Deep Red
Directed by Dario Argento
- horror
- mystery
- thriller
The story
An English pianist living in Rome witnesses the brutal murder of his psychic neighbor. With the help of a tenacious young reporter, he tries to discover the killer using very unconventional methods. The two are soon drawn into a shocking web of dementia and violence.
What it’s like
Saturated primary reds and deep shadow dominate, with Argento's restless camera gliding through Roman apartments, stairwells and empty piazzas, often in tracking shots that circle a room before the next jolt of violence. Interiors are cluttered with art-nouveau bric-a-brac, mirrors, dolls and wallpaper patterns that seem to crowd the frame, while lighting shifts from theatrical colour to murky nighttime grey. The score by Goblin is the defining sound: a pulsing synth-and-prog theme and jagged stabs that spike the tension, with the odd lilting piano passage cutting against the dread. Its vibe is feverish, baroque and unsettling, closer to a nightmare with its own logic than a tidy puzzle. The pacing is deliberate in its build-up and then sharp and abrupt, with long stretches of wary investigation punctuated by graphic, startling killings; violence is frequent and often bloody, with stylised gore and some brutal knife and blunt-force moments, plus a sustained sense of fear and cruelty. The emotional register is anxious and obsessive, following a reluctant amateur sleuth who grows increasingly entangled with the danger. It suits viewers who enjoy giallo style, operatic colour and a rewarding soundtrack, not anyone seeking something gentle.
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