Deep Red
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- Release Date: March 7, 1975
- Directed by: Dario Argento
- Written by: Dario Argento and Bernardino Zapponi
- Runtime: 2 hours 7 minutes
Deep Red is often considered one of the best giallo films ever made. The fifth film by director Dario Argento, the movie came four years after the conclusion of his unofficial "Animal Trilogy", which consisted of The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, The Cat o' Nine Tails, and Four Flies on Grey Velvet. I first saw this movie when I was watching through Argento's filmography in chronological order, and while I love the Animal Trilogy a lot, I personally think of this movie as the culmination of his skills that he honed during the making of those previous films.
Deep Red follows your typical giallo formula: an everyman witnesses a gruesome murder by a mysterious figure dressed in black, and gradually follows clues to try to find who the murderer is. If you've seen at least a few giallos, that plot synopsis may seem a little run-of-the-mill, but don't be fooled. There are several things here that make this movie such an iconic one. For starters, I really love the dynamic between the film's protagonists. Our main character, Marcus, is a music teacher who obviously had no intention of getting mixed up in this mystery. His counterpart is Gianna, a news reporter who wants to get to the bottom of the case. Their personalities bounce so well off of each other; Marcus is reserved at first, while Gianna is outgoing and lively. She's very confident in herself and her abilities, even beating Marcus in an arm wrestling match to prove she's as strong as him. This humbles Marcus, and the two form a very close team. There's a lot of flirtation in their relationship, and the two gradually grow closer, but an explicit relationship is never formed between them. You get the feeling that they really respect each other and their abilities. Since the films in the Animal Trilogy focused on either solo or dual male protagonists, this male-female equal dynamic is a nice change of pace.
This movie is very famous for its visuals, and for good reason. Dario Argento's formula for bright, vivid colors and sweeping camerawork is perfected here. Each murder scene features frantic close-up shots of violence and gore, and the bloodshed is so colorful that the blood looks like bright red paint. There are also many shots that feature the camera either swooping around the crime scene to show everything off, or simply flying over inanimate objects that are symbolic of characters and murders yet to come. It's a unique touch compared to Argento's previous giallos. The kills also take some unexpected turns, with one scene featuring a motorized doll as a distraction that was never previously mentioned nor ever mentioned again. I'm not sure what the significance of that doll is, but it makes for a memorable image, and I think that was the point. Argento's films are known for burning their images into your head. He cares a lot more about striking you with a disturbing and memorable experience, rather than explaining every single detail of the story.
Probably the most memorable thing about this film is its soundtrack by Italian progressive rock band (and one of my favorite bands of all time), Goblin. Goblin had formed in 1972, and after recording one album under the name Cherry Five, they spent the next few years recording film and television soundtracks written by other composers. Argento hired Goblin for the film after he was unhappy with the original composer's work. While a couple of the original composer's compositions were still used by Goblin, the band wrote and recorded the main theme for the film, as well as songs that are used during the murder and investigation scenes. This marked the first film score done under their name, and it's easy to see why it was so successful. The music sounds unlike any other giallo score for the time, featuring lots of jazzy drums and bass lines, and frantic keyboards and guitars on top of that. Aside from the film's main theme, the murder theme "Death Dies" is another major highlight. As you're being shocked by glass shards to the throat or watching someone drowned in scalding water, you'll be tapping your foot and bobbing your head to the music the entire time. It's a frantic soundtrack that perfectly matches the quick-cut graphic violence. Deep Red would kickstart Goblin's career, leading them to not only more soundtrack work and later collaborations with Argento, but amazing non-soundtrack albums of original music as well.
Deep Red has the reputation it does for a reason. The protagonists are memorable, the storyline is full of twists, the kills are shocking, and the music is extremely catchy and fun. While it's not my favorite Argento film, it perfected all of the flairs that he would later use on films such as Suspiria, Tenebrae, and Opera. If you've never seen a giallo film before, this one is a fantastic introduction!