Deep Red | 100 Movies Bucket List

 

I'd never heard of this film, but it had a really interesting (if vague) premise, so I was looking forward to seeing it.

I liked this film.

It gets into the action right away - we're meeting characters, we're seeing murders, at 12 minutes in we're already invested.

I really liked the development of the relationship between the main character and the journalist. It's always interesting in horror movies when we get relationship development, whether romantic or platonic, in the midst of some horrific event. Sometimes these relationships are the most compelling when they're not the main focus of the story.

It has a really interesting score and soundtrack. It almost feels out of place with the tone of the film, but for some reason, it works. Not only is it memorable, but it underscores the scenes in a way that really makes you pay attention.

While looking up some of the background of the film, I saw that there was a significant difference between the original Italian version and the US version, which I watched. Most notably being that multiple things were taken out, taking the film from 126 minutes to 104. Apparently, what was removed were the most graphic, humorous, and romantic scenes.

I've always been really interested in the differences between European and American cinema, what's seen as graphic, what's classed as necessary, the different age ratings, and this film is a good example of what's considered palatable for different audiences. I feel like I need to find the original version and compare them.

The deaths are really inventive. They're not visually the most realistic from today's standpoint but they absolutely don't need to be.

So much happens in the film that you almost forget it's a murder mystery, so you don't spend time trying to actually work out who the killer is. I think this is really effective because when things start to come together, it almost comes as a surprise.

And the reveals are great. Not only unexpected, but so much fun. They make the story take a really interesting turn.

Overall, this was actually better than I expected - I'd definitely recommend it!