Deep Crimson (1996) Profundo carmesí (original title)

Director:

Arturo Ripstein

Writer:

Paz Alicia Garciadiego

Release Date:

8 October 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Hay algo que une más que el amor: el crimen.

Plot:

The life of a man who preys on unsuspecting women for a living is changed when he finds an accomplice in the woman who loves and controls him.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Nurse | Murder | Gigolo | Lonely Hearts

Awards:

19 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Regina Orozco	...	Coral Fabre
Daniel Giménez Cacho	...	Nicolás Estrella
Sherlyn	...	Teresa (as Sherlyn González)
Giovanni Florido	...	Carlitos
Fernando Palavicini	...	Don Dimas (as Fernando Soler P.)
Patricia Reyes Spíndola	...	Sra. Ruelas
Alexandra Vicencio	...	Imelda (as Alexandra Vincenzio)
Julieta Egurrola	...	Juanita Norton
Esteban Soberanes	...	Barman
Gastón Melo	...	Ticket Seller
Juan de la Loza	...	Car Salesman
Marisa Paredes	...	Irene Gallardo
Rosa Furman	...	Sara Silberman
Álvaro Carcaño	...	Motel Proprietor
Francisco Mauri	...	Mailman (as Paco Mauri)
Verónica Merchant	...	Rebeca Sanpedro
Bianca Florido	...	Mercedes
René Pereyra	...	Iduarte
Óscar Castañeda	...	Doroteo
Alejandra Montoya	...	Ifi

Directed by
Arturo Ripstein

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Paz Alicia Garciadiego

Produced by
Pablo Barbachano	....	producer
Marin Karmitz	....	producer
Tita Lombardo	....	executive producer
José María Morales	....	producer
Miguel Necoechea	....	producer
Fernando Sariñana	....	co-producer

Original Music by
David Mansfield

Cinematography by
Guillermo Granillo

Film Editing by
Rafael Castanedo

Casting by
Letícia Córdoba

Production Design by
Mónica Chirinos
Macarena Folache
Antonio Muño-Hierro
Patricia Nava
Marisa Pecanins

Art Direction by
Mónica Chirinos
Macarena Folache
Patricia Nava
Marisa Pecanins

Set Decoration by
Antonio Muño-Hierro

Costume Design by
Mónica Neumaier

Makeup Department
Raúl Esquivel	....	wig maker
Eduardo Gómez	....	hair stylist
Carlos Sánchez	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Alejandro Arroyo	....	assistant production manager
Benjamin Cabral	....	assistant production manager
Yvon Crenn	....	production director
Yvon Crenn	....	production manager
Tlacateotl Mata	....	post-production manager
Laura Moctezuma	....	assistant production manager
Puy Oria	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edmundo Díaz	....	second assistant director
Iván Ávila Dueñas	....	assistant director

Art Department
Alejandro Arroyo	....	assistant art director
Benjamin Cabral	....	assistant art director
Ricardo Gil	....	property master
Enrique Greiner	....	art assistant
Laura Moctezuma	....	assistant art director
Aristeo Ruiz	....	art assistant
Mirko von Berner	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jaime Baksht	....	sound re-recordist
Antonio Betancourt	....	direct sound
Antonio Betancourt	....	sound
Bribiesca	....	foley effects
Lena Esquenazi	....	dialogue recordist
Carlos Faruolo	....	sound editor
Carlos Faruolo	....	sound mixer
Samuel Larson	....	foley recordist
Gabriel Romo	....	sound designer
Gabriel Romo	....	sound editor
Jorge Romo	....	sound technician
Talia Ruiz	....	foley editor
Eduardo Valverde	....	boom operator
Eduardo Valverde	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Javier Moreno Buzzo	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean-Yves Bruyas	....	assistant camera
Jean-Yves Bruyas	....	assistant dolly grip
Federico García	....	assistant camera
Froylán López	....	gaffer
Fabián Monroy	....	camera operator
Fabián Monroy	....	focus puller
Carlos Silva	....	video technician
Armando Vargas	....	dolly operator

