Deep Red (1975)

Synopsis

The movie Deep Red (1975) is a classic Italian giallo film directed by Dario Argento and co-written by Argento and Bernardino Zapponi. The plot revolves around a psychic medium who is brutally murdered, and a jazz pianist who witnesses the murder and feels a need to solve the case. Working with him is reporter Gianna Brezzi, who hopes for a big scoop by solving the case. The killer is a mysterious figure wearing black leather gloves, who performs a series of murders. The cast also stars Daria Nicolodi, Gabriele Lavia, Macha Méril, and Clara Calamai. The film’s score was composed and performed by Goblin, the first in a long-running collaboration with Argento.

The movie Deep Red (1975) is often considered a masterpiece of the giallo genre, and one of Argento’s best works. The film was released during the height of the “giallo craze” of Italian popular cinema, and was a critical and commercial success.

Cast

David Hemmings as Marcus Daly
Daria Nicolodi as Gianna Brezzi
Gabriele Lavia as Carlo Manganiello
Macha Méril as Helga Ulmann
Clara Calamai as Martha Manganiello

Trivia

Co-writer Bernardino Zapponi said the inspiration for the murder scenes came from him and Argento thinking of painful injuries to which the audience could relate, as the pain of being stabbed or shot is outside the experience of most viewers1
After the international success of Dario Argento’s next film Suspiria (1977), “Profondo Rosso” was released in Japan under the title “Suspiria 2”, even though it has no plot connections to “Suspiria” and was made two years prior to it2
According to Dario Argento, the “Deep Red” script was more than 500 pages long. When his father Salvatore Argento and his brother Claudio Argento read the script, they were shocked at its length. They were afraid the audience wouldn’t understand what Dario’s intentions were; they thought parts of it were almost too cryptic, so Dario shortened it to 321 pages3

Reviews

According to Little White Lies, “The kinetic camerawork and brutal over-the-top gore that made Dario Argento famous is on full display, but the addition of a compelling, complex story makes Deep Red a masterpiece.”
According to Scriptophobic, “Deep Red is a bloody good mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end. It’s a film that’s both stylish and suspenseful, and it’s a must-see for fans of the giallo genre.”
According to Cinema Sentries, “Deep Red is a must-see for fans of the giallo genre and Argento’s work. The film is a masterpiece of the genre, and the new 4K UltraHD release is a great way to experience it.”