AN ASSAULT ON THE SENSES AND IMAGINATION : " SUSPIRIA"

Now, from one kind of old-fashioned to a totally different kind. Because, you know what the other thing you think when you watch old horror films is. I mean, at least, I know what I think: wow. Look at what used to pass for special effects back in the day!  How better to explore this phenomenon than a good old bit of grindhouse… Now, this is not a genre that generally appeals to all. OTT special effects, loud female screams, monsters living or dead… You get the picture. But when you have a master director like Dario Argento at the helm, you know there’s going to be something to it. The end result? This rather intriguing little number that will definitely etch itself onto your memory for the right reasons or the wrong ones…

Suspiria is the story of Suzy Banion (Jessica Harper), an American ballet student who has come to a European ballet academy to continue her studies. On the surface  of it, it seems like what it says on the tin : an old, well established ballet academy set in a picturesque European town in the middle of the woods. However, a few grisly murders and a few hints of the supernatural later, Suzy begins to slowly become convinced that there is something a lot more sinister than the art of ballet being practiced in this school… But can Suzy get to heart of the sinister secrets housed in the school? And if she does, will the school let her survive to tell the tale?

Now, you have to have a love of all things nostalgic to enjoy grindhouse. And, most importantly, you have to be able to suspend disbelief completely and play “let’s pretend”. Did you do that as a child? Of course you did. The question is, did you ever stop? If, like me, you never did quite, you’ll probably enjoy grindhouse.

Because I mean, let’s face it. All the clichés of horror films rolled into one. We have a frail and beautiful American heroine in a “strange” European country. She arrives at a ballet academy which, for God knows what reason, is in the middle of a dark forest. Oh, and the night she arrives, there is a terrible storm and it’s pouring with rain – obviously. But then again,  I don’t think I’ll knock the opening sequence too  much, now I come to think about it… There is a sequence in there that has a very well deserved place in cinematic history. I won’t give too much away – you need to not see it coming to have the full effect.

So, if Don’t look now was understated and creepy, Suspiria is the mirror opposite. It is a complete sensory load on the senses be it in terms of colour, music (the theme tune is still  a little bit stuck in my head) and effects…  And it’s not just the technical side of it, everything, EVERYTHING about this film is completely OTT. But then again, I’m lucky you see. Like a lot of creative people I have a bit of a fondness for all things truly dramatic. Yes of course there will be times you cannot help giggling at the special effects of the day (1977 to be precise) but hey… I’m willing to bet good money you will have to make a conscious effort not to get sucked into the film in the end. It just goes to show that good direction sometimes transcends details like special effects. And Suspiria is deliciously spine tingly, with some very, very tense moments – even by 21^st century standards – with awesome atmos… I enjoyed the film on so many levels, be it visually (I just want to re-iterate how stunning the colours in this film are), cinematically or simply as a chilling yarn told around the camp fire. You’ll love it. Oh and if you watch it in the dead of night like me, do leave a light on in the hall. I had to creep along a dark hallway to the stairs to go up to brush my teeth. And what with the bannisters creaking and the cats running about… Let’s just say it wasn’t a pleasant experience directly post-Suspiria… ;)