Deep Red (1975)

A pianist is unwittingly pulled into a complex web of mystery after witnessing the brutal murder of a psychic.

Director:

Dario Argento

Writers:

Dario Argento, Bernardino Zapponi

Stars:

David Hemmings, Daria Nicolodi, Gabriele Lavia

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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)

Storyline

A psychic who can read minds picks up the thoughts of a murderer in the audience and soon becomes a victim. An English pianist gets involved in solving the murders, but finds many of his avenues of inquiry cut off by new murders, and he begins to wonder how the murderer can track his movements so closely.

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Plot Keywords:

black gloved killer | giallo | color in title | slasher | brutality | 

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Taglines:

You will NEVER forget it!!!

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian German

Release Date:

11 June 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dripping Deep Red

Filming Locations:

Incir De Paolis Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rizzoli Film,Seda Spettacoli

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min 101 min (R-rated) 105 min (export)

Sound Mix:

Mono 4-Track Stereo (Japan theatrical release)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

From 47:02 to 47:19, in the scene where Marcus and Carlo (Hemmings and Lavia, respectively) are jointly playing the piano, a woman in a hat can be seen sitting down holding a cup of coffee. This woman is styled after the famous painting "Automat" (1927), by Edward Hopper. This is the second reference to a Hopper painting in the film.

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Goofs

In Carlo's lover's bedroom we see them leaving in the following order: first Carlo, second Marcus, and third Carlo's lover. But they reach the door in the order: first Carlo, second Carlo's lover, and third Marcus.

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Quotes

[back at the car with Marc]
Marcus Daly: What'd you do?
Olga: Nothing. Don't pay any attention; my father's just a little crazy.
[at Rodi's feet, a lizard with a pin through it's head, squirming on the ground]

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Crazy Credits

"You have just seen Deep Red."

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Alternate Versions

In the original theatrical version, the end credits are displayed over a shot of David Hemming's reflection in a pool of blood. The image is moving (blood drips into the pool, Hemming's face changes expression etc.) while the credits are displayed. The Anchor Bay R1 DVD version features the credits over a freeze-frame of the original scene. Other than this change, the Anchor Bay DVD is the full uncut version of the film

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Connections

Featured in Profondo Delle Tenebre: Memento Mori (2015)

User Reviews

One of Argentos Top Three

Title: Deep Red

Director: Dario Argento

Cast: Daria Nicolodi, David Hemmings, Gabriele Lavia, Macha Meril

Review:

Finally got around to seeing Deep Red, and I was once again pleasantly surprised.

A very powerful female medium gets murdered after she detects a murderer in the audience of one of her lectures on the supernatural. After that, the murderer decides to kill the medium at their apartment. Meanwhile Mark, a local piano player witnesses the murder while walking down the street. He then decides to get to the bottom of things himself.

Everything you can come to expect from Argento is here. The beautiful colors, the insane camera angles and sadly we also get the gaps in logic, but I'm happy to say that those gaps in logic are kept to a minimum. Argento stylistic camera moves develop into really extreme close-ups of things on Deep Red. He will really go in there with the camera and go all around an object with it, he does this many many times in the flick.

Surprisingly, this is one of Argentos most coherent stories, though mid way through the movie you wont feel like its getting anywhere, once you reach the third act it will all make sense (thank god!) and trust me its well worth the wait. Its a twist ending that really got me....just when you think the flick is over whamo! Argento smacks you in the face with whats really going on. Loved that about Deep Red. The thing is that if you are not patient you will feel that this will be another one of those endings where you are left feeling unsatisfied and dumbfounded, but no, this ending is actually very satisfying. Its one of those films where in the last few minutes everything clicks right into place.

I loved the scenery in this movie. Everything was lit in a very spooky manner. My favorite being the mediums home. Its got this hallway filled with he spookiest freaking paintings you will ever see. Add to that the cool lighting and you've got yourself one heck of an eerie setting. And the flick has got many of those including a house thats gigantic and haunting...very Gothic. The shots in that house and the lighting were awesome.

The kills are great, Argento skillfully orchestrates some nice ones on Deep Red. Some complaint that they are not enough deaths in this movie and I say that we could have done with at least one more. As it is we get four kills are masterful and great, but since the movie gets a bit slow towards the middle part, Id say that another death could have been squeezed in there. But I ain't really complaining, cause when those deaths come they really get you. Trust me! I also liked the imagery on this one...lots of weird imagery to keep you unsettled. For example there's this scene involving a mechanical doll that just looks so weird and spooky...its stuck with me. I had to instantly rewind it. There's some more stuff involving children's toys and drawings. Great stuff! Image after spooky images which don't let you get too comfortable. There's always something there you to keep you on edge, even if it is just a visual and not an actual murder.

One other thing that sort of hindered my full enjoyment of the flick is that since this film had been heavily edited for American audiences and some scenes have been reintroduced into this cut of the film (the one Anchorbay released) there are some scenes that have no English soundtrack. Therefore the movie skips from being spoken in English to being spoken in Italian. Back and forth constantly. I got used to it and took it as a special challenge. Thankfully the scenes spoken in Italian have English subtitles. Small price to pay to get the full blown directors cut of this film if you ask me. My advice? Watch the whole thing in Italian with English subtitles.

All in all a good and satisfying Argento flick that some herald as Argentos true masterpiece. I thought it was quite good but for me Opera and Suspiria are still superior.

Rating: 5 out of 5