Opera

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Dario Argento directs. Ronnie Taylor behind the camera. Brian Eno scores. Franco Fraticelli cuts. Produced in Italy. Dialogue in Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

• 139 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
• 2Directed by Dario Argento, shot by Ronnie Taylor. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
• 3Original score by Brian Eno. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
• 4Editor Franco Fraticelli shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
• 5Cristina Marsillach and Ian Charleson and Urbano Barberini carry the top of the cast.
• 6Marketing tagline: "Obsession. Murder. Madness.".
• 7IMDB entry: tt0093677 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
• 8Released under 12 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography

Ronnie Taylor

Original score

Brian Eno

Editing

Franco Fraticelli

Makeup / hair

Ferdinando Merolla

Sound

Romano Pampaloni

Runtime

107 min · 1h 47m

Aspect ratio (typical)

1.37:1 (Academy)

Status

Released

Budget

$8,000,000

Original language

IT

Certification (US)

R

IMDB

Opera (1987) ↗

Also by

Dario Argento

• 
  Deep Red

  1975 · ★ 7.7
• 
  Suspiria

  1977 · ★ 7.5
• 
  Masters of Horror

  2005 · ★ 7.1
• 
  The Bird with the Crystal Plumage

  1970 · ★ 7.1
• 
  CVLT

  2023 · ★ 7.0
• 
  Door Into Darkness

  1973 · ★ 6.8

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

• 

  ▶
  Opera (1987) Original Trailer [FHD]

  Trailer
• 

  ▶
  Vintage Theatrical Trailer

  Teaser · Official

Production companies

Who made it

• AD

  ADC Films

  IT

• 

  Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica

  IT

• C.

  C.G. Silver Film

  IT

Key crew

• Production SecretaryAngelo Cavallo
• SeamstressFrancesca Grandi
• Special EffectsRenato Agostini
• Assistant EditorRoberto Priori
• Key GripEnnio Picconi
• AccountantFederica Zappalà
• Production SecretaryFrancesco Marras
• Script SupervisorCinzia Malatesta
• Special Effects TechnicianMassimo Cristofanelli
• Sound EditorNick Alexander
• Production SecretaryEgle Friggeri
• Music ConsultantFrancesco Miracle
• Dolby ConsultantFederico Savina
• Steadicam OperatorNicola Pecorini
• Assistant CameraUgo Menegatti
• Sound Effects EditorMassimo Anzellotti
• Animal CoordinatorMaurizio Garrone
• Second Unit Director of PhotographyRenato Tafuri
• Second Assistant DirectorAlessandro Ingargiola
• PublicistEnrico Lucherini
• Music DirectorGiovanni Veneri
• VocalsAndrea Piccini
• Camera OperatorAntonio Scaramuzza
• Special EffectsGiovanni Corridori

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

• opera
• whodunit
• killer
• opera singer
• giallo

Release history · US

When it landed

• Theatrical1990-08-31R· Austin, Texas
• Physical1991-09-06NR· video premiere

Also known as

International titles

• Terror at the OperaUS
• Im Zeichen des RabenDE
• ÓperaES
• オペラ座・血の喝采JP
• Τρόμος στην όπεραGR
• Η όπερα του τρόμουGR
• OpéraFR
• ОпераBG
• オペラ座／血の喝采JP
• Terror en la óperaES
• Terror en la óperaMX
• OpêraVN