Deep Red, Edward Hopper, and the Blue Bar

Deep Red, Edward Hopper, and the Blue Bar

Dario Argento’s masterpiece, Deep Red, has been discussed for decades, covering countless topics related to the film.

But did you know about the connection between an iconic scene in the film and the great artist Edward Hopper?

That’s right—the iconic Blue Bar where Carlo (Gabriele Lavia) performs was specially set up for the film and, despite being located in Piazza C.L.N. (Turin), never actually existed. The location was conceived and realized as a clear homage to Edward Hopper’s painting Nighthawks, so much so that during the scene, the actors remain almost immobile, giving that sense of stillness typical of pictorial art.

This stillness will soon clash with the intense scenes of Helga the medium’s murder and the film’s subsequent pivotal scene, where Marcus (David Hemmings), walking down the famous corridor, will see the well-known eerie paintings…

Returning to the bar, it features a classic design, with soft lighting and an intimate atmosphere, characterized by large windows that allow a clear view of the interior from the outside, creating a voyeuristic effect similar to that of the famous painting.

As in the aforementioned and famous painting, the Blue Bar has large windows that create a sense of separation and observation between the inside and the outside, with warm and welcoming interior lighting contrasting with the darkness outside, evoking the sense of urban isolation typical of Hopper’s works.

The Blue Bar in Profondo Rosso is a key location that helps create the film’s atmosphere. The bar is significant for the interactions between the characters and for the atmosphere of isolation and tension. The parallels with Edward Hopper’s paintings reinforce the sense of alienation and vulnerability that permeates the film.

CLICK HERE to watch the Blue Bar scene in Profondo Rosso