Trauma

1994 "A dark secret. A twisted mind. An insane desire for revenge."
5.8| 1h49m| R| en| More Info
Released: 20 April 1994 Released
Producted By: Overseas FilmGroup
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

A young Romanian woman and a recovering drug addict launch an unlikely investigation after her parents are murdered by a vicious serial killer known as The Headhunter.

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Reviews

BroadcastChic Excellent, a Must See
Grimossfer Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%
Murphy Howard I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.
Skyler Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.
NateWatchesCoolMovies Dario Argento's Trauma is simultaneously one of the most loopy and coherent efforts from the maestro. Most of his earlier work is pure sensory and atmospheric bliss, detached from things like logic and story. While this one does in fact have a discernible narrative to go along with its giallo splendor, it's still as whacked out as anything else in his ouvre. This was the first of many times he would cast his exotic beauty of a daughter Asia in a lead role, here playing troubled Romanian teenager Aura Petrescu, on the run from dark forces that seem to plague her family. Her lunatic mother (a terrifying Piper Laurie) has her committed and examined by a freaky Doctor (Fredric Forrest in a glorious train wreck of a performance), meanwhile a mysterious serial killer called the headhunter is out there somewhere, decapitating people with a piano wire. It all gets a bit overwhelming for poor Aura, and she runs off, straight into the protective arms of an ex drug addict (Christopher Rydell) who becomes her guardian and eventual lover. Argento is terrific in the role, exuding dark beauty and burnished resilience in the face of many terrors. Brad Dourif has an intense extended cameo as a doctor with icky ties to the origin of the headhunter as well, adding a welcome bonus horror flavor. Also watch for another intense actor, James Russo, playing a police detective determined to nab the killer for good. As far as Dario's stuff goes, this is about as complete and cohesive a narrative as you will find. Granted it's not the garish psychedelia of classics like Suspiria, Phenomena and Inferno, but a little more subdued and clinical, a dark fairy tale that gets genuinely scary in several excellently staged scenes and provides loads of uneasy atmosphere.
preppy-3 David Parsons (Christopher Rydell) saves Aura (Asia Argento) from committing suicide after witnessing her parents being murdered. He tries to take care of her but the murderer goes after Aura and others. Who's doing it and why? Dario Argento's first American film is very very good but not great like "Deep Red" and "Suspiria" were. Still even lesser Argento is at least 90% better than most American horror films. All of his trademarks are here--the beautiful camera work, a story that makes little sense, it moves VERY quickly and has bursts of graphic violence (although not as graphic as his other pictures). The acting is pretty good too. Rydell and Argento are attractive and OK in their roles. In smaller roles Piper Laurie (with an atrocious Italian accent), Frederic Forrest and Brad Dourif REALLY chew the scenery. When they're on screen they're lots of fun.The debits--Argento didn't seem comfortable filming in America. The camera-work is still amazing but he seems real off sometime. Worst of all is the score. Argento wanted to work his group Goblin who did downright terrifying scores for most of his pictures. However the American investors wanted someone more tame and had Pino Donaggio to do the score. It's terrible--it doesn't fit the film at all. Also the last 20 minutes or so are really hard to follow. So good but not great Argento.
Witchfinder General 666 Dario Argento's "Trauma" of 1993 is definitely one of this great director's lesser films, but it is nevertheless a more than decent Thriller and better than most 90s Horror films. The 90s were a bad decade for Horror in general, and definitely also the worst decade in Dario Argento's career, with his doubtlessly worst movie "Il Fantasma Dell' Opera" in 1998. "Two Evil Eyes" of 1990 which he made with George A. Romero, was also a good Horror film, but not nearly as great as a film by Romero and Argento could have been. "Trauma" is definitely not comparable to Argento's masterpieces from the 70s and 80s. As far as I am considered, however, Argento is one of the greatest Horror directors of all-time, and films like "Suspiria", "Profondo Rosso" or "Phenomena" range high in my personal all-time favorite list. Even Argento's weaker films are usually above average, and "Trauma" is a more than decent film that easily outshines the majority of 90s Horror efforts.Director Argento's daughter, then 18-year-old Asia Argento stars as Aura, a teenage Romanian girl who has escaped from a mental hospital where her parents sent her, supposedly to cure her anorexia. What Aura is really fleeing from, however, is a serial killer who only operates when it rains. Journalist David (Christopher Rydell) wants to help the girl...Generally speaking, "Trauma" has everything decent Horror films need - it is stylishly filmed, atmospheric and very suspenseful from the beginning to the end. What Trauma sadly lacks, are many of the brilliant trademark Argento elements. Most of Argento's masterpieces from the 70s and 80s had brilliant scores by Progressive Rock band Goblin. "Trauma" unfortunately hasn't, which is one of the elements that I missed most. The change of scenery from Europe to the United States doesn't compliment Argento's style of film-making either. Then again, the camera work is, as usual, great, and even though the film is not quite as ultra-violent as some other Argento films, there is quite an amount of stylish, gory bloodshed. The performances are fine too (although not breathtaking), especially young Asia Argento convinces in her first leading role. The supporting cast contains Frederic Forest, Brad Dourif and Piper Laurie.As mentioned above, "Trauma" is certainly not one of Argento's masterpieces. But even this ingenious filmmaker's lesser films are above average, and "Trauma" is definitely a more than decent 90s Giallo that Horror fans should not miss! Recommended!
Scarecrow-88 A serial killer, who collects heads from the victims he/she decapitates, "murders" a troubled anorexic teen's "medium" mother(Piper Laurie) and Romanian father(Dominique Serand). David(Chris Rydell), an artist, assists Aura(Asia Argento)in her quest to find out the butcher who claimed the lives of her parents while also trying desperately to remain distant from the clutches of Dr. Judd(Frederic Forrest)who wants to put her back in the Farraday Clinic so that she can get the proper treatment from her illness. Meanwhile, the killer continues killing selected people as David and Aura find out that each person was acquainted with one another and it deals with a tragic accident one rainy night with a Dr. Lloyd(Brad Dourif)playing a major part. As they search for answers, the motive for the headhunter will become clear. The killer lives next door to a boy who studies and collects butterflies. That boy notices the wire-machine that the killer uses to collect his/her head-trophies and will play a specific part at the end.A decent Argento effort is better than a lot of horror directors' really good work and TRAUMA has a visual polish and style(..not to mention ghoulish, sometimes humorous, beheadings)that makes up for a rather tacky ending..an ending I just didn't really buy into. I thought the one beheading, from a female victim David finds out about Lloyd from, is quite inspired as is a head-removal using an elevator shaft. Argento uses POV shots mostly with the camera acting as the eyes of the killer.Perhaps the melodrama concerning anorexia is a tad heavy-handed(..this is a slasher flick after all), but Argento admitted the story regarding the disease was personal(concerning a niece he has that was suffering with it at the time he decided on making a film with a female lead character suffering with the problem). It brings a uniqueness to the character so I have no real qualms with it.