MovieChat Forums > Profondo rosso (1976) Discussion > Wasn't anyone else disappointed?

Wasn't anyone else disappointed?

posted 18 years ago by the_diggler
62 replies | jump to latest

I can't really understand why this movie is loved by so many, as it seems? I just saw it for the first time and I think it's a decent movie all and all but I sure didn't think it was scary. Sure, the atmosphere and the suspense is there most of the time but if that doesn't lead to a truly scary moment then I don't think it's scary, and I don't think I'm the only one who feels that way?

And as for the gore that some people ask about here, I don't think it's gory at all. Old effects that aren't fooling anyone and they really didn't show very much in detail from the killings.

I can understand why people thought this movie was scary and gory when it came out, but by the standards of today I just don't think it's scary anymore. Now it's just a decent movie.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] the_diggler 18 years ago

Sounds interesting! I think I will give Suspiria a chance then.

[–] Irish_pride 18 years ago

I was slightly disappointed too by the movie...mainly because of the death scenes. I thought they could have been much more brutal...I mean when the murderer rams that guy's teeth on the corner of a desk, we don't even feel the force of the blows. It's supposed to make us cringe and wince, not feel indifferent. A least the finale largely made up for it...lol. But anyways, it was still much better than any other horror movie I saw recently. Personnally, I prefer Suspiria and (YES) Phenomena (the latter being the best cut, not the crazy incoherent mess mind you).

[–] midnight_wanderer 18 years ago

Nope, after being a little dissappointed by Tenebre & very disappointed with Four Velvet Flies PROFONDO is by far one of his best. It has great music, great characters that the audience grows to like & the main guy never stops thinking about the killer. It was just one of his flawless movies to me but some of the others don't take the search for the killer as seriously & they tend to be more boring like Four Flies. I do agree though that Suspiria & Phenomena are better in a different way because they are supernatural forces doing the killing. I've always hated how good Argento is at making movies but then at the end the killer is a human no scarier than a fly but the witch in Suspiria is creepy as is the kid in Phenomena. I'd say watch Profondo again. I got a little tired the first time & watched it & I didn't really get into it but I've been in a Argento mood lately & I just watched it again & It's difinetely one of my favorites. I just loved the characters & their relationships & everything worked on that movie.

Don't wander into abandoned churches for Czakyr will grab you from underneath the watery grave.

[–] CMRKeyboadist 18 years ago

Unfortuanitly, I saw the american cut of the movie first and had no idea what was going so I didn't like it very much. I recently saw the 126 minute version of the film and I thought it made a lot more sense and I grew to really like this film. The acting is really quite good and the story is well done. I do agree the violent scenes are a bit dated but it dosen't take away from the story.

[–] AnnieHall88 18 years ago

I was disapointed that there was so much talking in the film and the scares were pretty far between, but overall it was a very good movie. I loved how Argento shot it. That ending was just so darn creepy.

My horror movie reviews Updated 4/14/06

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[–] spider3819 18 years ago

I just finally got through Deep Red after a few attempts to watch it (bad vhs widescreen copy) and I was as others some what disappointed.

Suspiria to me is one of my all time favorite films, not just Argento, so I guess I was expecting a lot.

I watched Deep Red a day or two after watching The Bird with the Crystal Plummage and I thought Crystal Plummage was a much more interesting film. Deep Red didn't have much going for it in my opinion and the climax was just so... blah... Though I thought the acting, music and a few scenes were pretty good. It just seemed like another (DON'T READ ON IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED DEEP RED OR CRYSTAL PLUMMAGE) misdirection the female is the killer recycled Argento plot. I don't know.

Next is on to Phenomena. Really want to see this. I heard some good things so... But I also heard really good things about Deep Red so... you never know...

[–] CMRKeyboadist 18 years ago

Phenomena is a good Argento flick with a great soundtrack. The acting is good and the climax is definitly bizarre. Worth seeing.

[–] tzamal 18 years ago

I can't find phenomena nowhere anyone could please suggest a site for downloading ?

[–] CMRKeyboadist 18 years ago

Have you checked out Anchor Bay yet? That is where I got my copy. Also, you can get a good copy of it on Ebay or Amazon.

[–] SCAREORAMA 17 years ago

I can't understand why certain folks on here were so disappointed by this film, not least by the "lack" of gore. After all, it was made in 1975 and you really need to bear that in mind; for its time, I reckon the movie was INCREDIBLY gory and violent. Hammer and Amicus Films were just about to fizzle out round about the same time and when you juxtapose Argento's gem with something like say VAULT OF HORROR by Amicus, there is absolutely no comparison!!

