What happens when you take away the slasher from Giallo? Well, you get Suspiria (2018) directed by Luca Guadagnino. 2018 is definitely the most exciting year for horror we have had with titles such as Halloween, Mandy, and Hereditary. When the beloved Giallo classic was announced for a reboot, it was easy for backlash from fan response. The original Suspiria is a staple in Italian horror as it is the most popular Giallo to this day with American audiences alike. To hear that Suspiria was coming back certainly brought a much more direct attention from the hardcore horror fandom. Suspiria (2018) is now in theaters everywhere in the US but will it last? I don’t think so. Here is why.
First thing: Suspiria (2018) is NOT a slasher with a Goblin soundtrack… Also, if you loved movies like The VVitch and Hereditary then you’ll fall in love with Suspiria 2018. Suspiria (2018) is 2hours and 38 minutes long so you may want to load up on the popcorn and plan bathroom breaks accordingly if you are watching this in the theaters. Suspiria (2018) is not so much as a movie but much more of an experience. I find myself going in to a movie with zero expectations anymore as I recommend everyone else should do. If you go into Suspiria with expectations you may actually hate the movie and bitch about how you have wasted 2 1/2 hours of your time. Suspiria (2018) is aimed more towards fans of the art-house genre than the general public. Now that we have covered these points let’s review the movie.
***Minor Spoilers from here on***
Susie Bannion, played by Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey) does a fantastic job filling in Jessica Harper’s (original Susie) shoes. Susie, is an american dancer who gets the privilege to audition for a private conservatory in post war Germany. When Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton) the lead director of the Markos School for Dance, witnesses Susie’s dance, Susie is immediately enrolled into the conservatory with a full ride. As assured, the rest of Suspiria is about witches running a dance school as a front for their private Coven.
Tilda Swinton, steals the show in Suspiria as she takes on multiple roles that just hypnotize the viewer into getting lost in such an eccentric performance. There isn’t one performance that goes without matter; the supporting ensemble cast does an amazing job carrying the movie to it’s trippy climax.
Overall, Suspiria (2018) will fall under the radar and split horror fans very unevenly, especially those who absolutely adore Argento’s classic.
Pros:
- Tilda Swinton’s Oscar worthy performance stands out higher than any role she has ever taken.
- The Three Mother’s origin. Luca Guadagino does a fantastic job retelling the story of the Three Mother’s that is faithful to the classic trilogy.
- The Witch scenes are fantastic. The dance sequences are exceptional
- Everyone’s origin is detailed and the story is portrayed with almost zero plot-holes
- Jessica Harper makes an appearance
Cons:
- Thom Yorke should never do a soundtrack for a movie about witches or horror in general.
- Do not expect the same death scenes. There isn’t a room filled with razor wires or any kind of slashing.
- The General public will hate this movie for it’s run-time and lack of murder.
- Sometimes the dialogue is too soft to hear.
My wife and I enjoyed Suspiria (2018) thoroughly without leaving disappointed. I think our experience being in an empty theater helped immensely especially for those moments with soft dialogue. I don’t expect a lot of horror fans to love Suspiria but for those who did enjoy it I’m sure can’t wait for the sequel.
8/10****
