Suspiria

1977

Figure 01: Poster Co-written and directed by Dario Argento Suspiria is an Italian horror film released in 1977. The film is considered one of Argentos most successful feature films for its visuals, stylistic performance and wonderful colours. The plot evolves around an American ballet student who enrolls into a prestigious dance academy. From the moment she arrives Suzy (Jessica Harper) senses that something evil lurks within the walls of an old institution. Pat Hingle (Eva Axn) is horribly killed in a stylized manner early on in the film along with her friend. Its wide-screen, Technicolor splendor, is a movie that makes sense only to the eye (and even then . . .) (Hoberman: 2009) The way the films first two victims are killed is intentionally ridiculous; the direction Argento took was a mocking, stylized effortlessly as if it was of a comic strip. After befriending Sarah (Stefania Casani) Suzy starts to uncover the dark history of the academy, most of the students become unsettled as Suzy eventually discovers that the teachers are witches. The final of the film is where the fun begins as Suzy stumbles on the covens black mass among other tarrying secrets. The film climaxes with a light show of ghosts and exploding chandeliers. She puts her physical training to use by dodging the exploding sets and the attacking furniture. Figure 02: Pats death

 Figure 03: Chase scene Some of the acting in this film was sometimes off putting but then again maybe thats how Argento wanted things to be done. it created a very quirky effect, this made it was very difficult for the audience to connect with the emotions the characters showed. Utilising complex lighting systems, intense film processing techniques, wire-guided cameras and multi-layer music recording (highlighting a superb Goblin score), Argento paints a masterpiece of terror on a technically impeccable canvas. (The Associates: 2010) the method Argento uses for this film is more interesting then a horror that will potentially turn your stomach. The shooting of bold very fake looking sets, the blood that looks more like face paint then one of disgust, the use of bright colours and stark lines to create campy, surreal atmosphere, and his distorted camera angels and crazy lighting turn out to be more memorable then the carnage.

Figure 04: Suzy discovers the truth It is not a tangled web of psychological frisson nor is it a diabolical ode to witchcraft, but it is a flawless representation of a cinematic nightmare: a Goya print come to life relying solely on visual and audio mastery rather than plot or pacing (Breese: 2005) this film does not have the greatest of storylines, nor did Argento cast the greatest of actors but he carried his theme and style and reached incredible heights. The visual aspect of this film is phenomenal its a stylised masterpiece.

Illustration Figure 01: Poster http://colorcubic.com/2010/03/23/giallo-and-italian-horror-films/ Figure 02: Pats death http://whiggles.landofwhimsy.com/archives/2009/03/suspiria_bd_initial_impr ession.html Figure 03: Chase scene http://whiggles.landofwhimsy.com/archives/2009/03/suspiria_bd_initial_impr ession.html Figure 04: Suzy discovers the truth http://whiggles.landofwhimsy.com/archives/2009/03/suspiria_bd_initial_impr ession.html Bibliography J. Hoberman http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-09-01/film/suspiria-shock-two-runs-in- two-weeks/ Published September 1, 2009 Keith Breese http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/1977/suspiria/ Published August 15, 2005 The associates http://www.the-associates.co.uk/displaytitle.php?id=38 Published 2010