Director Dario Argento is revered in his native Italy as being a master of suspense. Thanks to his intense thrillers, Argento has been referred to as being the Italian Hitchcock, and with good reason: his dark, stylish murder mysteries are vastly entertaining if lurid tales that grip the viewer right from the very first scene. Argento’s Suspiria, released in 1977, was a turning point for the director in that it was a supernatural tale involving a young dancer (Jessica Harper) attending a swanky dance school in Germany, only to discover that it’s the inner sanctum for a coven of evil witches.
When word got out that there was to be a remake of Suspiria, many people were horrified at the idea, because not only was the original considered Argento’s best film, but it was also considered to be a classic of the horror genre overall. And while that’s usually my initial take to the announcement about an upcoming remake, I have to admit to being intrigued at the idea of a new version of Suspiria. Because, to be blunt, I never really warmed up to the original film in the first place.
The original Suspiria was a broad, over the top melodrama that was garishly lit with bright colors and had a soundtrack from Goblin that seemed headache-inducing at times. The actresses playing the dancers--all in their early twenties--overacted in such broad strokes that it made me wonder if Argento was deliberately going for a campy feel. There was some genuinely startling imagery, to be sure--Argento is a visual master--but no matter how many times I saw it, the original Suspiria always left me with a 'meh' feeling.
In contrast, director Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria is a fascinating, chilling thriller that drew me in from the very first scene, where elderly psychiatrist Dr. Klemperer (the wondrous Tilda Swinton) receives a visit from Patricia (Chloë Grace Moretz), one of his patients who is driven over the edge with fear. She’s afraid of something evil that she claims resides at the Markos Tanz Dance Company. Klemperer dismisses Patricia’s ranting as the delusions of an overexcited young woman, but we know better. This opening scene serves as a great introduction and foreshadowing of the events to come, as well as deftly serving as a hook that pulls the viewer right into the story.
The new Suspiria does a great job in slowly ratcheting up the suspense with its quiet moments and subtle hints that there’s something not right with this dance school. But, thankfully, it also doesn’t shrink from the terror, either. A lot of recent horror films I’ve seen are too timid, shying away from going completely crazy in their depiction of grisly events. But Guadagnino’s camera is an unflinching eye to when the supernatural fury is unleashed, and its gratifying to see for a change. Guadagnino also isn’t afraid to show the completely bat shit proceedings in all of their glory, as well. This is a sophisticated horror movie that makes you care about what happens by getting you to care about the characters by telling a gripping story.
In addition to a strong script and direction, the new Suspiria also has a marvelous cast, the majority of which are women. It was great for me to see the superb Dakota Johnson finally move on from those crummy 50 Shades films. And the always good Chloë Grace Moretz is memorable as Patricia. Tilda Swinton, who’s magnificent in everything she does (from Orlando to Doctor Strange), really shines here in three separate roles as Madame Blanc, Helena Markos and Dr. Josef Klemperer. Working under heavy makeup, Swinton was extremely believable as an elderly German man.
Is the new Suspiria better than the original? I think so. This was the rare case when I enjoyed the remake much more over the original (one other example of this was John Carpenter’s remake of The Thing). But the new Suspiria is still respectful of its source material. Jessica Harper, the star of the original film, returns here in an inspired cameo. Suspiria is available in both digital and the Blu-Ray formats. --SF
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