“Bad luck isn’t brought by broken mirrors, but by broken minds.”
A surrealist work of art with an incredible set design, cinematography and a violent, disturbing soundtrack.
Italian director Dario Argento created the horror masterpiece that is Suspiria in 1977. This film has achieved cult status with its bizarre and unsettling tones, making it a feature that is not fitting for everyone’s taste.
The story begins with American ballet student Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper) arriving in Munich, Germany to begin attendign a prestigious dance academy. Soon after her arrival, a series of murders occur which lead her to believe that the dance instructors must be harbouring a dark secret.
Set to the simple story, the film plays with vibrant, colourful sets that often features psychadelic swirls of lights in red, blues and yells. This creates a tense, uneasy atmosphere which is prevalent from the moment Suzy steps foot in the academy. The set design encompasses large spaces, exaggerated ceiling heights and old Goth décor which tells us straight away that there is something supernatural about this place. The use of pinks and red highlight the danger awaiting Suzy.
The film’s score is also one of the most important elements, composed by progessive rock band ‘Goblin.’ It screams loudly throughout the film, emitting a sense of unsettlement. Although it serves as non-diegetic music, it is almost nerve-wrecking watching the characters exchange dialogue with this in the background. It almost seems unusual that the characters don’t react to it as it is so distressing and feels as though something sinister will appear at any given moment.
Suspiria is a dreamy, beautiful and horrifically disturbing film, revealing the true nightmare right at the end of the film. Arengto states that Suspiria is the first of his trilogy titled “The Three Mothers,” which is followed by Inferno (1980) and The Mother of Tears (2007).
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