Suspiria (1977)

[Kupotek]

Suzy, like Alice has fallen down a very dark hole into a wonderland.. a wonderland of witches.

Suspiria is a movie I had heard about now and again over the course of many years, first from my oldest brother or overhearing a conversation my brother's friends had many years ago in the late 70s.

The film came out when I was just five years old and all I could gleam at the time was a near comic book mystery, a profound imagery that wild and surreal fantasy that a child creates.

Upon finally watching the movie I knew immediately I would have to write a review for the website.

Suspiria is a movie based around an old Dance Academy that is run by a darkly magical coven of witches. Suspiria immediately sets a scene and puts one in the story with a genius one rarely sees in film these days if ever. It is a lost art contained in the works of Hitchcock, Argento, Kurosawa, Tsuruta, and few other brilliant and rare directors whose memory lives on in their films. One gets an overall feel from the film that is reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe.

Suspiria is a terrifically magical film because it takes risks that you will never see in movies in today's desensitized age. It does not try to spell things out for you. In this way it's a mystery unfolding, a subtle, intelligent madness of color and sound and ideas.

We are drawn deeper into the plot. It's not about the ending, it's about the journey.

Incidentally, I love how all the rooms are painted with Escher designs. The walls around the staircase appear papered in a Curelean blue of crushed velvet, hallways draped in red embroidered silk.

Suspiria unfolds as the imagination comes tumbling off the screen with all the color and music and emotion of a good book.

You never see this kind of attention given to a film anymore, this amount of passion for the art of film coupled with so much skill. It's slow at times, but it's this careful manipulation of vantage and timing that makes the movie so brilliant.

One feels the water, feels the mouth breathe words, feels the terrible events unfold each moment.
Films like these aren't made anymore but should be studied closely, and savored.

Though not particularly a scary film Suspiria is a work of art and makes you feel like you are in the shoes of the lead character, taking the journey with her in this macabre and haunting tale in a world that is all Argento.

Score: 10/10

[Hogtied and Hatefucked]

One of my favorites. Only horror movies that outrank it on my list would be Dawn of the Dead and The Omen.

[Kupotek]

Nice picks, though I would confess A Tale of Two Sisters is superior to Suspiria.

[Hogtied and Hatefucked]

Originally Posted by Kupotek

Nice picks, though I would confess A Tale of Two Sisters is superior to Suspiria.

You know, I've only come across a copy of that movie probably once in my life. That was like three years ago and I picked up copies of the Guinea Pig movies, Junk, and Dark Water instead. *shrugs* I sure made a bad decision there.

[Kupotek]

As long as it was the original Dark Water.


spoiler:

The final scene is really perfect. And as she's walking away at the end you see the old decrepit building looming up behind her... man that's some powerful imagery. I was so upset the way they changed the ending in the remake.

Also if you do get the original don't get a dubbed version because you lose all the emotion of the actors. I once found a copy of Return of the Dragon with Bruce Lee, but because it was dubbed it was practically worthless. You really gotta hear their voice, especially for someone like Bruce Lee who said so much with the way he spoke.

You can pick up A Tale of Two Sisters on Amazon.com

[Hogtied and Hatefucked]

Originally Posted by Kupotek

As long as it was the original Dark Water.


spoiler:

The final scene is really perfect. And as she's walking away at the end you see the old decrepid building looming up behind her... man that's some powerful imagery. I was so upset the way they changed the ending in the remake.

Also if you do get the original don't get a dubbed version because you lose all the emotion of the actors. I once found a copy of Return of the Dragon with Bruce Lee, but because it was dubbed it was practically worthless. You really gotta hear their voice, especially for someone like Bruce Lee who said so much with the way he spoke.

You can pick up A Tale of Two Sisters on Amazon.com

Yeah it was the original and it was with subtitles. I never liked it. Great build up, but no delivery (for me at least). Maybe I was still burned out on The Eye (which terrified me). I'm most likely gonna pick up Tale of Two Sisters off ebay if I can't find anyone who has it and wants to trade copies.

[SCREAMIDGE]

Great Flick One Of My All Time Favs

[slasherman]

...I had high expectations on this movie.....I think it is overrated....6/10

[Straker]

I noticed that "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage" special edition just came out today, which was Dario Argento's first foray into directing. Can anyone tell me if this movie is worth picking up? I've never seen any of the Italian era horror movies, and wanted to finally get caught up. Can anyone reccommend other Argento movies?

[narcisse]

I think it's a good one, but I don't think that it's aged well visually or sound-wise. Maybe a 7.5/10.