Dario Argento's "Suspiria"(1977) is an extremely stylistic horror/suspense film, one of the best ever made in the genre. It is the first part of The Three Mothers trilogy, the second being "Inferno" and the third being "Mother of Tears". "Suspiria" is about Suzy Banyon (played by Jessica Harper) a student at a ballot school that happens to be run by a coven of witches. One by one, the students begin to mysteriously disappear. Suzy is determined to find out what is going on...and this is where the fun begins. This movie is an audio-visual roller coaster ride filled with bizarre, candy colored, LSD drenched lighting and highly unique and effective camera angles. The soundtrack by the jazz-fusion band Goblin is superb, frightening, disturbing, and highly innovative. It is the best horror movie soundtrack I have ever heard, and Goblin's best work in my opinion. The pace of the movie builds suspense in a Hitchcockian manner, with several edge of your seat moments leading to the fitting climactic ending. The acting is not the best, but this movie is all about atmosphere and conveying suspense and terror through color, images, and sound. The gore scenes are only used when needed and are highly effective. Don't take "Suspiria" too seriously. Just sit back and enjoy this terrifying roller coaster ride of a movie. If you haven't seen this one yet, drop everything and go rent or buy it now.
Here's the International trailer:
A scene from the movie..
and here's part of the soundtrack, the eerie title theme.
Here's the International trailer:
A scene from the movie..
and here's part of the soundtrack, the eerie title theme.
2 comments:
I hate to admit that I haven't seen this yet. What experience I've had with Argento he's never been one of my favorites, but I did buy it recently so I'll have ot get around to it. Your review surely made me want to get to it soon.
True, some of his work can be unneven, but "Suspiria" is easily his best work of all time in my opinion.
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