Sleepless (Non Ho Sonno – 2001)
R2 / PAL DVD
Masters of Giallo / 2009
Directed by: Dario Argento
Written by: Dario Argento, Franco Ferrini
Cast: Max Von Sydow, Stefano Dionisi, Chiara Caselli, Rosella Folk, Gabriele Lavia
Review by Phillip Escott
Haven’t watched an Argento film since Opera? Perhaps you gave up on him after Phantom of the Opera? Well, some will agree with your decision as the quality of his output since the 80’s has been questionable. But that changes with Sleepless. This is Argento as you remember; this is why we love his cinema and this is why he’ll be remembered as a Master of Giallo.
Max Von Sydow plays Ulisse Moretti, a cop with not just a great name but a Columbo-like knack for catching killers. That is until he is assigned the ‘Dwarf Murders’. A brutal killing spree that has baffled all, including Moretti, and leaving behind damaged souls like Giacomo (Dionisi), the son of a victim. Moretti promises the young boy that he’ll bring the killer to justice, a promise that he is still waiting to be fulfilled when he reaches adulthood. When news breaks that the killer may have re-surfaces, some twenty years later, Giacomo seeks the help of the retired Moretti and asks him to finally catch his mother’s killer.
Sleepless, along with The Stendhal Syndrome, is Argento’s modern masterpiece. It may seem like a ‘greatest hits’ movie to hardened Argento-philes, but you’ll be hard pressed to find much dissatisfaction with the film overall. It also boast the finest acting performance in any of Argento’s films and with an actor like Max Von Sydow, it comes as no surprise. The Swedish thespian dominates every scene he’s in and schools the younger actors with an effortless cool. He’s, for my money, the greatest character Argento has conjured up for one of his movies, period. He’s a nostalgic reminder of the detectives from the hay-day of the Giallo, lost in the modern world of police forensics; having only his cunning and his gut to rely on for guidance.
Sleepless also contains one of Argento’s best opening set-piece, the only opening he’s created that can rival his nightmarish opening of Suspiria. The kills, in general, are very creative and not to mention brutal; everything from French horns being smashed through faces to heads exploding on bullet impact – claret flows in rivers. The only downside I can see is the acting from the younger cast members, but when amateurs are placed next to a screen legend you can let it slide, pretty much admiring them for having the giblets to share the screen with the man. Fans of Argento’s earlier efforts will also rejoice at the return of the mighty prog-rock phenomenon that is Goblin! Argento got them to reform for this movie and their work here is sterling stuff indeed, helping to crank up the tension during the murder set-pieces. To sum it up, Sleepless is required viewing.
Originally released in the UK by M.I.A Entertainment in a two-disc special edition, this new release from Masters of Giallo trumps that release in the audio/visual stakes even though it doesn’t contain the Eye for Horror documentary, this is a worthwhile upgrade for fans. The picture quality is far superior and the extra’s that are provided are entertaining and useful for newcomers to the Giallo genre. Masters of Giallo have done justice to one of Argento’s better titles in modern times, so those who are still yet to peep this – do so immediately! You have no excuse now that it’s back in print. Here’s hoping that his next venture, Giallo, is as entertaining as Sleepless.
