Profondo rosso (1975)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Dario Argento

Writers:

Dario Argento (written by)
Bernardino Zapponi (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 June 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The maker of "SUSPIRIA" now takes you on a journey through the macabre, the bizarre. . . the unnatural.

Plot:

A musician witnesses the murder of a famous psychic, and then teams up with a fiesty reporter to find the killer while evading attempts on their lives by the unseen killer bent on keeping a dark secret buried.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Cut | Dark | Attraction | Haunted House

Awards:

1 win

Cast

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)

Also Known As:

Deep Red (International: English title)
Dripping Deep Red (USA) (pre-release title)
La tigre dai denti a sciabola (Italy) (working title)
The Deep Red Hatchet Murders (USA) (DVD box title)
The Hatchet Murders (USA) (censored version)

Runtime:

126 min | USA:98 min (R-rated version) | Japan:106 min (theatrical version)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:X (original rating) | Argentina:16 (re-rating) (2006) (uncut) | Argentina:18 (re-rating) (1982) (cut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Australia:R | France:-16 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:18 | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | West Germany:18 | Finland:K-18

Filming Locations:

Incir De Paolis Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Rizzoli Film

Trivia:

Director trademark: [Dario Argento] Character recalls clues from memory.

Goofs:

Continuity: In Carlos' lover's bedroom we see them leaving with the following order: 1st Carlo, 2nd Marcus and 3rd Carlos' lover. But when reaching the door we see: 1st Carlo, 2nd Carlos' lover and 3rd Marcus.

Quotes:

Gianna: I think that a woman's gotta be independent so she can...
Marc: Oh, don't start with me about all that woman's stuff. It is a fundamental fact... men are different from women. Women are... weaker; well, they're gentler.
Gianna: They're what? Weaker? Gentler?
[howls in laughter]
Gianna: [Gianna stops laughing, stands and moves to the table, pushing things off of it]
Marc: What on earth are you doing?
[Sitting again and holding her arm up]
Gianna: Come on, Tarzan. Why don't you try me?
Marc: What's that?
Gianna: Indian wrestling.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Halloween II (1981)

Soundtrack:

Wild Session

Brilliant Shocker!

It is a very difficult job for me to pick between this and Suspiria as Argento's best work. Both are masterpieces in their own right. Deep Red is about a man that sees a murder committed and then tries to unravel the mystery of finding the killer. David Hemmings does a fine job in the lead as he walks the streets of an Italian city in search of this homicidal killer. As with most of Argento's work, the viewer should not try to make too much sense out of the plot, but rather enjoy the rich subtext and visual tapestry with which Argento paints the screen. The killings, most notably done with a hatchet, are inventive and decidedly gruesome. More than one time I found myself jump and wince(I suppose those are good things!) The acting, even though most dubbed, is very good. The set locations are very atmospheric as well. Argento's camera, however, is the principal character as it shows us all kinds of images related to plot and otherwise and reached into our subconscience for real meaning. This is first and foremost a visual film, and it certainly shows Argento's homage to his mentor's work, the films of Mario Bava.