLEEPLESS above those films immediately before and after.
Arguably the films greatest coup however is that it cast the legendary and highly respected actor Max Von Sydow (THE EXORCIST, FLASH GORDON, THE SEVENTH SEAL) as one of the films primary characters - retired Chief Inspector Moretti. Von Sydow had even mentioned the possibility of a spin off film and no doubt based on this evidence a prequel story could work.
Alongside him in the cast were other faces genre fans would recognise such as Gabriele Lavia (DEEP RED) and Rossella Falk (BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA, SEVEN BLOOD-STAINED ORCHIDS).
Interesting to note is that Dario's daughter, the actress/director Asia Argento wrote the animal poem that helps Moretti and Giacomo solve the crime.
Meanwhile the first half of SLEEPLESS would be the very first time ever that Dario Argento would use another person for the hands of the killer, admitting in a BBC interview with Almar Haflidason that the "gloves were too big" for his hands.
Synopsis:
A retired police detective is forced back into action to try and solve the case of a serial killer who makes an unwelcome return to society after seven years of silence.
Review:
You know immediately from the fantastic opening theme by Goblin that Argento has rediscovered his form. Opening with a retrospective scene set after a brutal murder we meet Inspector Moretti (Von Sydow) who is promising a young boy, Giacomo, that he would find his mothers killer even if it takes the rest of his life.
Jumping forwards to the modern day and a prostitute is having a problem with a client but soon calms down thanks to the offer of additional payment. This client then proceeds to fall asleep and the hooker starts to leave but not before she hears him mutter in his sleep that he has killed a lot of people. Panicking and in a rush to get out she grabs her stuff and flees, knocking over a cabinet sending his killing tools and mementos across the floor. In her haste to leave she accidentally picks up a blue file and once the killer awakes and realises this we are treated to what is arguably one of Argento’s best sequences in decades.
A blistering twenty minutes opens this film as the master of suspense manages to maintain the tension while providing a back story, with these elements culminating in a brutal finale complete with frantic camera work and litres of blood.
The script flows naturally, from the provided exposition to the character introductions and the development of the mystery itself with each element helping in some way to drive the story and it really shows that Argento was still capable of crafting a fantastic mystery. Although playing devils advocate, and as previously mentioned, we must surmise that with these elements not working so well in his other films, Lucarelli must have had more of an influence even just in a producing or consulting role.
It is not just the scriptwriting and directing that makes this film work however. Credit also has to be given to the fantastic musical score, the strong cast performances, most notably Von Sydow, and the special effects. Handled by the legendary artist Sergio Stivaletti (DEMONS, DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE, OPERA) they defy any budget constraints proving to be both contemporary and extremely bloody and promise not to let the gore fans down as fingers are chopped, teeth smashed and heads exploded. Yet this style complements the story rather than overpowers it making SLEEPLESS arguably one of the most brutal, in terms of aesthetics, giallo out there.
However for all of the positives there are still a few things that miss the mark for one reason or another. One such example is the insensitive choice of comical, circus-like music for the scene in which the police round up the City's dwarves and Argento does himself no credit with this thankfully brief, misjudged scene. Meanwhile others may criticise the films over-the-top adoption of the genre tropes which may threaten to turn the film into a semi-parody as opposed to the fun film that it is.
Offering many suspects, Argento leaves a subtle trail of breadcrumbs amongst the red herrings and when combined with the over the top violence and child-like, almost preposterous motive of the killer we are left with an absurd and enjoyable film. Ticking off many of the giallo cliches that it almost becomes a prime example of the genre SLEEPLESS is the last of the true gialli.
Version Reviewed:
We watched the 2009 Arrow Films DVD release which as one would expect from such a fantastic company features several top extras. The first is a feature titled ‘Murder, Madness and Mutilation: Sleepless and the Modern Italian Giallo’ which provides a fantastic introduction to the genre for new fans but a little redundant for those already versed in the giallo.
Additional features include ‘The Making of Sleepless’ which is Italian produced and filled with insight as to why Argento returned to the genre as well as providing enjoyable behind the scenes footages and interviews. Although there are no real spoilers as such it is recommended to view this after the film itself. Finally the disc also features the obligatory trailer, photo gallery and if you insert the disc into your computer then also the press kit which, rather surprisingly, also includes the script and this is a fantastic addition.
