If You Love Shocking Horror, Stream Dario Argento’s ‘Deep Read’ on AMC+

50 years ago, Dario Argento shocked audiences the world over with Deep Red. The fourth in a series of Giallo films, a subgenre of Italian thrillers named for the yellow-covered crime novels from which many took inspiration. Deep Red was not only sensational, but it marked a unique turning point in the director’s career. Deep Red would be the first time he would collaborate with Italian prog-rock group Goblin for a soundtrack, and he would formulate a long-lasting partnership both on and off-screen with star Daria Nicolodi. Deep Red contains many facets familiar to fans of Argento, such as an intricate use of color and camerawork that have long been associated with the director’s signature style.

Deep Red is much more than an ordinary crime thriller that thrives on mystery and intrigue. Argento explores the lingering effects of childhood trauma and the private lives of individuals that exist beneath the surface. The director also creates a subtle commentary on gender roles. Bolstering these themes is a stylized presentation of murder. Now that Deep Red is streaming on AMC+, many new viewers have the opportunity to dive into a web of intrigue, murder, and madness.

A common formula for many Giallo films is the ordinary individual who finds themselves wrapped up in an extraordinary situation, most notably a murder investigation. For concert pianist Marcus Daily (David Hemmings), this is precisely what happens when he stumbles upon the murder of telepath Helga Ulmann (Macha Meril). Similar to Argento’s debut thriller, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Marcus watches helplessly, the victim’s fate visible behind a glass window. Marcus is quite the unlikely protagonist of a crime thriller, as Hemmings portrays the role with a posh English demeanor, something that will be the exact opposite of his co-investigator in a series of murders to follow, journalist Gianni Brezzi (Daria Nicolodi).

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Gianni and Marcus are almost complete polar opposites of one another, which allows Argento to inject a comedic and lighthearted look at gender roles. Some critics of Argento and the Giallo genre altogether have made accusations of misogyny, something Argento would address in his semi-autobiographical Giallo film, Tenebrae. Gianni is the more dominant figure in the duo of her and Marcus. Beating him in arm wrestling after Marcus complains about the Women’s Liberation Movement. In one particular scene that illustrates the dichotomy of their partnership, Marcus sinks down in the front seat of Gianni’s car, with her literally being elevated above him. Their investigation will lead them both on a journey that takes them behind closed doors and into the buried secrets that relate to childhood trauma.

Death and the Lingering Effects of Childhood Trauma

From the very beginning, Deep Red establishes a theme that will be consistent throughout the film: the fallout and post-traumatic existence that comes from childhood. First established in an opening sequence that takes place on Christmas morning, with a knife and a man falling dead at a child’s feet, this concept will play into many of the crimes that take place. Several interlinking shots have Argento’s cameras grazing over several toys, and when victims are dispatched, they’re done so in a way that’s akin to childhood and also far more visceral and violent than in the director’s previous efforts.

The murder sequence that’s most commonly associated with Deep Red is one involving a mechanical doll that visits a prominent researcher assisting Marcus with the case. Years before Child’s Play and the appearance of Jigsaw, the doll, who serves as a brief distraction before the murder, further establishes the link between childhood and the series of grisly murders that occur throughout Deep Red. Even a creative murder sequence that utilized a bathtub of scalding water is accompanied by hanging children’s toys, an indication of the madness fueled by trauma.

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Besides the link between childhood and murder, Argento pushes the boundaries of artistic presentation in how these deaths are carried out. Many crime thrillers of the time period emphasized engaging the audience’s imagination when a victim was dispatched or toned down the levels of violence. Argento leaves very little to the imagination, with the vicious cuts, drowning, and decapitations presented in their entirety to shock the audience to their core. Unlike many slasher films that would come to dominate the 1980s, Argento’s use of violence, and even that of Mario Bava’s Bay of Blood, doesn’t detract from the impact of the overall atmosphere and suspense. In fact, they amplify the curiosity of the audience, who are continually asking themselves not just what might happen next but also who is the real culprit behind the violence brought on by complete madness.

A Unique Thriller Turning 50

For over five decades, Dario Argento has crafted a web of intrigue in his films, which have not only presented us with images unique to the canon of horror but also probed themes of obsession, violence, and voyeurism. Deep Red was a watershed achievement for the director and one that proved that the Giallo film had the means to explore complex themes and, at the same time, push the boundaries when it comes to the means by which violence is depicted on screen. With Deep Red celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, it’s the perfect time to watch one of the greatest Giallo films by one of the genre’s most talented minds.