Suspiria

Rating:
Summary: "SUSPIRIA"-Dario Argento's stylishly artistic masterpiece!
Review: Okay, to all those fans of the Italian horror genre (or 'giallo' films as some would call them) I'd like to say that I am a longtime fan of horror movies and am also new to the Italian horror genre. I'd have to say as strange as it is, "Suspiria" (1977) was actually the first one to get me into the Italian horror films. Considering that I personally do NOT like any of Lucio Fulci's work (e.g. "Zombie") Dario Argento is quite better and the atmosphere of his movies are a lot better to draw you into.

Jessica Harper (a very talented actress indeed!) plays the heroine, Suzy Banyon, a young female American ballet dancer who attends a German dance school run by the mysterious Madame Blanc and Miss Tannr (given eerily performances by Joan Bennett & Alida Valli) From there, all hell breaks loose as horrific "accidental" deaths occur as many individuals are picked off one by one by an unseen supernatural entity. There are numerous secret passageways in the school (my favorite being the rose painting on the wall), a cruel and sharply grotesque hanging scene, a flesh eating dog, & many other shocking surprises which await as Suzy must discover the school's true revelation before it's too late!

This 3 disk set is in its WIDESCREEN Presentation(2.35:1) & is enhanced for 16x9 T.V. sets. It also includes the theatrical trailer (including T.V. spots), radio spots, a Daemonia music video, poster and still galleries, and talent bios. The third disk is the soundtrack of the film performed by the Italian rock group, Goblin and is definately one of the creepiest scores I've ever heard in a film. (Though maybe not as scary as Godfrey Salmon's orchestrated and conducted score for the sequel, "Inferno")

It's also one of those rare items which requires you to think, but keep in mind that sometimes it may take more than just one viewing to understand it all. The Dance Academy is also the most beautifully, artistic movie sets to ever be used for a horror flick (but in a grotesque and fun way) Without doubt, this is one of Dario Argento's BEST work! (I haven't seen his first masterpiece, "Deep Red" yet) In fact, as he explained in an interview for "Inferno" this, along with that film was one of the hardest films to make in his career and required A LOT of his own imagination and style. I recommend this to those who don't prefer Lucio Fulci's work and I also recommend the sequel, "Inferno". (it carries some of the same resemblance to the first film but the storyline starts to come together more in that one) Truly, this is a non-stop nightmare into the terrifying unknown! I will most definately be checking out the rest of Mr. Argento's work.

Rating:
Summary: Profoundly disturbing
Review: I can't believe that I'm almost done working my way through Dario Argento's filmography! It was easy to claim ignorance of many of this Italian director's films until a few years ago because it was difficult to find them anywhere in any format let alone in an uncut form. Fortunately, DVD arrived on the scene and eager film fans with dollars to spend inspired numerous companies to start churning out any movie they could get their hands on. It wasn't too long before practically every Argento film arrived on store shelves, many of them in uncut, unrated versions. Unfortunately most viewers have likely never heard of Dario Argento. These days more people know about the director's beautiful daughter Asia than the horror maestro himself. What a shame. Argento's films, at least the ones I have seen, are masterpieces of style injected with truly cringe inducing violence. Out of all of his masterpieces--"Deep Red," "The Bird With the Crystal Plumage," and "Tenebre" among them--the one that stands head and shoulders above all others is "Suspiria." I recently sat down to watch this after a long period of anticipation. Everything you've seen and heard about it is true; this is Argento's epic masterwork.

It doesn't start out that way, though. American Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper) is a gifted ballerina arriving in Europe to attend a rather elite German dance academy in Freiburg. The opening sequences of the film find young Suzy arriving at the airport, hailing a taxi, and heading out to the school in the pouring rain. "O.K.," you say to yourself, "I've seen horror films open with similar sequences before." And you're right--you have seen movies begin in such a mundane way. Then Argento throws out one of his massively disturbing murder scenes, i.e. a young girl from the academy perishes when a knife plunges into her heart. Again, no big deal, right? Wrong. If you've seen a couple of Argento films you know full well how he displays onscreen carnage. It goes on and on in gooey close-up, and the same happens here. The stabbing is so gruesome that even this extremely jaded horror fan cringed repeatedly. I cringe now just recalling the sequence. The killing is a rather inauspicious incident marking the arrival of Suzy, especially since the young ballerina happened to witness a few clues that explain what occurred. Of course, she doesn't know that yet. Nor do we. Argento will remind us of these clues at the horrific denouement.

