The Stendhal Syndrome

Detective Anna Manni is on the hunt for a sadistic serial rapist and murderer when, whilst working her way through the various artworks on display in Florence’s Uffizi Gallery, she falls into a trance and faints. After regaining consciousness and returning to her hotel room in a dissociative state, Anna is brutally attacked and raped by the killer before she eventually manages to escape his clutches. In the wake of this ordeal, Anna’s psychiatrist explains to her that she suffers from Stendhal syndrome, a rare condition in which individuals become overwhelmed in the presence of great works of art. Returning to her hometown of Viterbo where she has been advised to rest up, Anna continues to psychologically unravel, all the while sensing that the killer has unfinished business with her…

A standout in the ’90s filmography of Italian horror maestro Dario Argento (Suspiria, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage), THE STENDHAL SYNDROME marked the director’s return to his native country after a brief US excursion with Two Evil Eyes and Trauma. More intensely mean-spirited than his previous offerings, THE STENDHAL SYNDROME sees the master filmmaker continue to experiment with a range of striking visual techniques, aided by veteran cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno and complemented by a mesmerizing score from famed composer Ennio Morricone. Now newly restored in 4K from its original camera negative and accompanied by a wealth of bonus features, Vinegar Syndrome is delighted to unveil THE STENDHAL SYNDROME in its UHD world premiere.