Suspiria

Starring: Jessica Harper, Stefani Casini, Flavio Bucci, Miguel Bose, Barbara Magnolfi
Directed by: Dario Argento
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
1977

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An American ballet dancer (Jessica Harper) starts at a new dance school, but soon begins to suspect the school is a cover for a coven of witches.

Review:

Tim: Too few Americans have tried to get into Italian horror movies, and I admit I'm not an expert by any means. Dario Argento's Suspiria is one of the Italian horror classics. It certainly marks a major departure from the typical Hollywood produced horror movies that make up the majority of the genre. This movie is unconventional and different- not what you would be expecting at all. The movie can be hard to watch because of its convoluted plot. While I didn't love the movie, I really appreciated how different and refreshing it was.

The thing that stands out to me the most is the film's music. The music is composed by Goblin, and sounds unlike anything you've ever heard. The music is filled with discordant sounds that really are uncomfortable to hear. The music is used very effectively, overpowering the audience. I hated it at first and how loud and drowning it was. However, as the movie went on, I began to appreciate how Argento used it effectively. It certainly creates a creepy atmosphere, never letting you feel a moment of comfortable. The movie purposely comes across as hard to watch.

The story is interesting, although it's often hard to follow. I admit a few times I started to feel lost about who was who and what was happening. While it does all make sense, the story still tries to buck you off at every turn. Decent movies about evil witches are hard to come by, so it was interesting to watch this one. The movie is often slow, but it unmistakingly builds towards an unforgettable climax.

The cast might be the worst part of the film. The whole film was dubbed afterwards, but it was done rather poorly. It's hard to really gauge the level of the performances, because it all seems like it was shoddily put together. There's really no great performances in the entire film. The cast would clearly be one of the weaker aspects of the film. I suppose Jessica Harper deserves credit for the lead role, but I still wanted more from nearly every member of the cast.

Suspiria is certainly not a movie for everyone. It takes the audience on a maddeningly winding journey into an atmospheric, nightmarish world. The movie often could be considered silly, but it is hard to shake, too. It's definitely more arty than the majority of Hollywood films, and truly, it's a bit inaccessible. Still, there's some impressive work here by Argento, and the movie is definitely memorable.

While I would hesitate to call Suspiria a horror classic, I am impressed with its unique take on the genre. While you might not love this movie, it's worth seeing simply to expose yourself to what foreign directors were doing at a time when they departed greatly from their American counterparts. For those reasons, I liked this movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Inferno, The Mother of Tears