Dario Argento Debuts Autobiography 'Fear' at Courmayeur Noir Festival

The horror director announced phase two of crowdfunding for his Iggy Pop thriller 'The Sandman' after a successful first round

“There’s only one thing I know for sure: As long as there’s someone out there to scare, I know I will be a happy person,” writes Dario Argento in his new autobiography Paura (Fear).

The terror maestro presented his autobiography at the 24th edition of the Courmayeur Noir Festival, a yearly gathering celebrating the latest in film and literature thrillers in Italy's idyllic ski town underneath the Alps.

Argento, a regular guest of the festival, debuted the new book, which is published by Einaudi, to a room full of Italy’s cinema elite. The director, who has had numerous tales written about him over the years, said he wanted to finally set the record straight.

Read more Horror Master Dario Argento on Fear and Happiness

Paura mixes stories of Argento’s personal life with his career. “Thriller, horror, fantasy, giallo, noir, these are just words we use to define our dreams,” he writes. The director of classic Italian films including Deep Red and Suspiria, Argento discusses a wealth of topics such as his screenwriting process, his relationships, drug use and how censorship became his greatest enemy.

There's also a fair amount of advice from the 74-year-old director. "Things you say as a kid, write them down, put them aside," he writes, "and read them again when you’re a man."

"My life is long. I have lots of experience," Argento told THR in Courmayeur. "Some experiences are strange, but this is my life."

In one life-imitating-art event detailed in the book, the director was once stalked by a Suspiria superfan who called him anonymously over and over, repeating lines from the film, referring to himself only as the "great punisher," before mysteriously disappearing.

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Argento recently completed a successful crowdfunding venture for his next film The Sandman, starring Iggy Pop as a maniacal serial killer. Fans donated generously to the film’s production, for perks including the opportunity to play a policeman cameo for $25,000 or for the chance to play the black-gloved killer in a scene for $5,000, a part that Argento has always historically played himself.

Argento told THR that his entry into crowdfunding is only just beginning. With the first phase wrapped, the film will commence a second crowdfunding phase in January.

"I am happy because it’s marvelous to have a relationship with fans," he said. "It becomes like a big family. Everybody speaks and says something about the film. It’s a great experience."

Argento met Pop in New York, and the two instantly connected on the project idea. "I think he’s a great villain," said the director. "He’s powerful. He’s a big icon."

Twitter: @Aristonla