A young American dancer goes to a German dancing
school where a secret coven of witches resides. HORROR
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Suspiria (2018)Directed by Luca Guadagnino
Written by David Kajganich Starring Tilda Swinton, Dakota Johnson, Mia Goth, Chloë Grace Moretz, Angela Winkler Remake of 1977's Suspiria |
Suspiria is a horror remake that grabs hold of the mythology established by the original film and reshapes it into something shiny, new, and covered in blood. Its intimidating runtime simply fades away due to the film's engrossing nature that sucks you in, almost like a spell. It's ethereal, it's barbaric, it's grisly, it's sexy, and it's unforgettable. It is honestly unlike anything I've seen before; a perfect union of horror and beauty that stands beside the 1977 original as an equal.
Dakota Johnson plays Susie Bannion, a naturally gifted dancer who is accepted into a prestigious German dance academy run by Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton, in one of her three incredible performances in this film). The academy is secretly a front for a witch coven who are using the girls to draw in their power and provide a new vessel for their true leader, Madame Markos (Swinton again). We know from the very beginning what's going on, but we don't know who is really pulling all the strings. The cast is incredible and the cinematography is nothing short of pure artistry behind the camera. As I said before, you barely even notice the two and a half hour runtime because of how engaging and thought-provoking the story is. I didn't expect to enjoy and respect the Suspiria remake as much as I did. It's a genuinely great horror remake that doesn't try to remake the original shot for shot, but also doesn't ignore the source material entirely. Luca Guadagnino pays homage to the 1977 film but builds a world entirely his own on its foundation. Considering how quickly this movie came and went, I wouldn't be surprised if Suspiria becomes a cult classic very soon. |
Alright, let’s knock out the obvious. It’s pretty fair to say that most people hate remakes of beloved horror movies. All you have to do is get on the internet when a new one is announced to know that. And, trust me, 2018’s Suspiria was one of the most hated before it came out. Now, whereas some remakes have proven to be actually quite good, if not better, Suspiria proved otherwise once released. Since it’s come out, it has drawn a sharp divide in the fanbase. Some absolutely loved every ounce of this artistic interpretation of the Argento classic. Others couldn’t stand anything about this movie. Which is where I come in. What do I mean by this you ask? Well, I enjoyed the movie quite a bit, but definitely found some flaws that hold it back.
Remakes tend to do one of two things. Either they remake the movie almost shot for shot or take huge liberties with the original property. Suspiria leans toward the latter. While the story beats are the same, the film diverts many times. The biggest one being the mystery of what’s happening at the school is completely abandoned in favor of the audience knowing at the very beginning. This worked for me, though, as the film becomes less of WHAT is going on, but WHY are they doing what they’re doing. As someone who’s seen the original film, this helps the new one stay fresh. Now, while I find this to be a huge positive for the film, it also leads to its biggest flaw. And that is its length. Strap yourselves in folks because this movie is about 2.5 hours long. Add to that its artistic direction, the film can drag and feel a bit over indulgent at times. Luckily, the performances do help keep your interest. Especially Tilda Swinton, who commands the screen anytime she’s on. I’m going to be honest with everyone. This movie is going to divide people. I wouldn’t be surprised if my friend and fellow reviewer, Connor, completely disagrees with me. It’s artsy, takes its time, is visually drab compared to the original, and takes some liberties. With that though, comes great performances, a fresh take on the story, subtle nods to much of Argento’s work, and a cameo that you won’t want to miss. For me, the good outweighs the bad. 2018’s Suspiria is a different take on the original that I enjoyed quite a bit. |