Dario Argento is my all time favorite horror movie director. It’s because of him that I am so well versed in European horror movies. His most recent film, The Card Player, never was released theatrically here in the U.S., but it did get out on DVD packed with bonus features. A killer is on the loose and picking off girls with reckless abandon. He is flaunting it to the local police as well, forcing them to play online video poker with him for his victim’s lives. If the police win, the girl is let go. If he wins, he kills them live during the feed. Stefania Rocca (The Talented Mr. Ripley) plays the lead detective in this 2004 release. The film lacks the stylistic gore of Argento’s more famous film, but still has the leather gloved Giallo murderer ever present. The story takes several twists and turns along the way as the police manage to save one girl before finally cracking the case. The music is by long time collaborator Claudio Simonetti of Goblin fame. As Argento films go, this was better than Trauma or Wax Mask, but falls short of Sleepless or his classics like Susperia. This was his attempt to become more modern in style and not do a typical “Argento” film. In that he succeeded. Bonus features include an audio commentary with the writer. An interview with Argento and a musical background with Simonetti. There are also behind the scenes footage, the trailer, a bio and the EPK fro the die hards. (Anchor Bay, 1699 Stutz Dr, Troy, MI 48084) (DVD) - Myk