Suspiria (1977)


Directed by: Dario Argento

Release Date: 1977

The remake of this iconic seventies film will be released in October 2018 and I'm not excited about this. We are living in a time of remakes, reboots, and reimaginings but no original ideas anymore. Just a ton of the same. What makes this film, the first in the Mother's Trilogy, so unique is the acting, the bad dubbing, the lighting, the supernatural story, the deaths, and the fact that an American did not direct this. It was directed by one of a kind Italian director who influenced many movies, horror, and non-horror, in our time. This new film based on the trailer has all the elements of modern horror that I already hate.


The score of Suspiria was as rare as John Carpenter's original film score to Halloween and one of my contemporary horror favorites, It Follows. I couldn't get enough of the ethereal and lullaby-like sound by the band Goblin in each scene. As if this whole film was a terrible dream and we were watching a nightmare unfold before us at each turn. The score sets the atmosphere as soon as we meet Suzy (Jessica Harper) in the airport and runs out into the pouring rain into her taxi. Whatever good ever came from pouring violent rain in any film?

Suzy, our final girl, arrives at this ballet school and learns a student died the night before. The same girl she saw run out upon her arrival from the airport. The Headmaster, Madame Blanc (played by the unforgettable Joan Bennett), is firm and helps Suzy settle into the school. Suzy makes a friend, Sara (Stefania Casini), who, like Suzy, has a feeling there is something peculiar occurring in this school. The events that take place throughout the film, like the score, are like pieces of an acid trip that you can't stop staring at because the production design is so vibrant (red and blue), you're hypnotized.

While the dubbing is extremely noticeable throughout, it doesn't get in the way of your journey with Suzy to learn about the origins of evil that have taken hold at this academy. The whole thing seems preposterous but you're still watching and you want to watch it again. The death traps and the score are mind-blowing. Messed up shit! Captivated by its strangeness and weird visuals, I couldn't stop watching.

I don't think the new film will have the same charm but let's see what Luca's got. I'll support with a grain of salt. Watch the original, instead!




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