Sonno Profondo

Well, that was surreal as hell. I live in a town where people often complain there is nothing to do. Our local independent cinema puts on a horror film festival, were any of the film buff horror fans I know around here there? nope. I literally got the lovely old place to myself.

Enough of the situation, the film itself is a wonderful homage to analogue film making. The period details were very nicely done. Its first person perspective on top of the dream like Italian giallo stylistics and plot flow made for a thoroughly entertaining viewing experience.

I am glad to have seen it on the big screen. If you are here because its showing at an independent near you, go forth, go forth and view.

This film is what it's all about. This is a shining example of the reason why I love cinema so much. This is the exploration of the true art form of originality and the love affair of a classic style of cinema. This bleeds modern day Giallo rebirth and yet has all the wonderful trademarks of the classic Giallo film. This is everything and more that I ask for in the art of cinema and also in the art of originality and the true essence of cinema making. Truly an amazing piece of modern cinema. A passionate example of clarity in the reality of making a memorable piece of film. I could not ask for anything different. This is something I will remember and will always return to and also spread to others on what they should be watching and that's this film.

Move over Sergio Martino and Umberto Lenzi for there is a new stylized master of Giallo. Giallo cinema had away with strange musical arrangements. Over the top and twisted whodunit plots. Thick red blood and excessive violence and victims. Giallo gave amazing sexual imagery of a raunchy nature. Giallo films came through with an operatic type visual style that told a story in a dreamlike state of being for the viewer.

What this film does is take all that is Giallo and the grainy classic style of filmmaking that you would see at the grind house or in the 70s style of Giallo films. It never shows the killers face it always shows you the perspective of his hands, the weapon or his viewpoint. You get close-ups of everything he does, everything his hands are doing and also the murder of his victims. You get to see his perspective and experience and plus his ultimate blackmail, for someone else is there and knows his dirty deeds.

Sonno Profondo is truly a revelation, and while I enjoyed Onetti's Francesca, this is probably his masterpiece. I have never seen a film that more perfectly captured exactly what giallo means to me, a sordid and beautiful dream of 1970s aesthetics. Deep Sleep is incoherent in the best possible way, and I do not normally congratulate directors for resorting to nonsense. Onetti weaves together a tapestry of emotional images, antiques, nostalgia, sex, death and opera in a symphony of grainy late 20th century muted colors accented with splashes of bright red blood and black gloves. If there is a claim that mid-century Italian horror and gialli could be spiritual on any level, Sonno Profondo is the perfect homage to it.