DEEP RED (1975)

aka "Profondo Rosso"
Director: Dario Argento

Synopsis: A British jazz musician in Italy witnesses the murder of a famous psychic through the window of her apartment. As more people start turning up dead, the musician teams with a reporter to solve the crime before the murderer gets him.


My take: I have seen this movie several times in the past, but I re-watched it to do this review and found myself not enjoying it as much as I used to. The major problem I had with it this time around were the lengthy, somewhat boring stretches between killings that mainly focus on the relationship of the musician and the reporter. While this provides a little humor and light-heartedness to a movie full of murder, it also makes the movie feel excessively long (this refers to the 126 minute version, I understand there are shorter versions that trim down the slow stuff). The things I have always loved about the movie are still there – the plot is one of Argento’s most coherent, the killings are great, and there are many wonderful visual moments throughout the film. And my favorite thing about it is the creepy way that you are shown the killer’s identity early on, where you might notice it on an almost subconscious level, but aren’t sure. It freaked me out the first time I saw the movie and it still freaks me out after multiple viewings. So, while the movie doesn’t work for me as well as it used to, it still has many strong points and is one of Argento’s better works.

Body count: 6 + a lizard + a bird

Best Death: So many to choose from, these are what really makes the movie –
• Throat impaled on broken glass
• Drowned in scalding, boiling hot water
• Dragged behind a garbage truck and then head run over
• Decapitated by an elevator
I can’t decide.

2 1/2 out of 4 Zombie Faces

MASTERS OF HORROR: JENIFER (2006)

Director: Dario Argento

Synopsis: Steven Weber of Wings fame stars in his big comeback role as a cop who saves a young woman, Jenifer, from being beheaded by a crazy man in the woods, only to discover that Jenifer is hideously deformed. Weber takes Jenifer in to care for her and subsequently lets her ruin his life. After Jenifer eats the family cat, his wife and kid leave. He sees this as a perferct opportunity to start sleeping with the deformed and retarded girl. Things continue to go down the tubes as he ends up a homeless drunk, trying desperately to rid himself of her.


My take: Based on a cool 10 page comic from the 70’s (see it here), turning Jenifer into an hour long piece is a bit of a stretch and it shows. The story is a bit thin in the middle, despite starting off pretty intense. Weber’s horrible lust for Jenifer is inexplicable, but the circular format to the episode is cool (Weber ends up trying to kill Jenifer by the end, only to be stopped by a hunter). Weber himself is responsible for the script, which may explain its weaknesses. Dario Argento directs this MOH installment and shows he is still struggling to recapture the success of his classic giallo days. I saw nothing in this episode that bore Argento’s once-distinctive mark, which is a shame since the MOH directors are given almost complete freedom to do what they want.

Favorite scene: The opening sequence where he saves Jenifer - once again, very intense and frightening.

Body Count: 3 + one cat

1 1/2 out of 4 Zombie Faces