By Peter Kougias
Hometown Weekly Intern
In August of 1977, an Italian horror movie slipped into American drive-ins and grindhouse theaters. While promoted as a sleazy exploitation flick, “Suspiria” has lived on as a dashing example of horror film class.
“Suspiria” tells the story of American student, Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper), who travels to prestigious Tanz Dance Academy in Germany. The night see arrives, a student flees and is brutally murdered. As Suzy dances her way through the school, she embarks on a quest discovering dark forces hidden within the acclaimed institution.
Co-written by Daria Nicolodi, she based the screenplay on a story her grandmother told her. Supposedly, she attended a school that was run by black magic, so she eventually fled.
The infamous Dario Argento, who directed the film, set out to create a mature Grimm’s Fairy Tale. Inspired by Walt Disney’s “Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs,” Argento incorporated the cartoon’s color palette for a whimsical look. To achieve the aesthetic, “Suspiria” was filmed in Technicolor; it is one of the last films to utilize this technique.
After four decades, “Suspiria” continues to cast its hypnotic spell. The extravagant neon lighting illuminates the modern setting into a fantasy world, accompanied by the eerie soundtrack by rock band, Goblin. It’s the tunnel scene in the original “Willy Wonka” for the entire hour and a half - Suzy’s search through the dance academy is a psychedelic trip down the rabbit hole and back.
The haunting imagery has gone on to inspire Nicolas Winding Refn’s recent film, “The Neon Demon,” a movie about an aspiring model (Elle Fanning) who discovers the twisted truth behind Hollywood’s fame.
A remake starring Tilda Swinton, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Dakota Johnson is in production. A lavish 4k restoration by Synapse Films on Blu-ray is scheduled for fall release.
For audiences looking for the full supernatural experience, however, 20th Century Fox is re-releasing the film to theaters for its 40th anniversary.