And what a denouement! Stylish, haunting, colorful, and deeply frightening; these are the hallmarks of "Suspiria," not only in the conclusion to the film but also in the lead up as well. Everything is weird at this academy, slightly askew in an ominous and vague way. Suzy's fellow students seem oddly aloof, the instructors possess a shrill and vicious temperament that occasionally breaks through their carefully constructed facade, and the building itself oozes menace. Strange noises permeate the floors of the building, footsteps are heard shuffling about late at night, and Suzy soon begins to feel ill. What's going on? Well, it's got something to do with the sort of women we normally associate with pointy hats and broomsticks. Yep, you heard correctly: Suzy Bannion walked into a building housing a coven of witches. These are powerful women with an ancient past and a horrific record of murder and mayhem. Suzy's investigations into the bizarre events at the academy will soon find her face to face with these malefic old biddies in a series of hidden rooms that positively reek of evil. Will Bannion triumph over the witches? One thing is for sure--one must be careful with creatures that can kill with the wave of a hand.

I could literally provide a scene by scene breakdown of this film without revealing any significant spoilers because "Suspiria" whizzes by in an anarchic way that defies logical description. It's all about style, really, as Argento beefs up the color schemes to frenzied levels. He also imbues the film with his trademark violence, violence that sees a man's throat torn to shreds, a heart repeatedly perforated with a very sharp knife, and a cruel scene involving a room of barbed wire that one must see to believe. Most importantly, Goblin provides yet another immensely haunting score--an eclectic mix of strings, drums, and disturbing voices--that increases exponentially the sense of impending doom the viewer feels as he or she watches the proceedings. "Suspiria" even manages to cast veteran actor Udo Kier in the role of a psychiatrist who knows quite a bit of disturbing information about the dance academy. "Suspiria" is Argento's first and best entry in his venerated "Three Mothers" trilogy (the third installment has yet to appear), and it's far, far better than its follow-up "Inferno," an even more confusing film than this one. Without a doubt, all of Argento's trademark techniques find perfect expression in this tour de force.

A big movie requires a big DVD, and you can pick up a three disc "Suspiria" set that gives us the film in all its colorful glory. We also get a lengthy documentary about the making of the film, production notes, trailers, an entire disc devoted to Goblin's chilly soundtrack, and plenty of other goodies to whittle away the hours. I read recently that someone plans on remaking this film, apparently in an attempt to cash in on audiences willing to see updated versions of Hooper's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "The Exorcist," and several other genre staples. I can't imagine anyone creating a better version of Argento's classic film; it's a movie in a league all its own and should stay that way.




Rating:
Summary: Are you guys kidding me?
Review: Sometimes the public is right and the critics are wrong. Sometimes the critics are right and the public is wrong. Sometimes they're both right but in the case of "Suspiria" they're both wrong. This is the most over-rated horror movie ever. Only the first and last 12 minutes of this movie are worth seeing. Everything in the middle is just bland. A few inane death scenes here, some over the top music there and lots of senseless chatter. The story should've explored witchcraft more thoroughly and made more use of it.

Rating:
Summary: Finally, an older horror movie that doesn't disappoint
Review: I have recently taken an interest in midnight horror movies and have sought out most of the "classics" of the genre. Unfortunately most of them left me feeling somewhat letdown for various reasons. I am glad to say that SUSPIRIA delivers. There is a good amount of gore, if that's what your looking for, and a really creepy storyline.

The use of color and the cinematography make this an unforgettable dream-like horror film. The sets are creepy, the acting is more than adequate and the end is an adrenaline rush. It even comes with a great trailer and marketing scheme. This isn't by any means "shocking" in comparison to other Argento films or other midnight movies, but its a cut above those gorier entries.

