Who thinks this is bad?

Well, it's definitely Argento's weirdest and most disturbing movie!

So disturbing, in fact, that even after several viewings I still haven't been able to determine whether I actually like it or not...

The only thing I'm sure about is that Thomas Kretschmann did a mighty effective job as the main villain whereas Asia's acting indeed seemed a bit off at times.

Know what? I'm gonna re-watch it again right now to make sure!

:-)

This is definitely a film that doesn't immediately lend itself to being liked. It refuses to conform to standard narrative conventions, moreso in my opinion than any other Argento film, and the second half is definitely very different from the first, but a natural progression if you view the entire film as being seen through the eyes of Asia's character. Essentially, she becomes more and more gripped with the Stendhal Syndrome, and as a result the film makes less and less sense as it continues.

By the way, most of the supposed problems with Asia's acting can be attributed to the fact that some genius decided to re-dub her for the English language releases. Try watching the Italian version with subtitles: although the lip sync doesn't work, it's her own voice on the soundtrack and therefore her performance seems vastly superior.

I don't think it was bad. Now, I've got to say I'm an admirer of Argento's work in the first place. In this director's filmography, I've got to say that this film suprised me, in a good way. Looking back, I must admit that the ending is a much different film than the beginning. I think this is probably good. A film that is too much of the same thing can be oppressive, and I think that would be the case with this film. I think the final scene is total redemption for the slight predictability and cliche of the plot of the second half.

I have only seen it once. I am kind of waiting for it to come out on a good R1 disc, the Troma is depressingly bad.

This movie most certainly isn't bad. In my humble opinion; it's simply fantastic. I do admit that I find the english audio a little annoying, but once I got the Italian DVD it's all better. Asia herself does the audio there. I can't agree with you that she gives a bad performance in the second half, I think she's very good throughout.

Good film, it seems the purpose is not making money, but trying to search deeply in human feelings.
About the sound : i have a french dvd with audio in frenche or in english. It seems to be an italian movie, with a lot of italian actors, but when i look carefully at the lips, they fit with the english audio. Can somebody explain that to me ? Was it filmed in english or what ?

This is, in my humble opinion, Argento's finest film since Profondo Rosso.

"You think that when you die, you go to Heaven? You come to us!"

The first time I saw the film - Troma DVD - it haunted me. The way Argento places us inside the main character's experience, dislocating time and space, makes it impossible for the viewer to remain complacent. We're jolted into this unspeakable nightmare of sexual violence and Argento is relentless. The first time through I wondered what was going on. But the film is so compelling I couldn't shake it. Since then I've watched the film a number of time and understand its reality a bit better. One thing, though, I did understand at once: this is the only Argento film that ends with a sense of hope. At the final moment of the film when the police converge on Asia Argento, one is conditioned to expect tragedy. But no, the police are shown to be angels of mercy. That last shot may be the most emotionally charged image in all of this director's films. I find it moving, disarmingly so. After all she's been through, we leave the film feeling that there's hope for this woman. This may be Argento's most underrated film.

Stendhal Syndrome is one of Aregento's wildest movis in my opinion.

It kind falters in the second half though.

Some amazing and truly twisted murder scenes though.

Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead.