The love affair I have with this film is deep and long (not red!). Like many of us film fans, we start young and we start with films that our parents show us. Then we move to our friends. Then we move on to directors. Finally the (then at least) magazines or book. This film was all about the name. Director Dario Argento. The orchestrator of horrors both visual and visceral, had then a tainted but rich catalogue. DEEP RED was high on the list and I lucked out to see it aged 15 on a VHS from, I believe, Germany.

WHATS IT ABOUT?

The drill here, is not to rehash the plot. Musician Marcus Daly (David Hemmings), witnesses a brutal attack on a woman and a vicious end. Marcus reaches the scene to find the perpetrator gone. All fingers point to him. He looks for the killer and ends up in a bizarre web of mystery of death, hidden rooms and odd wind up toys. You all know this. Even if you have not seen it. You might even know the score, by regular Argento collaborators Goblin. Driving deep and hard, with an astringency. But this is another commitment to spend your money and maybe it could be a bridge to far?

WHY SHOULD WE WATCH IT FOR HALLOWEEN?

For a possible Halloween film comes this masterpiece. Its a mystery that pays off and perplexingly, leaves you wanting more.

WHAT SHOULD WE LOOK OUT FOR?

Two versions are available and that means for us, watch both and the theme is bloody and classic giallo thrills!

Now we must speak of the discs that you will be spending all that money on. Well firstly, the Original version. The better version and vision in my opinion. This has the 4K UHD treatment and supersedes its previous release from Arrow vastly. That was pretty solid. I liked it so much from the review copy that I went and bought the actual disc. Now I will do so again. Clarity wise, it steps up the 1080p transfer of the 4K master (which this is sourced from). Rooting out the few blown up issues and that rather sad looking light issue on the infamous clockwork clown scene. Sound wise, it keeps to the prior soundscape. The Italian audio is better but then that is the original, original. So to speak. Not to upsell it too much more but the extras are solid. Most we have seen before but I rather enjoyed the ‘New audio commentary by critics Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson.’ I like Howarth. He has the personality, knowledge and presentation of a fan but the respect of the academic. Thompson is his equal. He knows the film like his hand and gives the insights and detail from Howarth, the parry and reposition they deserve.

Then secondly the Export, Bootleg or as some call it, the best version. This looks stunning. Eye wateringly good. I might be a little hostile to the film as a complete version but I am in respect of this release. Michael Mackenzie video essay is a masterpiece and I think it was on the previous release. This should be stated though, Buy this and leave the older copy behind.

DISC 1 (4K ULTRA-HD BLU-RAY) – DEEP RED: ORIGINAL VERSION

Restored original lossless mono Italian and English soundtracks*
Optional lossless 5.1 Italian soundtrack
English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack
New audio commentary by critics Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
Archival audio commentary by Argento expert Thomas Rostock
Almost three hours of new interviews with members of the cast and crew, including co-writer/director Dario Argento, actors Macha Méril, Gabriele Lavia, Jacopo Mariani and Lino Capolicchio (Argento’s original choice for the role of Marcus Daly), production manager Angelo Iacono, composer Claudio Simonetti, and archival footage of actress Daria Nicolodi
Italian trailer
Arrow Video 2018 trailer
Image galleries
DISC 2 (4K ULTRA-HD BLU-RAY) – DEEP RED: EXPORT VERSION

Restored original lossless mono English soundtrack
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Archival introduction to the film by Claudio Simonetti of Goblin
Profondo Giallo – an archival visual essay by Michael Mackenzie featuring an in-depth appreciation of Deep Red, its themes and its legacy
Archival interviews with Dario Argento, Daria Nicolodi, Claudio Simonetti and long-time Argento collaborator Luigi Cozzi
US theatrical trailer *The English audio track on this original cut has some portions of English audio missing. English audio for these sections was never recorded for these scenes. As such, they are presented with Italian audio, subtitled in English