Editorial Department
Jeanne Montard	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Dan Gellert	....	score recordist

Other crew
Fernando Armada	....	production assistant
Enrique Barceló-Colores	....	production assistant
Brisa Bustamante	....	production assistant
Ivania Chávez	....	administration chief: Mexico
Inti Cordera	....	personal assistant to director
Eduardo Corona	....	location manager
Pedro Cueva	....	production accountant
Teresa del Castillo Negrete	....	public relations
Juan Antonio Escamilla	....	production auditor
Rafa Fernández	....	press attache
Rafa Fernández	....	press promotion
Mariana Gironella	....	script supervisor
Nathalie Gorgon	....	assistant press attache
Francisco Medina	....	production assistant
Eduardo Mendoza	....	title designer
Olga Millán	....	representative: ANDA
Miguel Morales	....	administration chief: Spain
Eva Simonet	....	press attache
Luis B. Carranco	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Leonard	....	dedicatee
Martha	....	dedicatee
Raymond	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• Fondo de Fomento a la Calidad Cinematográfica
• Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía (IMCINE)
• Ivania Films
• Les Productions Traversiere
• MK2 Productions
• Televisión Española (TVE)
• Wanda Films

Distributors

• Atalanta Filmes (Portugal)
• Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• JMM Invest
• Metro Tartan Distribution Ltd. (UK)
• New Yorker Films (1997) (USA) (subtitled)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (Argentina) (video)
• Videocine

Also Known As:

"Profundo carmesí" - Mexico (original title)

Runtime:

Argentina:111 min | Mexico:110 min | Singapore:114 min | Spain:111 min | USA:114 min

Country:

Mexico | France | Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

South Korea:18 | Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | France:-16 | Hungary:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:PG | Spain:18 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Cananea, Sonora, Mexico

Company:

Fondo de Fomento a la Calidad Cinematográfica

Trivia:

This story was first told in The Honeymoon Killers (1969).

Quotes:

Nicolás Estrella:I don't need your pity. I need my hairpiece!

Movie Connections:

References Deep Red (1975)

Soundtrack:

By the Sleepy Lagoon

The Dangers of Passionate Love

The plot has been commented by other viewers, so let's move on. I saw this movie when it came out in theaters and loved it, especially the development of the plot (based on the same true events portrayed in Leonard Kastle's cult classic "The Honeymoon Killers") and the way Ripstein expertly evolves from black humor to suspense to bloody tragedy. I also loved the bolero-like title (say it in Spanish -Profundo Carmesí- beauuutiful), the choice of colors (thick greens, reds, blacks and browns), the set decoration, the actors, the all-imposing Catholic symbols and Catholic guilt which are so present in Latin American cultures...

So I thought it was a film about SICK love and misleading appearances, how harmless-looking people can hide sick violent personalities that may ignite under certain circumstances, never to return to what they were before.

A few years later, I happened to see an interview with Ripstein about this film, which urged me to see it again. He said it was a film about the dangers of romantic passion, tout court -- in the sense that passionate love is just one step away from isolation from society's values and conventions - and I thought "yes, this makes sense!". "Profundo..." is (also) about the pathological potential of any passionate love: the anti-social, selfish, self-consuming and potentially destructive behavior a love affair can trigger, to the risk of excluding friends, family and professional life from the lovers' agenda, and when nothing really matters except each other, their plans and their being together against all odds or reasons. Coral's behavior, dumping her children, lying, stealing, killing, marching on regardless of everyone else's feelings or actual physical integrity is a depiction of a sick personality...or is just a step or two further than the average person "madly" in love??

"Profundo Carmesí" is great, but do I have to mention not to expect anything uplifting? My vote: a good 8 out of 10, just don't see it if you've been recently dumped by your lover/husband/wife; it might give you bad ideas!!