Mother of Tears-2007

Director Dario Argento

Starring Asia Argento

Top 250 Films #227

Top 40 Horror Films #35

Scott’s Review #1,360

Reviewed May 13, 2023

Grade: B+

Mother of Tears (2007) is a film I have a great fondness for, and I’ll never forget its debut in my life.

It is the very first film my husband and I saw in a movie theater together. So, I’m pretty partial to the nostalgic feeling it evokes on a personal level.

Both fans of esteemed horror director Dario Argento, we cohabitated in the dusty art theater one rainy Saturday evening following a delicious Italian dinner on one of our first dates.

The atmosphere was nearly as perfect as an Argento film itself since he is known for operatic, visceral, and visual perfection.

The film is the concluding installment of Argento’s supernatural horror trilogy The Three Mothers, preceded by Suspiria (1977) and Inferno (1980. It depicts the confrontation with the final “Mother” witch, known as Mater Lachrymarum.

Grisly deaths await several unlucky Italian citizens after an American archaeology student named Sarah Mandy (Asia Argento) innocently releases a demonic witch from her ancient prison.

A mysterious urn comes into her possession, and when it is attempted to be restored at the Museum of Ancient Art in Rome, all hell breaks loose.

Sarah has a personal connection to the witch because her mother was once embroiled in a feud with the witch.

Making Mother of Tears a family affair and a source of comfort for viewers of Argento’s work, daughter Asia plays the lead character. At the same time, younger brother Claudio co-produces the picture with Dario.

Religion is always a fun theme in horror, especially in the oft-targeted Roman Catholic church. Like The Exorcist did in 1973, and many other horror films followed over the years, the religion is mocked in the kindest of ways.

As an ode to previous works involving children, a child is massacred, and more than one baby is sacrificed in the name of Mater Lachrymarum, so be forewarned if this is a dealbreaker for some.

Who doesn’t enjoy a coven of witches flocking down on Rome, screeching at passerby folks and wreaking havoc on the sacred city, now overcrowded with demons?

For the bloodthirsty types who crave a healthy dose of bloodletting, Mother of Tears lets the floodgates spill wide open.

One poor woman is speared through her private area and upwards, while another’s mouth and face are expanded until they pop. Several eyes are violently gouged.

You get the idea.

It’s recommended to watch Suspiria and Inferno first for chronological ease, but this isn’t a must; a stand-alone viewing will do just fine.

Nothing can match the sheer madness and visual mastery of 1977’s Suspiria, and Mother of Tears is the weakest of the three films, but this is not a gripe, merely a comparison.

They work well together, and the final confrontation involving Sarah and Mater Lachrymarum’s fight over a red tunic is the highlight.

The dark texture of the filming mixed with glowing lights and red colors is easily noticeable. This aligns well with religious or occult characters such as a monsignor, a cardinal, and various witches.

The film, though American-made, feels Italian and is quite authentic. Further, it naturally sits well with films of Argento’s heyday, the 1970s and 1980s. Most, if not all, actors appear to be Italian or European, adding flavor and culture to the experience.

If one has traveled to Rome, many exterior shots of the ancient city appear, adding to the enjoyment. Sarah ravages the streets and scurries through the vast train station in one powerful sequence.

Since trains are the main mode of transportation in Italy, viewers can transport themselves back to a previous trip.

To know Dario Argento is to love him. Mother of Tears (2007) may not measure up to his very best works, but it is an entertaining and enthralling visit to the macabre world.

It may or may not win over new fans, but it will satisfy the director’s existing fans.