Suspiria-1977

Director Dario Argento

Starring Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Joan Bennett

Top 250 Films #53

Top 40 Horror Films #11

Scott’s Review #339

Reviewed January 9, 2016

Grade: A

Suspiria is a horror masterpiece, made in 1977, by my favorite Italian horror director, Dario Argento.

A combination of complex storytelling, glossy colors, and a unique art direction makes this film a treasure and an influence in “the look” of a film attempting to achieve an interesting art direction choice.

The color red is highly prevalent throughout Suspiria, which is fitting given the film’s subject matter of witchcraft and demons. The musical score is brilliant and chilling.

This film is perfect and one of my favorites.

The film takes place in Germany, and the opening sequence is fantastic. We meet our heroine, Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper), an American ballet student, as she arrives in blustery Munich to attend a prestigious ballet school.

The shot of the driving wind and rain as she exits the airport is a great example of this film’s ultimate style.

Suzy meets a creepy taxi driver who takes her to the school, where she witnesses a frantic student, Pat Hingle, fleeing. A mysterious voice over the intercom then denies Suzy access to the school.

The film’s focus then briefly shifts to Pat’s perspective as she meets a sinister fate while staying with a friend.

One fantastic aspect of Suspiria is that we know something is wrong at the ballet academy; we do not know what or who is involved. With great creativity, Dario Argento builds a set that is modern and sophisticated yet laced with an undercurrent of menace.

As we meet the supporting characters, Madame Blanc (Joan Bennett) and Miss Tanner (Alida Valli), we know something is not right with them either. Blanc is kindhearted; Tanner is a drill sergeant, but both seem to have something to hide and claim to know nothing of Pat’s terror.

There is also Daniel, the blind piano player, whose seeing-eye dog suddenly turns vicious.

The plot is complex and does not always make perfect sense, but the elements of Suspiria make it a masterpiece.  Pat’s death scene is laced with greatness as she dangles from a high glass ceiling dripping blood. Her hysterical friend is sliced to bits by the falling glass.

This is the best double-death scene in horror film history.

When creepy maggots invade the school, leaving the girls feeling unsafe, the film goes all out. A later scene involving Suzy’s best friend and fellow student, Sarah, attempting to flee the school via the basement, only to struggle in a pit of razor wire, is splendid.

Much of Suspiria is dubbed in English, mainly because the actors speak either German or Italian. Still, Jessica Harper and Joan Bennett have distinctive voices that lend texture and richness to the dialogue.

Suspiria (1977) is a grand horror film, not solely for its mysterious story, but for all the added components that Argento throws into the mix- strange characters, weird sets, and a heavy dose of blood-red- pretty fitting.