Deep Red

My Horror Challenge 2023: Giallo! #2 My second Giallo movie watch and boy do I love this. My first was The Bird with the Crystal Plumage which was a fantastic introduction to the genre, but this? This has made me fall in love. Deep Red has everything: grisly murders, a killer in black, twists and turns and even a 'haunted' house! The protagonist this time around is Marcus Daly (David Hemmings) who witnesses a murder and is drawn into the obsession of solving the killings as the bodies start to pile up. My absolute fave is Gianna Brezzi (Daria Nicolodi), the feisty journalist who joins Marcus in the mystery. She's relentless, she's cheeky, she's a feminist who puts Marcus' casual misogyny in its place. What's not to love? Nicolodi met Argento here and they married shortly after, and had a child - Asia Argento - the following year. Nicolodi went on to star in more Argento movies after this and co-wrote Suspiria in 1977. Can't wait to see more of her. The score is amazing. It makes so many unique and bizarre choices, especially compared to the fairly predictable scores of modern thrillers, but it all works. Similarly, the stylistic choices Argento makes are just chef's kiss - the lighting, the composition, the set design, all perfect. And plenty of iconic moments that live on in your memory long after the credits roll. Love Deep Red. Love Giallo. More more more!