Deep Red 4K Ultra HD Review

THE MOVIE — 3¾/5

Plot Synopsis: A psychic medium (MACHA MÉRIL) is brutally murdered, and musician Marcus Daly (DAVID HEMMINGS) feels a need to solve the case, since he was the one who discovered the body. Working with him is reporter Gianna Brezzi (DARIA NICOLODI), who hopes for a big scoop by solving the case. When one of Marcus’s own friends ends up murdered at the hands of the same killer, the resourceful pair realize they must work fast to uncover the murderer’s identity or they might serve as the maniac’s next victims.

Quick Hit Review: Deep Red is considered one of Dario Argento’s crowning achievements, perhaps only behind Suspiria which was released only two years later. I considered that movie to be more style over substance and while there are certainly some stylish direction, with a lot of great camera movements and close-ups on odd objects, but I did find the story to be a tad stronger, although things like the romance plotline (which was excised in the Export Version) was unnecessary and awkward as the two leads only just met and within probably a week or two have plans to drive from Italy to Spain.

The film, as it does with most giallo movies, does stretch the suspension of disbelief as we have a lead playing amateur detective, following clues to a murder when the local police are often hapless or entirely non-existent. Also, there tend to be stretches where nothing happens and same goes here where there was a good 10 minutes where my attention span waned a bit. That said, when there is killing, the movie picks up quite a bit with some gnarly gore effects, none better than the finale with not one but two kills that was disgusting yet also wonderful. Really impressive not only for that era but works so well even today.

As a whole, Deep Red is one of the better giallo films I’ve come across since I really started watching over the last 5+ years or so. There is still some gaps in logic (like how or why the killer would seal in a room rather than get rid of a body) but even with the slower moments and ineffective romance side-plot, this is a solid entry in Dario Argento’s extensive filmography.

SPECIAL FEATURES – 5/5

Disc One:

Audio Commentaries

• Critics Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson (NEW)
• Argento Expert Thomas Rostock

These two tracks are of the educational variety giving different perspectives. The first, and new to this release, features a couple commentary stalwarts that I’ve come across in other Arrow and, if I recall, Kino Lorber while the second, which was also on the 2018 Blu-ray, provides more specific info on Dario Argento.

Interviews:

• Deep Into the Red (57:40) —Director Dario Argento and archival interview with Actress Daria Nicolodi
• The Medium Wore Black (20:55) — Actress Macha Meril
• 16 Years in Red (46:31) — Production Manager Angelo Iacono
• Death Dies (14:47) — Composer Claudio Simonetti
• Carlo Never Dies (15:32) — Actor Gabriele Lavia
• I Am the Screaming Child (7:43) — Actor Jacopo Mariani
• Bloodstained (5:28) — Actor Lino Capolicchio who was Argento’s original choice for Marcus Daly

A good selection of participants and each one of those involved with the production give their memories of the film and some background on their careers. Pretty impressive they interviews the child actor who had a relatively small, though important, part.

Also included is the Italian Trailer (1:47), 2018 Arrow Video Trailer (1:30) and 5 Image Galleries (posters, lobby cards, promotional stills, Japanese pressbook and flyer, and soundtracks)

Disc Two:
Profondo Giallo (32:57) — Visual essay by Michael Mackenzie featuring an in-depth appreciation of Deep Red, its themes and legacy.

2011 Introduction by Claudio Simonetti (0:24)

Profondo Rosso: From Celluloid to Shop (14:28) — Tour of the Profondo Rosso shop in Rome with longtime Argento collaborator Luigi Cozzi.

Rosso Recollections (12:24) — Director Dario Argento discusses his most celebrated giallo.

Interviews:

• The Lady in Red (18:45) — Actress Daria Nicolodi
• Music to Murder For (14:05) — Goblin’s Claudio Simonetti

U.S. Trailer (2:44)

VIDEO – 5/5

Per the notes in the booklet: Deep Red was scanned and restored in 4K from the original 35mm 2-perf Techniscope negative. A 355mm print of The Hatchet Murders (alternative title) was scanned in 4K for the opening titles for the English export version, while the various alternate English-language insert shots unique to this cut were sourced from the original negative. Both versions were graded in 4K HDR/Dolby Vision. Because the original negative was physically recut in 1975 to create the export version, it had to be reassembled to recreate the full-length Italian version for this release.

So with the technical aspects out of the way, this new 2160p high-definition picture, presented in the film’s original 2.35 widescreen aspect ratio, looks absolutely fantastic. The detail here is sharp and very well defined, the natural film grain and noise has been retained. Colors appear nicely balanced and black levels were stark without appearing crushed. In addition, this appears to be a clean transfer, free of artifacting, aliasing or other flaws. Doing a quick comparison with the 2018 Blu-ray, this one is a hint better as you can discern some better detail although can’t say the HDR helped all that much (this one does included Dolby Vision but I don’t have the equipment to decode).

AUDIO – 4½/5

The original Italian version comes with three options. The first is an Italian-language DTS-HD MA Mono, second Italian-language DTS-HD MA 5.1 and the third is an English-Italian hybrid DTS-HD MA Mono, where there is Italian dialogue (with English subtitles) for the scenes that was unique to the Italian version since English audio was never recorded for them. In any case, the dialogue does come across with good clarity and whichever option you choose, the ambient noises was discernible, even the natural room noise. Really well done although I’m sure this is these are the same tracks from the 2018 Blu-ray release.

OVERALL — 4¼/5

Deep Red, flaws and all, is a top-tier giallo film co-scripted and directed by horror-maestro Dario Argento, featuring some impressive gore and make-up effects. This 4K Ultra HD release comes with a great selection of bonus material (most ported over from the 2018 LE Blu-ray) and has excellent video and audio transfers.