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“Night brings terror. Strange, alien forms move restlessly across the face of the earth. Fear, horror and death follow in their wake. The sky is dark; the moon has not yet risen; the stars seem too frightened to shine ..." --- Drake Douglas (introduction to Horrors)

Horrorphile - October 2007

Suspiria

October 25th 2007 01:02
Suspiria movie poster
Those of you who have been following the progression of my blog, Pleasure of Nightmares, will have been anticipating my review of this landmark modern horror film for some time. It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of director Dario Argento, a true auteur.

But Argento is an acquired taste, and for all those who relish his visual expressionism and lurid approach to screen violence, there are just as many who pan his illogical narratives and over-the-top set-pieces. Suspiria (1977), the first part of his "Three Mothers" trilogy about witchcraft and the occult, is without a doubt his most famous film. It frequently features in critic’s and horrorphile’s lists of all-time favourite horror movies.
Suspiria Jessica Harper taxi
A taxi takes Suzy Banyon (Jessica Harper) to the dance academy
Probably the single most obvious reason why it is regarded so highly by connoisseurs of modern horror (and even by some who wouldn’t normally think of themselves as horror nuts), is the film’s atmosphere. The movie is drenched in a dreamy, frighteningly effective atmospheric realm provocatively and dangerously close to that of a real nightmare.
Suspiria barbed wire room
Miss Tanner (Alida Valli) scolds her blind piano player
Cap it off with the intense and resonating score by Italian prog rock outfit Goblin (which Argento would have blasting at deafening volume on set during the shooting of the movie), the extraordinary Gothic production design by Giuseppe Bassan and the fantastic cinematography by Luciano Tovoli (the film was printed using the Technicolour 3-strip process and thus appears to be mostly shot in primary colours). These key elements, helmed by the feverish direction of Argento combine to make Suspiria a cinematic tour-de-force.
Suspiria Stefania Casini, Jessca Harper and Barbara Magnolfi
Sara (Stefania Casini), Suzy and Olga (Barbara Magnolfi) confide
The synopsis of Suspiria (the title of which translates as "sighs" or "whispers") is fairly straight forward: a young American girl Suzy Banyon (Jessica Harper) arrives in Germany one dark and stormy night to attend a famous ballet academy. Literally upon her arrival a tragedy is unfolding, as a panicked student flees from the building muttering nonsense about irises and secrets. Later that student is brutally murdered in one of modern horrors legendary set-pieces.
Suspiria Udo Kier and Jessica Harper
A dapper Udo Kier as Doctor Mandel with Suzy
Suzy quickly befriends a couple of her fellow dance students; Olga (Barbara Magnolfi) and Sara (Stefania Casini), after being acquainted with the academy’s stern head instructor Miss Tanner (Alida Valli) and the head of the academy, the mysterious Madame Blanc (Joan Bennett), and later, the good doctor (Udo Kier).

One night Suzy and Sara discover that the teachers, whom they thought left the academy at the end of each day, are in fact retreating to a covert section of the huge building. There is something very strange going on, something very ominous. Could the academy really be hiding something far, far sinister: a coven of witches?
Suspiria swimming pool
The swimming pool at night: pretty, but ominous
Argento’s original screenplay dealt with much younger students, aged no older than 12, however the studio and his father (who was producing) insisted the girls be older so as not to provoke outrage from censors over young children and extreme violence. But the occasionally childlike dialogue and naïve behaviour of the students still reflects the original screenplay’s intent. Also, the doorknobs within the academy are positioned much higher than they should be giving the impression of children having to reach up to open the doors.
Suspiria Jessica Harper primary colours
Red and blue, they're after you
Nastiness aside, it’s not the ultra-violence that makes Suspiria so unsettling - in fact the special effects make-up is pretty dodgy and the scarlet blood looks more like bright red paint – but the use of light and shadow, the vivid pulsating colours (think artist Goya on acid), the throbbing dissonant Goblin soundtrack, and the utter despair for the characters that they are trapped which echoes in the mind and dances on the retina. The dance academy becomes a kind of black hole sucking those that eavesdrop, those that pry, those that dabble where they shouldn’t, into the depths of Hell.
Suspiria Alida Valli
The uber-nasty barbed-wire room!
Suspiria describes the realm of the first of the Three Mothers; Mater Suspiriorum (represented in the movie as the founder of the academy Helna Markos), while the second part Inferno (1980) deals with Mater Tenebrarum, and the long awaited third part, La Terza Madre (2007), released this month in Italy, portrays the evil of the eldest, the Mother of Tears, Mater Lachrymarum.
Suspiria Jessica Harper painted room
Suzy delves deeper into the arcane academy
The original VHS cover to Suspiria, depicting the hanging, blood-soaked corpse of victim Pat Hingle (Eva Axén) used to becking to me every time I went to the video store, but there was an anomaly about it; the strange title, the garish image; it seemed to push me away too, like opposing magnets. Eventually a friend of mine and I hired it and watched it late one night while we babysat my younger brothers. We were fifteen and the movie freaked the hell out of us!
Suspiria Jessica Harper peacock
The whispers grow louder ...
No other horror director has ever managed to duplicate the same nightmarish intensity or clarity of surrealism that Argento achieved with Suspiria. Some have come close, but they’re either more abstract, like David Lynch’s Eraserhead (1976), or more of a genre hybrid, like Don Coscarelli’s Phantasm (1978). Suspiria will forever by regarded by the True Believers as the seminal nightmare film, the ne plus ultra of bad dreams.

I've resisted posting actual clips from the movie, instead here are the two trailers; the classic US version and the expressionist European version:


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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews
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6 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by KylieW

October 25th 2007 02:03


Celebrity Obsession
There is NO WAY I would go swimming in that pool at night. Very creepy and just looks like very bad things happen there.

Haven't seen this film, but know how highly you regard it. One day when I'm in the mood to be scared witless, I may hire it (you certainly didn't steer me wrong with The Thing)

Comment by Damo

October 25th 2007 03:47


For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
I do want to see film.
I will one day.
Is Goblin, is Good!


Comment by Bryn

October 25th 2007 04:28


Horrorphile
Kylie, I'll be interested in your opinion when you get round to watching this ... If my review of The Thing worked a charm, then this should work a treat.

Damo, my good man, do yourself a dark little favour and watch this. But not with the kids! Even if the colours do look pretty.

Comment by Cibbuano

May 13th 2008 05:55


20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
absolutely incredible... if you haven't seen this, follow Bryn's advice and watch it.... horror fans will be thrilled.

Even though the end disappoints in some ways, it almost reaches a fever pitch of terror, no?


Comment by Bryn

May 13th 2008 07:12


Horrorphile
Cibby, yes, indeed ... The ending is a little lame, I must admit, but the journey there is so good you forgive Argento for not quite delivering the goods. It's being remade, dare I say it ... due for release next year. God forbid.

Comment by Cibbuano

May 14th 2008 01:43


20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
may Bog have mercy on us all...

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