"Suspiria" feels simultaneously fantastic and mediocre, but overall it's a great watch. Let me explain.
Of the positives, the most excellent aspect of this film is, hands down, the lighting and set design. Most scenes are like a mix between the weird "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" boat sequence (which, let's face it, was pretty much horror for anyone under ten) and Hitchcock's "Vertigo" (actually the director nods to the Master of Suspense elsewhere too, most noticeably in the bathroom drain zoom-out). While it does add to the suspense, even more importantly it captivates the viewer's attention. Additionally, the strange music complements the set design well, combining a Moog synthesizer with a kind of Greek lute called a "bouzouki". If that doesn't entice you to watch the film, I don't know what will.
As for the unremarkable aspects, the dialogue is not that good, nor is the acting. I thought the plot was pretty shoddy, but after doing a bit of background reading on the giallo subgenre I may just need more exposure; it's a simple plot anyway. Really, though, if you take away the lighting, set design and music from this movie, it would be a perfect candidate for "Mystery Science Theatre 3000".
When you take all the good and bad together, what you get is an incredibly entertaining film. Even the mediocre stuff adds to the likability in my opinion. So if you haven't watched it yet, I encourage you to grab your popcorn, adjust your TV's saturation, and enjoy Dario Argento's "Suspiria".
Of the positives, the most excellent aspect of this film is, hands down, the lighting and set design. Most scenes are like a mix between the weird "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" boat sequence (which, let's face it, was pretty much horror for anyone under ten) and Hitchcock's "Vertigo" (actually the director nods to the Master of Suspense elsewhere too, most noticeably in the bathroom drain zoom-out). While it does add to the suspense, even more importantly it captivates the viewer's attention. Additionally, the strange music complements the set design well, combining a Moog synthesizer with a kind of Greek lute called a "bouzouki". If that doesn't entice you to watch the film, I don't know what will.
As for the unremarkable aspects, the dialogue is not that good, nor is the acting. I thought the plot was pretty shoddy, but after doing a bit of background reading on the giallo subgenre I may just need more exposure; it's a simple plot anyway. Really, though, if you take away the lighting, set design and music from this movie, it would be a perfect candidate for "Mystery Science Theatre 3000".
When you take all the good and bad together, what you get is an incredibly entertaining film. Even the mediocre stuff adds to the likability in my opinion. So if you haven't watched it yet, I encourage you to grab your popcorn, adjust your TV's saturation, and enjoy Dario Argento's "Suspiria".