Suspiria

Suspiria is a well made horror movie, not boring, building slowly the tension and with a great director work behind it. If you expect a classic horror movie "american style" you will be disappointed, but if you are looking for an adult horror movie then this one is for you. Everyone talking about the last 20 minutes.... well, last 20 minuts must be considered and evaluated in the totality of the work of Guadagnino, as his own personal touch. Above all, i suggest to watch it without prejudices and with a clean mind, to enjoy the atmosphere, the uncomfortable situations, the evil sensation that Guadagnino can offer us.

WTF just happened?? I still can't figure out if I hated this movie or loved it. It is strange as hell. I guess it is a remake, never saw the original, so I don't have any incite there. I liked the premise, but hated a lot about it, but freaking loved the ending... but it took 2.5 hours to get there! Way to freaking long, I can say that for sure. Also, NOT a fan of contemporary dance.

Gone is the exaggerated colour palette, the elaborate set pieces, the nightmarish soundtrack & the no-nonsense premise of the original. In fact, Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria departs from everything that made Dario Argento's horror classic unique, and is a dull, dismal & divisive remake that's exhausting, frustrating & one hell of a slog.

Unlike the 1977 original, this one employs muted colours, shrivelled set design, slow-burn approach, hypnotic score & an unnecessarily drawn out narrative that piles one needless segment on top of another, resulting in an overlong flick that exceeds the original's length by a considerable margin, and will test the patience of most viewers.

Aiming for more than a straightforward supernatural horror, Guadagnino retains the themes of the original but is more interested in exploring the political unrest of the depicted timeline, not because the plot calls for it but because he wants to. While some will admire his choice to not rehash the same story, others will argue that his reach far exceeds his grasp here.

On the plus side, the eerie mood & foreboding aura never leaves the room, some kills are downright terrifying, the earthy tones do fit its depressing tone, that Volk dance sequence is truly a highlight, Make-up is top-notch, and Thom Yorke's score just fits. As for the performances, Tilda Swinton steals the show by taking the role of not one, not two but three different characters, and she excels at all of them.

Overall, Suspiria does retain the original's title but everything about it is different. More a homage than a full-fledged remake, it is an abstract re-imagination that attempts to tackle themes & elements that it could've done without, and comes stuffed with an unwarranted subplot that's detrimental to the viewing experience. In short, Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria is too long, too slow & too far up its own ass.

I've seen the original and can tell that this remake goes one step further. While the old 'Suspiria' from 1977 has strong atmospheric suspense, his one has less of it, but becomes real bloody at the end. What drives me mad is the run time. 2 hours 31 minutes for a story that could be easily told in 1 hour 45 minutes. So I lost a lot of time for a mediocre story. I would have given even a worse rating, if it wouldn't get so gory shocking scenes at the end. That's the only point it can really score with - as a horror movie. The story is too long winded.

The original 'Suspiria' by Dario Argento was a treat for the senses. It was a visual masterpiece. This version of 'Suspiria' has no similarities with the original. It is more arthouse with a completely different tone. The atmosphere is sinister and eerie. The elaborately choreographed dance sequences are macabre and invoke a sense of dread. The movie is not outright scary like conventional horror but more along the lines of psychological horror. Also, Dakota Johnson's performance as Susie was quite good. At 2 hours 30 minutes, It is a lengthy movie but it is worth it.