Profondo rosso (1975)

Director:

Dario Argento

Writers:

Dario Argento (written by)
Bernardino Zapponi (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 June 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The maker of "SUSPIRIA" now takes you on a journey through the macabre, the bizarre. . . the unnatural.

Plot:

A musician witnesses the murder of a famous psychic, and then teams up with a fiesty reporter to find the killer while evading attempts on their lives by the unseen killer bent on keeping a dark secret buried.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Dark | Cut | Gothic | Television

Awards:

1 win

Cast

David Hemmings	...	Marcus Daly
Daria Nicolodi	...	Gianna Brezzi
Gabriele Lavia	...	Carlo
Macha Méril	...	Helga Ulmann
Eros Pagni	...	Supt. Calcabrini
Giuliana Calandra	...	Amanda Righetti
Piero Mazzinghi	...	Bardi
Glauco Mauri	...	Prof. Giordani
Clara Calamai	...	Marta
Aldo Bonamano	...	Carlo's father
Liana Del Balzo	...	Elvira
Vittorio Fanfoni	...	Cop taking notes
Dante Fioretti	...	Police photographer
Geraldine Hooper	...	Massimo Ricci
Jacopo Mariani	...	Young Carlo (as Iacopo Mariani)

Also Known As:

Deep Red (International: English title)
Dripping Deep Red (USA) (pre-release title)
La tigre dai denti a sciabola (Italy) (working title)
The Deep Red Hatchet Murders (USA) (DVD box title)
The Hatchet Murders (USA) (censored version)

Runtime:

126 min | USA:98 min (R-rated version) | Japan:106 min (theatrical version)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:X (original rating) | Argentina:16 (re-rating) (2006) (uncut) | Argentina:18 (re-rating) (1982) (cut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Sweden:15 | Italy:VM18 (director's cut) | Australia:R | France:-16 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:18 | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | West Germany:18 | Finland:K-18

Filming Locations:

Incir De Paolis Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Rizzoli Film

Trivia:

Not all cuts were waived by the BBFC when the film was re-submitted in 2005, following the 11 seconds of cuts made in 1993. On a Dario Argento collection where versions could be chosen (English or Italian) the English version showed a very sloppy cut before the unfortunate lizard was seen on-screen with a pin through its head. The Italian had no such cuts.

Goofs:

Continuity: In Carlos' lover's bedroom we see them leaving with the following order: 1st Carlo, 2nd Marcus and 3rd Carlos' lover. But when reaching the door we see: 1st Carlo, 2nd Carlos' lover and 3rd Marcus.

Quotes:

Marc: Gianna! Gianna! There's someone in the house... absolutely trying to kill me, ya'know?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Grindhouse (2007)

Soundtrack:

Gianna

Plenty of red to be seen and style to savor!

Thrilling giallo masterpiece is considered by many to be one of the finest, if not the finest, films made by horror master Dario Argento.

When musician witnesses brutal murder, he joins a quirky journalist in the hunt for a mysterious killer.

It's not hard to see why many believe this film to be Argento's greatest and a landmark in the giallo horror genre. The film is an engrossing murder mystery, possessing many of the elements of Argento's great debut film The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970). Argento throws in lots of his unique trademark style with plenty of inventive set pieces, clever cinematography, and terrific atmosphere and imagery. Deep Red also has some of the most horrific murder sequences of the genre and there's plenty of gruesomeness to be had! Adding all the more to the proceedings is the energetic music score of Goblin.

The cast is also good. David Hemmings makes for a great leading man. Daria Nicolodi, who would later be long-time girlfriend to director Argento, shines as the journalist. Hemmings and Nicolodi have some nicely comical scenes together that add even more color to the film. Also worthy of mention is Gabriele Lavia in his role as Hemmings alcoholic friend and Macha Meril as an ill-fated psychic.

While this Argento fan still favors Suspiria (1977) as Argento's finest film, it's easy to see why Deep Red is considered his greatest by some. It's a terrific landmark thriller that firmly ranks as one of Argento's best!

**** out of ****