Suspiria(1977).In a stormy night, the American dancer Suzy Bannion arrives in Freiburg coming from New York to join a famous and expensive ballet school for a three years training. On the next morning, she is informed by the direction of the school that a student she met leaving the place on the previous night was violently murdered and the police is investigating the crime. She becomes friend of another student, Sara, and she realizes that the house is indeed a coven of evil witches. Written byClaudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil... Synopsis Suspiria(1977)
Movie Title: Suspiria(1977)
Run Time: 98 min
Rating: 7.4 / 10
Genres: Horror
Release Date: 12 August 1977 (USA)
Director: Dario Argento
Writer: Dario Argento,Daria Nicolodi, more credit ... and other credits
Actor: Jessica Harper,Stefania Casini,Flavio Bucci
A German ballet school for girls is the setting for mysterious deaths, in this 1977 horror story, written and directed by Dario Argento. "Suspiria" is a visually stunning film.
The images contain objects we recognize, like people, buildings, and interior decor. But the objects seem vaguely menacing, and less real than surreal, as though they symbolize ideas, repressed desires, or subconscious fears. The vivid, rich colors, strange camera angles, deep shadows, and bright light piercing through darkness, all contribute to the impression that the viewer is trapped in someone else's nightmare.
One haunting segment of the film takes place in a huge, and strangely empty, public square, at night. A blind man and his German shepherd dog stand in the middle of the square, surrounded by imposing buildings of neo-classical architectural style. Some professional reviewers of this film have suggested that the public square is a veiled reference to Hitler and Nazism. Indeed, one could argue that the film's subtext is an indictment of fascism.
"Suspiria" is not for everyone. It is unsettling, and at times grisly. The plot is weak, and plot elements are not really explained. The acting is largely irrelevant. And while the background music is suitably gothic, it is also frantic and monotonous.
The best approach to this "art-house" film is to ignore the superficial plot, and focus instead on the fabulous cinematography, and the gothic images as conceptual metaphors.
