32. Deep Red (#73)

This week The Rotten Horror Picture Show takes its first trip abroad to visit the beautiful gore of 70’s Italian horror with a classic from one of the genre’s masters, Dario Argento’s Deep Red. Born from Italy’s tradition of Giallo films and books, Deep Red offers up a bloody good time full of wild dream logic, amazing locations, and one of the best horror soundtracks of the past 50 years.

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.

Join Clay and Amanda as they get in to the bloody details of a 20 minute lecture on class struggle, a 20 minute lecture on gender equality, chucky’s hot italian cousin, the hottest tap water in Italy, some truly excellent music, and a big helping of questionable parenting

Considered by many to be the mast of Italian Horror, Dario Argento follows in the footsteps of some great genre directors, mixing the stylistic visuals of Mario Bava with the tense, murder and suspense of Alfred Hitchcock, and puts a modern coat of blood red gore over the enitre package. Add to that the progressive, genre-bending music from Goblin, and what you’ve got is one of the most unique horror films of all time.

So get your creepiest automaton, draw some creepy cartoons on the walls, and hide amongst the paintings with us…if you DARE!