Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Deep Red 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 30, 2021

Arrow continues to revisit some of its previous 1080 releases with new 4K UHD versions, though they are evidently firmly entrenched in their marketing strategy of not offering those 1080 discs as part of their 4K UHD releases. That said, the label is debuting some new supplements with this release which may help ameliorate any misgivings potential consumers who want both resolutions in one package may have about springing for this release.

As mentioned above, Dark Red had a previous 1080 release from Arrow a few years ago, and for those interested in more information, some can be found in my Deep Red Blu-ray review, a review which itself offers a few more links to other reviews of previous releases (both by Arrow and Blue Underground).

Deep Red 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 Blu-ray.

Deep Red is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Arrow Video with 2160p transfers in 2.35:1. Arrow's insert booklet contains the following information on the restoration:

Deep Red / Profondo Rosso is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 with Italian and English mono and Italian 5.1 sound and was restored by Arrow Films.

The original 35mm 2-perf Techniscope negative was scanned and restored in 4K resolution at L'Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna. A 35mm print of The Hatchet Murders was scanned in 4K for the opening titles of the English export version, while the various alternate English language insert shots unique to this cut were sourced from the original negative. Both the original Italian cut and the English export version were conformed at Arrow Films and graded in 4K HDR/Dolby Vision at Silver Salt Restoration, London.

Because the original negative was physically recut in 1975 to create the shorter English export version, it had to be reassembled to recreate the full length Italian version for this release. This included a handful of instances of cuts having been made mid-shot, with the two deifferent halves stored separately and subject to different levels of wear and tear. These shot have been restored to their full original length, with digital restoration tools employed to make the joins as seamless as possible, though some minor and unavoidable visual fluctuations may remain.

The mono mixes were remastered from the original sound negatives at L'Immagine Ritrovata. The audio synch will appear slightly loose against the picture, due to the fact that the dialogue was recorded entirely in post-production, as per the production standards of the period. English audio was never recorded for the scenes unique to the Italian version, and as such the English track reverts to Italian audio with English subtitles for these sections.

Arrow continues to impress with its 4K UHD release with Deep Red, with immediately noticeable upticks in detail levels, but especially a new level of nuance in highlights courtesy of HDR and/or Dolby Vision, which really give this presentation some interesting new gradations between oranges and reds, something that struck my eyes virtually from the get go. Arrow's excellent 1080 version had a beautifully suffused palette, as does this presentation (even more so, I'd argue), but I sometimes felt that the reds in the 1080 version skewed slightly toward orange territory, something that has at least been ameliorated here. HDR has also at least marginally improved some of the shadow detail in the darkest moments of the film. In that regard, Argento's blatant theatricality in his presentational approach here is aided by some really impressive blacks in the "theater" scenes, and his repeated use of close-ups offers really excellent levels of fine detail for the most part. While this version does look like it's gone even further in eliminating some of the already pretty minor nicks that were evident in the 1080 version, there are still a few "fluctuations" in quality, as mentioned above, though considering the gauntlet Arrow encountered in reassembling the long version, they're inconsequential in my considered opinion. Grain can look just slightly chunky and yellowish at times, but resolves naturally and gives a nice gritty account of the original texture without tipping over into anything overly problematic.

Deep Red 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This release offers the same audio options as the original 1080 release, and so I'm repeating my comments from my original review. The original version of Deep Red features Italian tracks in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio Mono, with a "hybrid" English/Italian track also available in DTS-HD Master Audio Mono (somewhat interestingly, the export version offers its English language track via LPCM Mono, though I noticed no real fidelity or amplitude differences between the two). The Setup menu has the following information about the tracks:

Although Deep Red was shot with the cast speaking English and post-synched into both English and Italian, no English audio exists for scenes removed for the shorter export version. This full length version can be viewed either entirely in Italian, or in a hybrid version which uses Italian audio in instances where no English audio exists.