Rating:
Summary: AM I MISSING SOMETHING HERE?
Review: Well, at the risk of coming off as stupid, I can't for the life
of me see what is so great and scary about this movie. I watched
it once, then again, thinking I must have missed something. I
watched it again with my wife. The best thing either of us had to
say about it was, "Thank God we never have to watch it again"!
I own over 700 horror flicks, and have to say that this is one
of the most unentertaining, and least shocking or scary of them
all. But then again, most other reviewers think it is great. I
bought the DVD based on those reviews.
???
Tom

Rating:
Summary: The genius of Argento.
Review: "Suspiria" is one of those special films that still holds up after it was made because it's so ahead of its time. The rich, saturated color... The extremely unique musical score... The hard start, slow middle, and hard end... These are all testaments to the absolute genius of Dario Argento. The tag line attached to the film ("The only thing more terrifying than the last 12 minutes of this film are the first 92.") is very misleading, but that's the beauty of it. For the first 15 minutes of it, you're treated to alternating scenes of the lead character arriving at the airport and a double murder, both filmed in rich, vibrant color, then the film kicks into a slow buildup leading to a heavy climax. It's a true exercise in patience paying off in spades. Dario Argento is a true genius in every sense of the word. And this film has secured his legacy for all time.

Rating:
Summary: Suspenseful and beautiful
Review: When Suspiria came out in 1977, the American tagline that played on the radio and on TV stated, "The only thing scarier than the last 10 minutes of 'Suspiria' is the first 92!" Or something like that. This is very true. The end of this film is very anti-climatic and sort of unsatisfying, but the rest? Pure fear, anticipation, suspense, and beautiful imagery.

The first 15 or so minutes of this movie are simply incredible. The first time I watched "Suspiria," I was alone in my apartment with the lights off. The credits start with a menacing soundtrack by Goblin, and a narrator (who we never hear from again, perhaps only added in the English version) states that Suzy Bannion traveled to Germany to attend a prestigous dance academy. The music crescendos to a fury, then all is silent as we open on Suzy at an airport. As the automatic doors open and shut, the music effectively cuts in and out, and Suzy walks out into a violent rainstorm. From this point on, Suspiria grabs a hold of you and doesn't let go.

For those of you used to newer, slick horror movies such as the "Scream" trilogy or the new "Dawn of the Dead," "Suspiria" will be hard to take (rent, don't buy). After the initial murder scene, the movie slows down a little for exposition, but is still full of creepy imagery: Suzy walks through a hallway and sees the cook and a little boy sitting and watching her. The cook flashes a knife reflection across Suzy's face, and we see the dust particles in the light as the soundtrack builds menacingly; the auditorium full of sleeping students is drenched in red as Suzy hears about the mysterious directoress (sleeping behind them, behind a hung sheet) from a friend.

Many people will have problems with the dubbing: Italian movies (at that time, at least) were filmed without voice recording - the lines were dubbed post-production. Jessica Harper, who played Suzy, has commented that she would have scenes with women who were speaking Italian and German as she spoke her lines in English. In the scene with the professor, she commented that he spoke entirely in German, and had to tug on her skirt to give her the cue for her next line. It's a testament to Jessica Harper that she was still able to emote with all the confusion.

"Suspiria" is a masterpiece of brilliant colors and lighting (it was filmed using a Technicolor process, one of the last films to do so). Once you accept the dubbing and the fact that "Suspiria" is somewhat dated (especially the special effects), you can enjoy it. There is much suspense and anticipation, and the murder scenes are innovative. Like I said, if you're hesitant about any of it, rent the movie before buying it (seriously - you should always preview before you purchase).

Rating:
Summary: A Few New Points
Review: Besides Daughters of Darkness, this is one of the most beautiful, lavish horror movies I've seen to date (and I've seen a lot!)

I think it's amazing the way Argento (I guess we need to specify Dario, since his beautiful daughter is now a filmmaker as well!) finds horror in the mundane. There is definitely some grisly, thought-provoking violence that is in the more cliche horror vein, but what is striking about this film is the way he finds horror in everyday things: a knife-like, impaling hydraulic door, violently overflowing storm drains, decadently rich interiors. in the first scene, we switch back and forth between ambient sounds as we would expect in an airport and either an eerie, dead silence or the symbiotic soundtrack. right from the first scene, we are given the lexicon for the entire film: that there is more than one facet to reality - and if we could perceive them all the time, we would be horrified. I suppose the more traditional interpretation would be that from the moment our heroine lands in germany, she begins to toggle between reality and a surreal world of magic. As the film progresses, reality is more and more displaced by this strange new world.

