Rate/Comment on Suspiria

[DVD-fanatic-9]

10. A true Italian masterpiece. There's never been anything like it before and there'll never be anything like it after.

[MorallySound]

10.

[Aldous]

_

Did anyone else catch this reflection of DA in Suspiria?

[JGrendel]

I gave it a 7 cause as good as it is, I still like Opera better.

[Mikey Horror]

I know there are a lot of fans of this movie and Argento in general, but I cannot, in the case of Suspiria or any other Argento film, understand the attraction. Trust me, I've tried and tried but can only find his films mind numbingly BORING. I am a huge Fulci fan and even love some of Bava's work but Argento never, ever appealed to me. I know opinions are like assholes and I certainly appreciate the fact that he has the fanbase that he has, to each his own, but I'll be damned if I can understand it. I'd have voted zero in the poll above if it had been an option. Maybe someone can help me understand what I'm missing here, seriously, but sitting through Suspiria felt like I was doing it for a school project. I can still remember my reaction after seeing it for the first time. I honestly started to question my own fanaticism as a horror fan wondering how I could absolutely loathe a film that is so beloved in the majority of the communal fanbase of my peers. I even revisited it years later when I was much older thinking I would see or notice things that I hadn't before and it was even harder to get through a second time.

[Paff]

Well Mikey, you're gonna stir up a hornets nest with that one. But at least you're respectful about it (I recall a message board posting, not this one obviously, where someone said "Suspiria sucks, it's a poorly made film, and anyone who likes it doesn't know good movies. I know good movies, and this is not one")

Since you do want help in understanding it, let's get a few questions out of the way.

Age? (since you mention "school project")
Are you into ALL of Fulci's films, or just the excessively violent ones he made in the early 80s?
Which are "some" of Bava's films they you loved?

You might be able to tell I'm getting at something here. As in, nothing in Argento's output compares to The Beyond, City of the Living Dead, Zombie, etc. But there's a definite similarity in the giallo films. I.E., Don't Torture a Duckling, A Lizard in a Woman's Skin, and the Psychic definitely fall along the lines of Deep Red, The Bird With the Crystal Plumage, and Tenebrae.

Same thing with Bava, although his work is much more similar to Argento's (actually, that statement is kind of backwards)

Suspiria is a melting of sights and sounds, at the expense of a coherent plot. Don't even bother with Inferno if you don't appreciate that. If you haven't seen a large collection of Argento's films, try something more accessible like Opera. For the record, I too was unimpressed by Argento the first couple of times, then I saw Opera and something just "clicked". Not that it's his best film, just that it's more......conventional than a lot of his other work. From that point on, I've enjoyed his stuff way more, and was also able to appreciate the films I didn't like on first viewing.

Finally, if you've seen some of his crappier films (Trauma, The Card Player, Phantom of the Opera, Mother of Tears), that could be a factor. Stick to the more famous ones, like some of those that I've already mentioned.

[Mikey Horror]

I'm 34 and have been a fan of the genre since childhood. I grew up on the Friday, Nightmare and Halloween series' just like many others my age and as I got older started digging deeper into the lesser known "underground" horror. You are correct in your assumption that my tastes for Fulci come from City of the Living Dead, House by the Cemetery, The Beyond, New York Ripper and as far as Bava, I love Bay of Blood (Twitch of the Death Nerve) Black Sunday and Blood and Black Lace. By all accounts I should love Argento, but Suspiria just bored me to tears. I haven't seen the latter part of his catalog such as The Card Player, Mother of Tears, etc. I know Argento is more of a visual director. His movies are less about plot and more just a visual assault on the viewer, but the same has been said about Fulci. Granted, most of Fulci's work that I love, with the exception of New York Ripper are his zombie offerings, so maybe that has something to do with it, but hey, a world where everyone shares the same opinions and tastes is not a world I would want to be a part of. What works for some, fails for others and varying opinions and friendly discussions are what brings me to places like this to begin with.

[shape22]

I give Suspiria a 9. As a cinematic assault on the senses, I don't think it can be topped. All of the major set pieces are masterfully staged. The cinematography and vivid color palette are breath-taking. And Goblin contributes their best work.

