As with other Argento giallos, the accent in "Deep Red" is on the visuals: the artsy sets, the garish lighting, the tendency for the camera to dwell on brutal details. Images are stark, with high contrast in lighting. And there's lots of visual symmetry. Emotionally, "Deep Red" is cold, entirely appropriate, given that the theme relates to the psychological coldness of a killer.

But unlike "Suspiria", wherein the story is almost irrelevant, "Deep Red" has an intriguing premise, with a plot that, although slow to get going, is nevertheless coherent, and builds to a riveting finale. I was quite surprised at who the killer was. Clues are very subtle, but they're there, if you know where to look. There's a nifty plot twist toward the film's end. I like the visuals in all of the Argento films I have seen. But "Deep Red", more than others, has a better developed story line. As such, the film is my second favorite Argento giallo. My personal favorite is "The Bird With The Crystal Plumage".

Weak dialogue and weak characterization permeate Argento's films. But his fans don't seem to mind. I certainly don't. What I did find annoying in "Deep Red" was the background music. Most viewers like the sound of Goblin. But to me, the music was too frantic, and not really suitable for a thriller.

There are few contemporary horror films that compare to those of Dario Argento. His giallos are: Gothic, brutal, impressionistic, artistic, and sometimes surreal. "Deep Red" is one of the best.