Profondo rosso

An English pianist (who is not an engineer) witnesses the murder of a German psychic in Italy. While it's really none of his business (they have police in Italy) he begins to do his own detective work to track down the killer. The journey takes him all over the place, to haunted houses, to young witches and into a friendly relationship with a reporter.

This film is written by Bernardino Zapponi ("Anal Paprika") and directed by Italian horror giant Dario Argento ("Tenebre", "Phenomena", "Inferno"). And I have to say this right away: as much as I love this film and think it's one of Argento's better pieces, why is it more highly rated than "Suspiria"? Internet Movie Database ranks this in their top 50 horror films, while "Suspiria" is mysteriously absent. "Suspiria" is the better film in almost every way. But anyway...

This film really excels in the writing of both characters and plot. The lead is very interesting (Marcus Daly) even though he really only acts as a catalyst for events and as a surrogate for the viewer, taking us where we couldn't go without a guide. Much of the plot is convoluted in the version I watched (the heavily edited English version, as I don't speak much Italian like my sister does), but still comes off as very well layered.

The gore is not as bad as some may have made it out to be. Even by 1970s standards, it's nothing really shocking. But it works. One scene, involving a woman killed with hot water, was well done. Another, with a man getting his teeth bashed out on the corner of a table, was not as gruesome as it could have been but was still painful to watch. The creepiest part (I actually felt uneasy) was when there was... a killer doll! It was just really creepy in the style of the presentation.

You can't talk about Argento's films without talking about the music. The band Goblin supplies the soundtrack (just like on "Suspiria") and does a fine job. One review found the music "annoying", and I can appreciate that sentiment. They do repeat the same songs over a lot, and the music isn't as blended in as it should be. But the songs themselves are moving and very good at burrowing into your subconscious. The theme to "Suspiria" is great (I have the soundtrack and it's awesome), and these songs are also really good. There's just something about them -- horror doesn't embrace music as often as it should. Think about the great horror themes, and try to imagine the films without them. Music is essential.

I look forward to someday seeing the Anchor Bay release of this film, as I'd love to see the edited parts. But I definitely recommend you see this if you have the chance. Sure, it's older and the quality isn't that stellar. Stop whining! Films should be judged on plot, acting and vision. Don't blame a director in the 1970s for not owning 1990s equipment. This one is a winner, although I have to disagree with the IMDb voters about it being the best Argento... maybe second best (which is still better than almost any other director out there).

A slaughtered psychic sets the scene, a vicious killer that can't be seen, but Marcus Daly's on the case, to unmask the villains face, it takes some time to follow clues, more red spills in shades and hues, an author takes an unplanned facial, it leaves her feeling far from glacial, a haunted house near derelict, it's still not easy to predict, help from Gianna and her small car, the end reminds of abattoirs.

Disgraceful lizard torture scene aside (appalling if we're honest), this takes you on a fine old ride, with doubts aplenty about whodunit, the slices, cleaves, slashes and head splits. As engaging today as it ever was (apart from the lizard, which was always wrong).

#201 Deep Red (Italian: Profondo rosso) - 1975 (126 minute version) (This Film Rates a B ) The films starts off around Christmas and someone being stabbed to death off screen. Fast forward to a music ensemble practicing their jazzy tune. It then pans to a conference about parapsychology and features a medium named Helga. She has "extraordinary psychic powers". In dramatic fashion she predicts her own death by an unnamed person in the audience. Shortly after she is brutally murdered with a meat cleaver. One of the jazz members (Marcus) sees her being murdered and can't help but touch and move the body. He becomes a suspect and then is broadcasted that he could identify the murderer. The only initial connection is the children's music playing with each death. In an abandoned mansion, Marcus discovers a disturbing piece of artwork which shows a child holding a bloody knife after stabbing someone. Eventually he finds a skeleton corpse behind one of the walls. He gets knocked out and finds himself outside the house which is now burning. After all that, Marcus, is well enough to break into an elementary school where he finds a similar drawing. The killer is then revealed but dies in a horrific car accident. Who is the real killer? The twist ending is short and to the point but is a winner. The film is overlong but offers some effective build. Maybe the shorter dubbed version has a better pace. The killer is methodical and creates giallo type suspense. "He" also isn't always the main focus of the film which adds to the suspense. The artsy cinematography is really top notch and one of the biggest highlights that make this film successful. There are many fine examples of scenes and still shots that are so well crafted. The soundtrack is also superb, but what else would you expect from Goblin! No one can make murder sound so groovy! The electronic progressive rocks music fits each scene like a glove and makes the simplest scenes pop, it also gives them some texture. The gore and effects are decent for a film of this era but not extensive. It just feels like there isn't enough and at times felt empty. There is an awful fake bird scare at the 1 hour 1 minute mark. That poor bird! Mostly it is all the little details that make this film succeed.

