Deep Red

This is one unique movie. I'm slowly becoming a fan Argento and this is so far my favorite of his films, though it should be noted that I have not yet seen all his films. There's so much visual style one can't help but be swept along. The story is also quite good which is not the case for some of his films. There are several gory scenes which are masterfully well done and the film's atmosphere is eerie and solid throughout. Argento is aided heavily by Goblin's music which is really good particularly in "Suspira".

In here we have David Hemmings plays a jazz musician who witnesses a murder and starts investigating the crime himself. A little bit of Hitchcock here but Argento creates a unique style that's all his. Basically that's a murder mystery with a touch of gore in it. I would not call this movie a horror film, it's more like a thriller. Argento has fun with the audience, involving them in the same dilemma that's facing the film's main character. The answer to the riddle may be locked in your head, you may already have seen the solution but yet you don't know the answer.

It is a very clever movie, especially the part where Hemmings discovers who the murderer is. Although there are scenes that some people may find boring, sure there is alot more talk than the killer's violent actions but I found nearly every scene to be interesting for we gradually begin to learn about the killer.

I have read that Argento left this genre for the most part after this film and concentrated on horror, like in Suspiria and Tenebre, which are both good films. However, Deep Red is a masterfully constructed film, full of visual delight, suspense, gore and a good comedy sequences I have yet seen in an Argento film. I would also think that this movie would be a good place to start with if you want to check out the maestros films. Highly recommended.

This is a masterpiece. The suspense and the crimes are incredible, the techniques used to quicken the pulse are amazing and each scene of violence is shocking in a different way. A superb piece of horror.

This is a minor classic from director Dario Argento. An excellent thriller with horror elements thrown in that make the current wave of 'torture porn' movies look decidely second rate (which most of them are).

In the leading role David Hemmings plays a pianist who witnesses a murder and starts investigating them himself. Now why he would do this I don't know, but once you allow for this artistic licence, the film moves by with great pace. Full of atmosphere, tension, odd camera angles as well as the trademark roving camera for which Argento is well know. You can still also detect the influence of Hitchcock in this film. But Argento has moved things on to a different level.

Listen out for the music score by the Italian prog rock group Goblin. They worked with Argento on a regular basis and their pounding music scores added a little extra to Argento's films.

This is the full length widescreen version. There is a shorter English version available in some countries, which is panned and scanned - do not buy this!

Argento is most famous for Suspira, which I was never a huge fan of. Buy this and 'The Bird with the crystal plumage' and in my view you'll own his two best films.

If you are a fan of murder mystery and scary movies,
then you must add Dario Argento's films
"Deep Red" and "Suspiria", to your collection
or risk losing your credibility.

If you do not know the work of the master Italian film director,
imagine Alfred Hitchcock on steroids. Enough said.

There is no point writing about this film because
you will get it, you will watch it (many times)
and you will like it.

note bene: the movie is dubbed in English, but occasionaly
is in Italian with English subtitles; very strange, but not
as bad as it may sound; apparently the Italian language parts
were cut from the film and then reinserted for the uncut
version, but not dubbed in English.

I have watched "Deep Red" more times than any other Italian Giallo. It is the perfect giallo and Dario Argento`s crowning masterpiece. (I enjoyed it more than his supernatural hit, "Suspiria.") The action is nicely paced with imaginative death sequences performed with a great rock-n-roll score by Goblin. The characters are sympathetic and believable. The acting is good and the settings are elaborate and gorgeous. The ending is shocking. David Hemmings stars as the American pianist who witnesses the brutal hatchet murder of a psychic; Daria Nicolodi (girlfriend of Argento) stars as a reporter. The two have great chemistry as they investigate the murder.

"Deep Red" has a scene where a victim is scalded to death by hot bathtub water; it was imitated in John Carpenter`s "Halloween II." The scene where a victim is drug down the street by a truck may have been borrowed from Emilio P. Miraglia`s "The Red Queen Kills Seven Times."

"Deep Red" is the movie responsible for me getting hooked on watching Dario Argento's movies and Italian gialli in general. I have always loved mystery and suspense. If you`ve never seen one of Argento`s movies or an Italian giallo, this is a great movie with which to begin.