The set design is amazing! It creates an aura of austere, priceless wealth. It says: this is the realm of those who have enough money and power that they do not live by the same rules as the rest of us. The decadence is sinister and undeniably malific (is that a word? ha.) it's a wild hodge podge of both real decorative styles and also eclectic things from Dario's mind. For example, note the M.C. Escher patterns on the wall of the apartment where the first victim flees for refuge. As an artist, Escher managed to pull amazing patterns from nothingness, arranging them in such a way that they became infinite - as if he was revealing some hidden aspect of geometry and natural symmetries that had always been present but hidden. How fitting that Escher designs greet us early in the film as a wallpaper! Later on the french, metroplitan-styled architecture (I'm not sure of the accurate terminology) that adorns the doors of the ballet school are black and extremely organic - reminiscent of the biomechanical style of H.R. Giger. When we enter the inner sanctum of the coven, the symbolism increases geometrically. Magical letters and phrases on the walls lead us deeper into the abyss, leaving 'reality' behind. My guess is that even the vines and leaves are symbolic. If one were to look deep enough, my guess is that we'd find that Dario is displaying very specific types of vines and leaves - ones which have metaphysical relevance and correlation. Dario, by my estimation, is obviously himself someone who is interested - on at least some level - in western magical traditions and the occult. We see latin phrases, english verse, and a constant subtext of hebrew letters and phrases. Note the all-seeing-eye in the pyramid that hangs over the bed of the 'black queen' and the rainbow-colored, illuminated peacock that results in her death. The symbolism is everywhere, dripping off of every frame. I can definitely see where Dario might say that this was one of his hardest, most personal projects. I think it represents his own exploration into the occult and the mystery schools - whether it's as a scholar, an adept, or just a curious and creative person. Argento's designs comes off as extremely literate to an unneccassry degree - and in that sense alone he totally succeeds as an artist. He has created his own world on the screen and written himself into it - to the point that the lines between art and reality are blurred. and he's also made such a visually stunning, well-crafted film that hundreds of us are here posting reviews. The level of vehemence that people display - usually either loving it or hating it - is proof that his film elicits a powerful response from almost all who view it.

As I said: Some love it, and some hate it. It's very ironic and extremely poetic when we realize that the reason for this di-polarization is itself one of the film's primary themes! That theme also pretty much sums up my review as well:

Suspiria, like the world it portrays - basically just our own - has more than one facet. If you are aware of some of these facets and they interest you, then you will find much depth in the film - enough that you will notice something new in each viewing - or as you move through life and acquire more knowledge and re-watch it. If you're a no-nonsense, 'realistic' sort of person who appreciates art but doesn't attribute mystical, unseen qualities to life and you're annoyed by those who do, then you might find the film dissapointing and lacking in substance. I'm trying my best to play devil's advocate and not reveal my own preference, but to be honest - I think there's enough in Suspiria just visually and aurally to satisfy anyone who enjoys good cinema. It's - on the whole - breathtaking. There are indeed some moments that are better than others - but that's just the nature of any film. Even the best filmmaker is only human, and thus cursed by at least some level of mediocrity. Keep in mind that this was an early film for Dario, which means that there may be some areas where he still needed to refine his techniques. On the other hand though, the early work of most artists often contains an unrestrained energy and vitality that is very hard for most people to recapture - and it can make up for a lot of imperfections.

I noticed something at the end of the film and I was wondering if anyone else had noticed it as well. When the heroine leaves the school in the storm (and we've thus come full circle, since she arrived with one storm and now leaves with another) her demeanor completely changes. When she is safe outside, her panicked and distraught look instantly becomes a smile - with a sense of elation and self-satisfaction. To me, this doesn't seem like a natural reaction. It seems to me that trauma would linger and most people would not feel safe yet. So her quick change of demeanor doesn't seem to be simply relief. It's as if - to me at least - she has suddenly (and shockingly) removed a mask. It's as if the girl she was throughout the film was a facade - or rather, a persona. I feel that we are meant to suddenly realize that this girl isn't just unlucky. I don't think she has consciously changed her demeanor, but that she reacts the way she does because this was her destiny. I would expect this issue of destiny and synchronicity to play an important part in the trilogy. Whether she understands it yet or not, my impression is that she was drawn to that school for the specific purpose of destroying the black queen and that she herself is linked by birth and descendance to this whole mess. Using the film's rules - if a black queen is 100 times more powerful than the members of her coven (and the source of most of their power), wouldn't it be reasonable to suppose that if a rival witch were to destroy her, that the rival would inherit that power?

