Horror Film Review

Suspiria (2018):  Some of the most disturbing and iconic horror films were released in the 1970s. We were treated to The Exorcist, Halloween, The Omen, Jaws, Alien, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Dawn of the Dead, and of course Dario Argento's 1977 masterpiece Suspiria. A hallmark of Italian horror is gratuitous and graphic gore and while Argento did not disappoint in that regard, what made his Suspiria so unforgettable was his use of eye-popping colors and music that gave you a serious case of the creeps. On the downside, the acting was stilted, occasionally venturing into the realm of the bizarre, and character development was not exactly a priority. So when I heard a remake had been greenlit, I felt both hope and dread. Was it even possible to recreate Argento's Technicolor tension and also pay equal attention to providing well-layered performances? Short answer - no. A better question might be, is that a bad thing? Long answer to follow.

Susie Bannion (Dakota Johnson), an Amish girl from Ohio, travels to Germany to attend a world-renowned dance academy managed by her ballet hero, Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton). No time is wasted in showing us that Blanc and her staff are up to no damn good and may, in fact, be a coven of witches. And I'm not talking Sabrina or Samantha or Glinda here. We learn much from a subplot involving elderly psychiatrist Dr. Josef Klemperer (also Tilda Swinton) who has been seeing Patricia (Chloe Grace Moretz), a former student of the academy who's obviously gone bat-shit crazy. After Patricia disappears, Klemperer discovers her journals which describe a fantastic web of deceit and horror at the prestigious school involving a trio of ancient "mother" witches, Mother Tenebrarum, Mother Lachrymarum, and Mother Suspiriorum and how their influence affects the actions of Blanc and the academy's owner, the reclusive Helena Markos (Tilda Swinton again).

Meanwhile, novice dancer Susie attracts Blanc's attention and quickly becomes the star pupil. Unfortunately for the unwitting Susie, we know she's being groomed for something unspeakably evil. Her new friend and fellow student Sara (Mia Goth) harbors suspicions and in a fit of either courage or stupidity, decides to investigate. Sara discovers Patricia's records are missing as are the records of many other students who mysteriously disappeared over the years. Susie brushes off her friend's concerns and continues to improve under Blanc's overly intimate tutelage (I got the vibe that Blanc was crushing on Susie but I could be wrong).

The climax of the film is as bat-shit crazy as Dr. Klemperer's patients. In a cavernous space deep under the academy, a ritual begins to transfer Markos into her new vessel, Susie. All students and staff, naked and rhythmically writhing in either agony or ecstasy, are in attendance. Klemperer is tricked into coming by a witch pretending to be his dead wife Anke (Jessica Harper, Suzy from the original film). Blanc, wrapped in a blood red ceremonial robe looks on with an increasing sense of unease. Markos, who looks like a half-melted Roy Orbison, cannot suppress her giddiness. The ritual begins by disemboweling Sara. Susie watches with such detachment that Blanc instinctively knows something is very, very wrong. Blanc, it turns out, is correct for Susie came not to be a vessel for Markos but rather a vessel for Mother Suspiriorum herself. Everyone freaks out when Mother Susie raises a zombie-like creature that stalks the room searching for Markos supporters. And what happens to these supporters once found? Imagine the outcome of placing a lit stick of dynamite into jack-o-lantern loaded with blood. I have to say, it was wonderfully epic carnage.

The 2018 version of Suspiria is not so much a remake of the 92-minute original as it is a re-imagining. Its 153-minute run time includes not only the Klemperer subplot but also Susie's backstory, which is as revealing as it is disturbing. Psychedelic cinematography and spine-chilling music are replaced with nuanced character development and riveting performances. Not to mention a completely different denouncement. Argento purists were probably soiling themselves in outrage after watching this updated version but I enjoyed the new take on the 1977 classic. The trick is to stop yourself from comparing the two as you watch. None of this, "Hold on...THAT didn't happen in the original" or "Where's the blind piano player and that weird albino kid?" business. If you take it for what it is on its own terms, you'll enjoy it, too. 

Of course, there are a few issues to address. For reasons I can't properly explain, Susie's long red hair bothered me. I was also bothered by the constant coverage of the German Autumn events. We know it's supposed to be Berlin in 1977. No need to ram it down our throats every ten minutes. I also wish the filmmakers had stuck with telling the tale from Susie's perspective instead of using Dr. Klemperer. The shock ending would have been much more effective had we been allowed to empathize with her rather than the shrink who at the end, is naked and cowering in terror on the floor.

Nevertheless, the question must be asked.  Should you see the new Suspiria?  Yes, yes you should. Despite being longer than Avengers: Infinity War, it's well worth the effort, although I wouldn't watch it alone, at night, with the lights off.

Rating:  4 out of 5