Peter, Scotland

[–] dumbski 17 years ago

try a site called 'torrent pond', it lists all the major torrent sites together, so you don't have to go to each. I believe btjunkie on there has phemomena. This is where i get all of my films ;)

ps. you'll need to download bitlord or something first, to get the file through.

[–] Stink_Face 17 years ago

No I disagree totally - The soundtrack to Phenomena is embarrassing - Why the damn heavy metal? It’s not even scary? What place does that type of music have in the film when Connelly is trying to escape through the tunnel? It's so out of place it's a joke. I think Goblin probably told him to stuff it and he went with the music he was listening to on his stereo at home, there’s no other reason as to why he would include this in the film.

I also feel that the Goblin score in Deep Red is off somewhat too, when a character is in a cat and mouse situation they suddenly blast on with a rare groove / funk soundtrack that totally undermines the terror/suspense of the scene. The only film that truly stands up to the praise heaped upon this man when it comes to music is Suspiria and that film is plagued with it’s own narrative, pacing problems to numerous to bore you with here, if you’ve seen it you all know what I am talking about. I am fond of Suspiria as I like to mix records on my turntables late at night, it’s a great film to put on with the sound on mute and mix away and look up every now and then and look at all the pretty colours.

I own most Argento films and still wonder why I keep buying them, there's a couple of his films that I 'enjoy' but that's as far as it goes, this guy is no 'master class' director, he's a hack at best who rips off his own ideas time and time again – the dummy in Deep Red and the midget doll in Sleepless anyone? I guess I keep buying them as I am an obsessive sort who’s on a mission to see all the horror films that you meant to see before I run out of time – There’s so many different films out there that I have yet to have the pleasure of seeing.

In addition, Dario is also a lousy script/screenplay writer and cannot tell a story to save his life, I am surprised he got a far as he did, no wonder he's not making films anymore besidesa guest short on Masters Of Horror, and don't get me started on the calibre of actors this guys utilised, does he even bother to try and motivate them?

[–] yohumbug 18 years ago

I love the look of Argento's films, but that's about it.

Deep Red; I agree is disappointing, but for me it was the dragging story not the thrills.

[–] stotesberries 18 years ago

I agree. The look of his films are great. His use of color and lighting are the high points of this movie. the plot? i wasn't expecting it to be so basic and straightforward. i thought the acting was extremely campy in english, and rather boring in italian; and the music? i've never heard anything less scary in my life. i mean, if there was ever any potential for this movie to be scary, it was most definately ruined by the cheesy upbeat jazz/funk that would play in moments where there should have been silence.

[–] paultagonist 17 years ago

I agree.. I've only seen Suspiria other than Deep Red, and the Goblin music was probably the most dissapointing in this one. The music seemed to overwhelm the scene instead of adding a little something extra to it. Silence would have been better about half of the time.. and I kind of dig Goblin's music.

The real trick to life is not to be in the know, but to be in the mystery. -Fred Wolf

[–] satanetto 18 years ago

I don't think people like Argento for the gore, maybe they did in the 70's.
I do think this is over-rated, compared to other Argento's movies. I also
think the quality of his movies can vary a lot. I would definitely put Suspiria
and Inferno, and Cat O Nine Tales, above this; and everything he made from 1980
on in a garbage bin.

[–] highlord_leader_apocalypse 18 years ago

I was disgusted at how bad the movie was. It was incredibly bad.

[–] splattaflix 18 years ago

my advice to anyone who didn't like the movie the first time: watch it again. I was (and am) a huge fan of Tenebre, so I thought i would like this for sure. But after the first time i watched it, i was very dissapointed in it. But after watching it a few more times, I see how brutal the murder scenes are, how fitting the music is, and how scary some of it is (the doll scene...brrr) so i reccomend you try it again ONLY WITH THE ANCHOR BAY VERSION!!!

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy"

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[–] The_King_of_Cool 17 years ago

This is the movie that made me an Argento fan.

I had seen his work prior well some. I saw Suspiria, Inferno and Tenebre. Thought they were ok.

I figured I would give Deep Red a chance I loved it!!! So I went back and viewed some of Argento's other work.

Now I'm a total fanboy. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, Tenebre, Suspiria and Deep Red would probably make my top 20 horror films.

Inferno and Trauma top 50 for sure. Even Stendhal Syndrome might make my top 50

I tried doing that once, making every minute count. It gave me a headache- Adrian Monk

[–] Clockwork_Droogie 17 years ago

I enjoyed this movie alot. I thought the story was very cool and unique. I'd seen Suspiria and Inferno before this one and enjoyed them as well. So, maybe in my eyes Argento can't do wrong, but I really liked this film.

Well my little Droogies, what's it gonna be then, eh?