Dario Argento joins Tobe Hooper and Monte Hellman For New Trilogy of Films.

Completely out of the blue came the news that Dario had signed to do a new horror portmanteau picture with Tobe Hooper and Monte Hellman. We all knew he had joined Hooper, John Landis, John Carpenter, Roger Corman, Joe Dante etc. for the 13 one-hour TV series MASTERS OF HORROR. But the so-far-untitled anthology (THREE EVIL EYES?) being financed by Japanese backers was a total surprise. Due to start shooting in September, the terror trilogy has been scripted by Dennis Bartok, programme director of the American Cinematheque and one of those people endlessly thanked on such 'Making Of' DVD extras for EVIL DEAD, THE FOG, THE HOWLING and TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. Hooper was represented at Cannes by a promo reel for MORTUARY and posters for his next outing ZOMBIES. Monte Hellman is the bombshell in the package. Although famous for the cult movies RIDE THE WHIRLWIND, THE SHOOTING and TWO-LANE BLACKTOP, his only real horror credit apart from THE TERROR is SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT 3: BETTER WATCH OUT. As the schedule clashes with the TV movie one, and Dario has never directed anything he hasn't written, let's see what happens to this. Am I being overly cynical or is Dario determined to do anything but THE THIRD MOTHER?