Deep Red - Television Tropes & Idioms

Deep Red (or Profondo Rosso) is a Giallo movie from Dario Argento and easly his greatest work.

The story follows the main character, the music teacher Marcus Daly (Marc) who witness the brutal murder of a psychic medium, Helga Hulmann and, despite failing to rescue her, he glance a sight of the killer. With the help of a reporter, Gianna, his best friend Carlo and Dr Giordani, an associate of Helga, he tries to uncover this mysterious killer and stop him before he kills again.

The film was very popular not only in Italy, but also in Britain and America (whose version however is cut and shorter) and even in Japan, where it's known as "Suspiria" 2.

Deep Red contains examples of:

The Alcoholic: Carlo.
The Alleged Car: Gianna's car. It's amazing that it can still move, and in order to exit from it they must pass from the rooftop.
Amateur Sleuth
Ax Crazy: The killer. Bonus point for actually using a cleaver.
Axe Before Entering
Bowdlerised: The US version decided to cut all the romantic subplots, the funny scenes and also many bits from the murders. Of course, those cut were minimal, so the film is not too short.
Cat Scare: Or rather, Bird scare... and the poor things get Impaled with Extreme Prejudice to boot.
Creepy Child: Olga, the daughter of the abandoned house keeper. Among various things she has impaled a lizard with a needle, and the poor beastie is still alive
Dead Man Writing: The second victim, Amanda, manages to write the name of the killer on the humid walls, and later Dr. Giordani manages to read it.
Demonic Dummy: After Giordani hears the "Killer tune", a nightmarish mechanical puppet rush in the room giggling. After a brief pause, he crack its head open with the knife.
Designated Love Interest: Gianna to Marc.
The Ditz: Martha, Carlo's mother. Not So Harmless as she seems....
Dolled-Up Installment: In Japan, the film was released as "Suspiria part 2", despite being unrelated (and filmed several years before Suspiria)
Dude Looks Like a Lady: Carlo's lover. If it weren't for his bare chest, he could have passed for a woman.
Early-Bird Cameo: It's actually possible to see the killer (and spoil the movie) if you're really careful. The second time you'd watch the movie you'll know why.
Family Unfriendly Death: All the victims:
- Helga is chopped and stabbed to death with a large knife.
- Amanda is brutally beaten and drowned in a tub of hot water.
- Giordani is brutally beaten to a pulp, has his teeth smashed against a corner of the piano and is stabbed in the neck.
- Carlo. See also Humiliation Conga
Genre Savvy: When Marc hear the "killer tune" at the beginning he has the common sense to call for help and lock the doors. Also Giordani, who decide to pick up a large, curved dagger in order to protect himself. It doesn't work.
Genius Bruiser: Giordani, who keeps a curved dagger nearby and is ready in case.
Giallo
Hand of Death
Haunted House: "The House of the Screaming Child". It's just old, abandoned and creepy though. Uh, and the killer and her family lived here, why do you ask?
Hidden in Plain Sight: At the beginning, Marc see the face of the killer in a portrait/mirror. It's a blink-and-you-miss-it moment.
Hoist by His Own Petard: Giordani is finished off by his own knife and Martha is beheaded by her own necklace caught in a descending lift.
Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday: The film opens on christmas.
Humiliation Conga: A tragic one: Carlo flees from the police, falls from a high wall, limoing his leg, then is hit and stunned by a truck's rearview mirror, gets caught in said truck, is dragged along the street, hit his head and finally, when it stops, he has his head squished by the wheel of a car.
Ill Kill You: A creepy threat from the killer to Marc near the beginning.
Killer:" You won't get away from me, I'll kill you sooner or later!"
Intrepid Reporter: Gianna.
Ironic Nursery Tune: A major cause of Paranoia Fuel
Kill It with Fire: Carlo burn the House of The Screaming Child in order to cover the evidence of his father's death.
Knife Nut: The killer.
Momma's Boy: Carlo.
Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book: First a wall picture and then a drawing From Carlo, representing the moment when his mother murdered her husband who meant to send her in a clinic.
Obfuscating Stupidity: Marta, but it doesn't cover intelligence but rather udder madness.
Off with His Head!: Marta's horrorific doom, complete with Gory Discretion Shot
Psychic Powers: The first victim had them.
Red Herring: Olga. Also Carlo.
Serial Killer
Stepford Smiler: Under that ditzy face and mannerism, Marta hides the twisted mind of a psychotic killer.
They Know Too Much: The reason why so many people meet a gruesome end.
Walled Up Room Mystery: Inside the abandoned house. It's the room where Carlo's father was killed, complete with the rotting corpse.
What Could Have Been: Its original name was "La Tigre dai Denti a Sciabola" (The Sabre-tooth Tiger).
Wholesome Crossdresser: Carlo's "friend" Massimo. And is probably one of the nicest people in this movie.