I should just state up front that I'm not a big fan of the surround mix on this film, even though it considerably widens the excellent score by Claudio Simonetti. To my ears, it also adds too much reverb to provide a sense of spaciousness that's not actually "there", something that I personally found a bit distracting. The Italian mono track is quite nicely balanced, even if sync is almost comically loose at times, as tends to be the case in Italian films. The hybrid English/Italian track has a bit of brightness on the high end, something that can make even dialogue a little brash sounding at times. None of the tracks reveal any outright damage like distortion or dropouts. Optional English subtitles are available.

Deep Red 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Arrow has ported over some of the supplements from their Limited Edition 1080 release, along with some new supplements, indicated by an asterisk (*) below. Kind of interestingly (and maybe weirdly), they've changed which disc has certain supplements (see my original review, which can also help identify which supplements didn't make it to this release). Timings for some of the ported over supplements may vary by a second or two on the 4K UHD version from the timings listed below, which are reproduced from my original 1080 review:

Disc One

• Original Version (2160p; 2:07:14)


• Deep Into the Red* (1080p; 57:40) features a 2018 interview with Dario Argento and an archival interview with Daria Nicolodi. In Italian with English subtitles.


• The Medium Wore Black* (1080p; 20:55) is a 2018 interview with Macha Meril. In Italian with English subtitles.


• 16 Years in Red* (1080p; 46:31) is a 2018 interview with production manager Angelo Iacono. In Italian with English subtitles.


• Death Dies* (1080p; 14:47) is a 2018 interview with composer Claudio Simonetti. In Italian with English subtitles.


• Carlo Never Dies* (1080p; 15:32) is a 2018 interview with Gabriele Lavia. In Italian with English subtitles.


• I Am the Screaming Child* (1080p; 7:43) is a 2018 interview with Jacopo Mariani.


• Bloodstained* (1080p; 5:28) is a 2018 interview with Lino Capolicchio. In Italian with English subtitles.


• Trailers

  Italian Trailer (1080p; 1:47)

  
  

  US Trailer* (1080p; 1:30)

• Audio Commentary by Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson*


• Audio Commentary with Thomas Rostock is accessible under the Setup menu option.


• Image Galleries* (2160p)

  Posters

  
  

  Lobby Cards

  
  

  Promotional Stills

  
  

  Japanese Pressbook and Flyer

  
  

  Soundtracks

Disc Two

• Export Version (2160p; 1:44:53)


• Introduction (1080p; 00:23) is a very brief "hello" from composer Claudio Simonetti. This is accessible under the main Play Film menu option.


• Profondo Giallo (1080p; 32:57) is an excellent visual essay by Michael Mackenzie that explores themes and imagery, but which contains some potential spoilers.


• Archival Special Features

  Rosso Recollections (1080p; 12:26) features Dario Argento discussing the film.

  The Lady in Red (1080p; 18:47) is an interview with Daria Nicolodi.

  Music to Murder For! (1080p; 14:07) features composer Claudio Simonetti.

  Profondo Rosso: From Celluloid to Shop (1080p; 14:30) features Luigi Cozzi acting as a tourguide of sorts through the Profondo Rosso shop in Rome. Yes, evidently, there's a Profondo Rosso shop in Rome.

• US Trailer (1080p; 2:43)

Arrow continues its tradition of providing beautifully packaged releases with this 4K UHD Deep Red. The Limited Edition packaging comes with a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Obvously Creative, an illustrated collector's booklet that reprints the essays by Alan Jones and Mikel J. Koven included in the 1080 Limited Edition, along with new writing by Rachael Nisbet, a fold out double sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Obviously Creative, and six double sided postcard sized lobby card reproduction artcards.

Deep Red 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This is another generally impressive 4K UHD release from Arrow, though some fans may quibble that not only are no 1080 versions included, but that not all of the supplements from the previous version made it to this one. That said, Arrow has gone the extra mile by compiling new and rather lengthy supplements for this version. Technical merits are solid, and Deep Red 4K comes Highly recommended.