[size=14pt]Profondo rosso [/size] 1975 Dario Argento
I understand why someone can not relate to Dario Argento films, like many Italian directors of the period, he had his own signature a trademark, like the work of a painter. That fact could be of great advantage in making unique films; the particular vision of Fellini, Visconti and others is so powerful that you would recognize who directed any o film by those directors, just by the images, so it happens with Argento.
The problem with this itās the lack of versatility but that is another story.
Argentoās late work is nothing special Non ha Sonno was Ok thanks to Von Sydow, and The third mother is perhaps his best work in years.
Actually this was one of the few Argento films that Iāve never watched in an appropriate way, the climax of the cinematographic path started with Lāuccello dale piume di cristallo or the animal trilogy that would lead to the other the famous sequence of films.
The script of the movie has the Fellini mark via Bernardino Zapponi, the usual writer for Fellini, but like in most of Argento films the story is not of importance, itās the scenes that matter, the all thing works like a theatre play with several acts, the story just holds things together, to deception us or to make us follow the correct path, as several clues are presented along the film.
The film comes with a view of nightmare and dreams, very well manipulated by Argento, perhaps I made a mistake when I mentioned theater, an operatic vision is a more truthful way to describe Argento work, particularly here, the libretto was indeed great.
Of course the character donāt exist outside this oniric world, thereās not what we can call characters study, they are there only cause of the story and donāt go any further, normally this could kill a film, the relation between Hemmings and Nicolodi is platonic at best, not explored at all, cause all it matters is the story, and like in other Argento films it works fine. Some scenes are strange coming out of nowhere, like the one when Hemmings wake up after being hit in the house, with Nicolodi nursing him like an Angel or a Devil we really canāt tell.
The only thing coming out, of this connection between both main characters is some going nowhere dialogue, not important for the story (once again the story rules), and some comic reliefs real funny by the way, like the one concerning Nicolodi car (an amazing Fiat 600, I think), or the picture of Hemming old girlfriend, maybe Nicolodi trying to say something to Argento in that scene.
So without many things normal in a film, oo me the all think works cause of the visual aspect of the film, its just plain great, the way the camera works, or how the death scenes are staged are a 10 out of 10, really amazing work. Iāve read somewhere that the photographic work of Argento was mostly influenced by painters like Giorgio de Chirico and US Edward Hopper, some of their work even appears in the film.
Also of importance is the soundtrack by legendary band Goblin, this film influenced other directors and set the standard in many ways for future slashers, one of those ways was in the way music was use in terror films, and those Tangerine dream soundtracks didnāt appear out of nowhere.
In terms of acting every bet here is winner, with many Italian actors with long careers in Theatre (letās not forget the starting scene of the film), even the then unknown Daria Nicolodi was a good bet, but Hemmings is particularly very good here, he suffered a bit from being recognized only as the Blow-up man, he was in several thrillers before this one, so it was a especially good choice for the part. I confess that for a long time I though he and Oskar Werner were the same actor.
The end with the usual twist is very well done, and the last death is pretty amazing and cruel at the same time.
So I confess Iām a sucker for every Argento film until Fathom of the opera, this one is no exception itās a fine work, maybe overlong (like an opera), but keeps your interest till the end, and visually itās a real feast for the eyes.
Sometimes form can overcome substance, if substance is present to us like a dream or a nightmare
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