Suspiria

Rating:
Summary: absolute perfection, not to be missed!
Review: one of the films that stays with you forever, a childhood favorite. i remember seeing this film when it first came out, still gives me the creeps to this day. this aside from the exorcist, could quite possibly be the most beautifully photographed horror film, ever. from beginning to end argento's relentless story telling keeps your senses glued to the screen. jessica harper's wide eyed performance is one that has to be seen to believe! the music by goblin is priceless, i highly recommend that you buy the 3 disc version. everything you ever wanted to know about the filming of suspiria is here, sans commentary. the new documentary is a definate plus as well as the awesome soundtrack. the sound will fill the room like no other film can, so cough up the extra cash, it's worth it. there are not too many films out there that can compare to the nightmarish beauty that unfolds in suspiria.

Rating:
Summary: does the musical score sound muffled to anyone else?
Review: I bought this dvd limited edition with much anticipation and was disappointed by the sound quality of the musical score. Anyone familiar with this movie knows that the music is a major part of the Suspiria experience. The picture quality, dialogue, and sound effects are fine, but the musical score sounds muffled and was quite annoying to me. This is particularly noticeable on chapters 4 and 15. I am a very big fan of this movie and was hoping the music would be overwhelming as it has been on past viewings on VHS. I have already contacted Anchor Bay at www.AnchorBayEntertainment.com and I suggest others to do so as there may be a widespread problem such as with their "Opera" dvd that had to be recalled. I was instructed to return my dvd to them and they would send a new one, but if the problem is being had by others like reviewer "Mr. Peter M. Skinner" then maybe something more needs to be done. The movie is excellent, but this dvd sound quality is lacking. Please check your sound if you have already purchased this disc and if you have a sound problm please email Anchor Bay to let them know this is not an isolated incident. Also, maybe post a note on this review site. Thanks.

Rating:
Summary: disappointed
Review: the 2 stars are for the soundtrack I have been waiting eagerly for this DVD to hear it in DTS surround. Even up on volume 15 the music is struggling to get thru. It sounds so very suppressed. The music on the soundtrack is better. I remember seeing this movie 24 yrs ago and the music was deafening in the theatre.
Apart from that the picture quality is excellent with vibrant color. Shame about the sound

Rating:
Summary: May be Argento's best
Review: Colorful, stylish, and brutal. Argento has always been known for his lavish imagery, and Suspiria is the film that gave him that reputation. Bright primary colors (enhanced by the technicolor film process) give this film a surreal, garish feel. Don't expect any well structured plot, the gallio genre of horror films is know for the duality of weak plot/strong imagery, and Suspiria is no exception. The 3 disk special edition has a ton of extras, encluding an informative documentary and (more importantly) a cd copy of the amazing, atmospheric soundtrack by Goblin.

Rating:
Summary: Style over substance...
Review: is an understatement! A boring plot line, tiresome special effects (which, by the way, DO NOT stand the test of time), and poor lighting throughout make this a movie I would line up to miss. The only redeeming scene is the fall through a stained glass window, which is the only death in this movie that is worth watching in this ... attempt at the horror genre.

Rating:
Summary: The last word in fear.
Review: For those of us who think that Wes Craven is the master of the horror genre, we can think again. I'm speaking these words after watching "Suspiria," one of the most frightening and terrifying horror movies ever made. Created by Italian director Dario Argento, the movie manages to be menacing and gory at the same time, and Argento fills his canvas with a vast array of vivid yet bizarre colors, eerie lighting and camera techniques, and a soundtrack to top all horror soundtracks. In short, this is one hell of a scary movie!

The plot is a basic one, more of a vehicle for Argento's explorative imagination. It begins with a storm, as young Susy Banyon (Jessica Harper) arrives in Germany to attend ballet school. Argento wastes no time in creating a sense of unease, from her cab ride to the school, as she watches the colors of street lights in the pouring rain, to the gruesome and outright malicious murder of a runaway student. All of this happens within the first ten minutes, which should be a message of what lies ahead (in other words, be prepared).

The movie then takes us to the school itself, a dazzling array of vivid colors and elaborate set pieces that put the house in Robert Wise's "The Haunting" to shame. Susy is shown the many rooms and introduced to the staff and students, though discovers that she will be rooming off campus. That is, until she begins to get suspicious about strange occurrences, and the staff relocates her to the premises. Her suspicions mount higher, and she begins to wonder if there isn't more to the ladies that run the academy.

You may find yourself forgetting the plot behind all of this mayhem, but that's perfectly reasonable, given the fact that Argento seems to be more interested in attacking our minds than provoking them. And he succeeds in doing just that, taking us into the darkest depths of horror with his adept use of gore, bursting colors, camera movements and creepy sounds from all around.

This is extremely unsettling stuff here, some of the most elaborate yet unbearable set pieces ever constructed for a film. The beginning murder sequence is a true shocker, one that we see coming, but never in such a gruesome manner. Other sequences involve a blind man being attacked by his own seeing-eye dog, multiple stabbings, a girl's corpse coming back to life... it never stops.

But it all works due to Argento's ability to get under our skin before shocking us out of it. Before each scene of brutality, there is a wonderful buildup of suspense and terror, because even though we know what's going to happen, we're totally in the dark as to how it will occur. He keeps us waiting impatiently by employing a slowly building soundtrack, heightened by slow camera movements that center on the faces of the person involved.

"Suspiria" will remain in the memory long after its first viewing; in fact, you may never forget it. It stands out as a visionary masterpiece, one for the senses and the mind, a horror film that transcends the boundaries of the genre. I was intrigued by every minute of this film, which keeps you in the moment long after it's already passed.

Rating:
Summary: creepy and brilliant
Review: stunning visuals and camerwork combined with plain creepy music make for a great movie

Rating:
Summary: Interesting film
Review: One of Argento's better films along with Phenomena and Inferno. Not for squemish though, some of it literally makes your hair stand up on end :)

Rating:
Summary: Where are the sub-titles?
Review: An excellent transfer of a long awaited release. But while the original Italian soundtrack is included, there are no sub-titles! That would have made it truly definitive in my opinion, compare Deep Red w/subtitles, why short change us non-Italian speaking Italian movie affectionados. I mean, who do they think is buying this title?

Rating:
Summary: Get it while you can!
Review: I just want to say that the transfer quality is amazing. There is a sense of texture in the images that tape does not convey.
The second DVD is very helpful in explaining a bit about the symbolism that might otherwise go unrecognized. Having excerpts of the Goblin score re-mixed is a revelation. Also, the discussion helps put "Suspiria" in the context of horror films of the past that have inspired Argento.
Recommended for serious film lovers and collectors.