2. Profondo Rosso/Deep Red (1975)
Arguably the best and most influential Giallo of all time, Profondo Rosso also stands alone as one heck of a horror film. It follows the adventures of Marcus Daly who gets caught up in a mystery following the death of a psychic. He is led into a sinister web of intrigue and murder surrounding an old house where a tragedy happened, and the secrets of the former inhabitants. Unlike Suspiria, Profondo Rosso is much more plot based, with each new development gripping the mind of the viewer and leading them more and more to the crux of the story. It works as both a Giallo and a horror film. What really scared me was the killer's theme tune (the children singing) and the horrid dummy/doll that appears just before the killer strikes. David Hemmings gives an excellent performance as the man caught up in this tragic entanglement of a movie. He also receives awesome support from Daria Nicolodi as his reporter girlfriend. As with Suspiria, there are plenty of visually stunning scenes and excellent use of colour to disturb the viewer. However, I disagree with Italian horror buffs who would place Suspiria ahead of Profondo Rosso. For me, Profondo Rosso is just as scary as Suspiria, albeit in a different way. The meatier plot line does Profondo Rosso a real favour compared to the bare bones of Suspiria. And I believe Argento's film style is less overblown than it is in Suspiria. Second to that, Profondo Rosso satisfies as a masterpiece of horror.