Suspiria (1977)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Dario Argento

Writers:

Dario Argento (writer) and
Daria Nicolodi (writer)

Release Date:

12 August 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

The Only Thing More Terrifying Than The Last 12 Minutes Of This Film Are The First 92.

Plot:

A newcomer to a fancy ballet academy gradually comes to realize that the staff of the school are actually a coven of witches bent on chaos and destruction.

Plot Keywords:

Ballet | Ballet School | Apartment | Sinister | Europe

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Jessica Harper	...	Suzy Bannion
Stefania Casini	...	Sara
Flavio Bucci	...	Daniel
Miguel Bosé	...	Mark
Barbara Magnolfi	...	Olga
Susanna Javicoli	...	Sonia
Eva Axén	...	Pat Hingle
Rudolf Schündler	...	Prof. Milius
Udo Kier	...	Dr. Frank Mandel
Alida Valli	...	Miss Tanner
Joan Bennett	...	Madame Blanc
Margherita Horowitz	...	Teacher
Jacopo Mariani	...	Albert
Fulvio Mingozzi	...	Taxi Driver
Franca Scagnetti	...	Cook

Also Known As:

Dario Argento's Suspiria (USA) (promotional title)

Runtime:

98 min | Germany:88 min | USA:92 min | Argentina:95 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian | Russian | English | German | Latin

Colour:

Colour (Eastmancolor) (prints) | Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (35 mm optical prints) | 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints)

Certification:

UK:18 (video rating) (1990) (uncut) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | New Zealand:R16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Argentina:18 (re-rating) | Italy:VM18 | Germany:18 (TV premiere) (2006) (heavily cut) | Germany:18 (theatrical rating) (1977) (cut) | Singapore:M18 | USA:R | Australia:R | Canada:R | France:-16 | Italy:VM14 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:18 | Ireland:18 | Norway:(Banned) (video rating) | Norway:(Banned) (1977-2003) (cinema release) | Finland:K-18 (DVD rating) | Norway:18 (DVD rating) (uncut) (2005)

Filming Locations:

BMW Building, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Seda Spettacoli

Trivia:

According to star Jessica Harper since the film was going to be dubbed after principle photography, sound was rarely recorded during shooting. Harper remarked that it was strange to her to be in the middle of shooting a scene and hearing the background sound of a stage hand hammering away on another set in the studio.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Cord visible on bat as it flies from the closet

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: Suzy Banyon decided to perfect her ballet studies in the most famous school of dance in Europe. She chose the celebrated academy of Freeborge. One day, at nine in the morning, she left Kennedy airport, New York, and arrived in Germany at 10:40 p.m. local time.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Something to Scream About (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Markos

Superb horror film

Susie Bannon (Jessica Harper) goes to a dance academy in Germany to study. It turns out its run by a witches coven and they'll kill anybody who threatens them...

That's about it for plot. There IS a plot but it jumps all over the place...but it doesn't matter. This movie is fascinating just to look at and hear it. The settings are truly bizarre and done in eye-popping color. They're complimented by the excellent use of color and lighting. Also the group Goblin contributes to it a downright terrifying and LOUD score which really starts to work on you. The murder scenes are graphic--VERY graphic. The opening double murder is shocking and bloody. There are many great sequences that you just look at in wonder HOW this was done. My favorite is when Sarah (Stefania Casini) is being stalked through the academy late at night by an unseen evil force.

Director Dario Argento has made a true masterpiece of horror. Its short on plot but the visuals and music more than make up for any of its drawbacks. The acting is good--especially by Joan Bennett (obviously enjoying herself) and Alida Valli who just LOOKS scary...especially those teeth of hers. Harper is also very good considering she was acting opposite people who didn't speak English! The poor dubbing is a little distracting but this is still a horror masterpiece. A must-see. TRY to see it in a theatre.