My thought has always been that this girl is fated to kill the mothers of all three great houses around the world. The only question in my mind is - for what purpose? Is it her destiny to *rein in* evil, or is it her destiny to *reign* in evil? This idea fascinates me - not knowing if she is a heroine as most assume, or if she is herself a descendant of evil who is only now awakening to her destiny - as she goes about promoting herself in the magical hierarchy by murdering the existing queens.

Now please - no flames!!! (I bet the black queen said the same thing.. haha) If my opinion is naive, it's because I haven't seen "Inferno" yet. I know I know - who am i to comment on Dario Argento if I haven't seen all of his films. But I have seen quite a few, just not Inferno. I'd like to hope that maybe some of my conjectures are correct, but for some reason my impression (from these reviews) has been that "Inferno" somehow fails as a true trilogy component.

If you like this film (and you also like movies such as rosemary's baby, the devil's advocate, eyes wide shut, etc). then there's an AMAZING music video that i HAVE to reccommend to you. This one blew me away. Trust me - you will not regret tracking this down and buying it for a few bucks. YOU WILL LOVE IT! It's funny - the people who did it are so non-chalant about it. I don't think they realize what a wonderful, campy, creepy masterpiece they've managed to produce - both musically and visually. The music world is an unfair, complicated place. It it weren't, this song is so catchy and great that it would be a huge hit. You just can't stop humming it after you've seen the video and heard it. Both the melody and the images stay with you. I don't know why the artists involved are so humble - maybe they had too much fun filming it. Or maybe it came too easy for them to feel like it could possibly be genius. But it is! The band is called "Dirty Sanchez" and they are on Cleopatra Records. The song is called "Really Rich Italian Satanists." Their EP is also called "Really Rich Italian Satanists", only it doesn't feature the video OR the song! You have to get the song/video as a DVD single. Dirty Sanchez are actually Jackie Beat, Mario Diaz, and DJ Barbeau. If you look on ebay for "Dirty Sanchez" and "Jackie Beat" you can often find a copy of the video on DVD for sale. Trust me - BUY IT! Your only other chance to see it for the moment would be on the big screen at some event where they were appearing. It is amazing and that's all I can say! If you liked this film, you will like their video! If you can't find the DVD on ebay, just try emailing jackie beat via the link on her site at jackiebeatrules (dot com).

Rating:
Summary: Red Blood Drips
Review: Argento's best known film is probably his most expressive. This is a gem to look at with all it's lush Italian colors seeping out like a blood covered canvas. If you are looking for a horror film for intellectuals, this isn't it, but if you want something that will definitely impress you, you've found it. It concerns an old dance company in Freiburg Germany that is headed up by an old witch matriarch who leads the coven in diabolical methods. An unsuspecting student, played wonderfully by Jessica Harper, finds herself piecing together a mystery when she arrives at the school in one of the most enigmatic and beautiful commencements of a film to date. Argento has music, colors, and sounds reverberate like an opera for our eyes to dazzle. He scares us with the rain, the closing of an automatic airport door, and loose tree branches that resemble evil lurking beings. This is one powerful moment. From then on, subtle hints are explored, the supernatural, science, one's faith. Never can we guess what is truly hiding at the academy. One scene of the dance students in the hall is superbly done with loud music, hideous heckling demonic shrieks and strange appearances, this is fantastic eye candy!


Rating:
Summary: Color Scheme Scare
Review: This movie is quite the oddity. Italian director and crew, german setting, american leading lady, in english, with italian accents.
Beautiful use of vivid primary color, especially red, and shadows make this film visually stunning.
I really love how this film creates anxiety through the use of extreme close ups, lighting, and weird characters/costumes;
Miss Tanner's mouth and hair, the blind man's painstaking black/white outfit, the teachers' shoes, how red seems to seep into the frame, etc.
I would highly reccommend checking out this movie to anyone who is looking for an artistic and odd horror movie.
Excellent, but not amazing. Four of five stars.