I don't think it's the greatest horror film ever. Argento seems to consider plots and dialogue necessary evils to get him to the next big shock scene. And though he sometimes overcomes that tendency, he doesn't here. This is an episodic film even by his standards. So I can see why Suspiria leaves some North Americans cold.

Of all the European horror auteurs, Argento's more avant-garde work seemed the most alien and impenetrable to me before I became familiar and comfortable with less structured story-telling. If you've only seen Suspiria once and you're not sure what the fuss is about, watch it again. Freed of certain expectations it's an entirely different experience. The dream logic definitely distanced me from the film the first time I saw it. But once I went back for seconds I was able to sit back and appreciate the artistry without bemoaning the lack of a typical American narrative line.

FYI, the Region B Blu-ray is a big upgrade from the Anchor Bay DVD. Contrast gets a little blown out at times. And the sound definitely leans toward the high end. But the majority of the film looks and sounds better than it ever has.

[Erick H.]

One of the best designed and visually striking horror films of the color era and a showcase for fans of the Italian rockers Goblin.It's a dreamlike film punctuated with some wonderful shock scenes.If you ever get a chance to catch it on the big screen,do.I happened to catch it at The American Film Institute's Silver Theater last Halloween (after a screening of DAWN OF THE DEAD) and it truly is a film you cannot fully appreciate unless you've seen it in a theater.9.5.

[MarkWarner]

Awesome movie highlighted by Goblin's score and Argento's direction. 8.

[Paff]

Originally Posted by Erick H.

I happened to catch it at The American Film Institute's Silver Theater last Halloween .

Since it was AFI, I assume they showed a 35mm print?

I saw a 35 of it back in 2003. It was a really chewed up print, and of the American cut version no less (no close up of the heart-stabbing, etc). And it was still an amazing experience. No video presentation can do the film justice.

[DVD-fanatic-9]

Originally Posted by shape22

I don't think it's the greatest horror film ever. Argento seems to consider plots and dialogue necessary evils to get him to the next big shock scene. And though he sometimes overcomes that tendency, he doesn't here. This is an episodic film even by his standards. So I can see why Suspiria leaves some North Americans cold.

I never saw it this way at all. I love his unique dialogue- any other writer/director would probably consider it too vague and, well, dramatic. In Deep Red, Helga suddenly halts a conversation and begins describing "evil thoughts" (basically) floating around in the room as though they were alive. How about Opera? Does anyone have a clue what Betty is really trying to say with that whole "not see anything, not feel anything, not think anything- I just wanted to get away." And she's talking to a police officer, someone (American) audiences certainly see as a person whose job is to stick to facts. He's almost playing her therapist. But the funniest, most bizarre example has got to be in Suspiria - "Can you tell her something about the mysterious?"

I would never say Argento's dialogue is weak. Just unorthodox. It's more variety, which the genre has always needed.

[pdw]

Love this film.
Gave it a 09. One of his best.

[Erick H.]

Originally Posted by Paff

Since it was AFI, I assume they showed a 35mm print?

I saw a 35 of it back in 2003. It was a really chewed up print, and of the American cut version no less (no close up of the heart-stabbing, etc). And it was still an amazing experience. No video presentation can do the film justice.

It was indeed a 35mm print,actually had an "X" certificate in front of it.It appeared to be uncut but had damage at the reel changes so you did lose a few seconds at the end of a couple of reels.The print quality itself was good overall,colors were bright though not quite as popping as the would have been for a restored print.Sound was excellent.

Oddly it was DAWN OF THE DEAD that ended up being a digital presentation.I talked to the manager and they were sent a 35mm print of the film but it was in such poor shape they couldn't run it,had to run a Blu Ray.

I was there the night of the annual ''Zombie Walk'' where hundreds of people were roaming the streets of Silver Spring in zombie make up.Kind of a "NIGHT OF THE LIVING DRUNKS".I think there is footage of it posted on youtube.It was a crazy night (even if you were sober and not in make up,as I was) but fun !

[maestra]

A solid 9 the acting keeps it from getting a 10.