Profondo Rosso is really the gem among Argento'a work, a film that managed to revolutionize the giallo and at the same moment become the ultimate giallo at that. You may ask what is a giallo? Well, it is basically a genre that combines mystery and horror, so it is basically a violent triller. It is the most plausible and well written film of his career to date and is the film that introduced us to the music of Goblin, a group that has become world renowned for their work on such classics as Suspiria and Dawn of the Dead. But what is really brilliant about Profondo Rosso is that it is the first film we see Dario experiment and gain more confidence. His camera becomes more fluid and gains more movement and elegant, while the angles he chooses become more strange. He begins to pay more attention to color, submerging the film in deep reds and greens which makes this one a feast for the eyes. It is truly a beautiful film to behold, even when the killer's victims are been stabbed and whatever else. Dario in this film also pays attention to architecture. Helga Ulmann's apartment is lushly decorated in black and white marble, plants and also a star shaped table (we later learn she is Jewish so the star is in fact the Star of David). But the true masterpiece of the sets in Profondo Rosso is Dario's replica of the bar in Edward Hopper's Nighthawks. This is in a sense a homage to Edward, as is the school in the film which is called the Leonardo da Vinci. Dario incorporates the style of art nouveau into this film predominantly, which can be in seen the windows of the villa and Giordani's apartment. And I'm not forgetting the black gloves, one of Argento's trademarks. The Performances in Profondo Rosso are very good. David Hemmings and Dario Nicolodi provide great performances. Their chemistry is very evident and they are very believable. Hemmings is able to get across his character's insecurities, especially in the scene where he arm wrestles Daria's character. It is very clear that he is insecure about his masculinity, which is evident in the scene in Gianna's car where the seat breaks and drops and so it seems that Gianna has become the bigger person, much to Marcus' embarrassment. Daria puts in an excellent performance considering this was about only her third or fourth film. She definitely gets across Gianna's independence which provide the film with some comedy. Gabrile Lavia is also good as the alcoholic Carlo, clearly getting across Carlo's drunkenness with his constant movements, such as stumbling. Meril I found fantastic in the conference scene, especially when she says the line: "You have killed and you will kill again." When she revolts back it is so realistic and her hand movements really make us believe she can sense evil in the room, like as though she is feeling the presence. This is Goblin's first score and it is truly a masterpiece. The theme is brilliant and is really driving and fits the film perfectly. It is a really mesmerizing as is the infamous lullaby, a disturbing piece. Profondo Rosso is truly a brilliant piece of art. A great plot, fantastic music, breath-taking visuals, great performances and perfect direction. Not to be missed! 10/10

DEEP RED (Profondo Rosso)

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Techniscope)

Sound format: Mono

After witnessing the brutal murder of his psychic neighbor (Macha Meril) by person or persons unknown, a British musician in Rome (David Hemmings) obsesses over details of the crime and uncovers a series of clues which lead to further bloodshed and horror.

Released in Italy at 126 minutes, Dario Argento's seminal psycho-thriller was edited down to 105 minutes for European exhibition and further curtailed to 100 minutes for the American market, where it was dismissed by critics as an incoherent mess. In fact, this was Argento's return to the giallo format following a brief - and unlikely - detour into comedy (FIVE DAYS OF MILAN), and the first time he was allowed to 'cut loose' and indulge his unique sensibilities. All the elements of a classic Argento thriller are here: Eccentric characterizations, outlandish plot twists, and a series of Grand Guignol set-pieces that would revolutionize the genre. Using the wide, w-i-d-e screen to create a bold visual tapestry, Argento's film thrives on offbeat sounds and images: The child's song which pre-empts the shocking murders; the heart-stopping moment when Hemmings glimpses Meril at her apartment window as the killer lunges at her from behind (a shot which is both horrific and profoundly humane, all at the same time); the crazy-surreal mannikin which appears from nowhere and 'confronts' a potential victim; and the climactic revelation of the killer's identity as Hemmings finds damning evidence literally staring him in the face. Hemmings is the heart and soul of the entire picture, an innocent abroad whose inquisitive nature fails to mask his essential cowardice, and there are fine supporting performances by Daria Nicolodi, Gabriele Lavia and Clara Calamai in pivotal roles.

The European print which played outside Italy is a tightly-controlled whirlwind of horror and suspense, incorporating character development and violence cut from the American variant. However, the complete Italian version is another matter altogether: Except for the extra material added to Hemmings' search of 'The House of the Screaming Child' (where an important clue is literally concealed in the brickwork), the additional footage simply pads proceedings to breaking point. Whereas the characters were once defined by their experiences, the longer print includes lengthy dialogue exchanges which ramble well beyond their relevance to the plot. Still a masterpiece, the movie works best at 105 minutes, though the flawed Italian edition is no less sumptuous and invigorating.

Sadly, DEEP RED contains one of the most dubious images in Argento's entire filmography: A shot of a lizard impaled on a needle, done for real. This monstrous act of cruelty is inexcusable, given that Argento had hired ace effects technician Carlo Rambaldi, previously responsible for *simulated* animal carnage in Lucio Fulci's A LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN (1971) which was so realistic, it landed the director in court!

(English version)