Suspiria

Suspiria
by Dario Argento (1977)

Susy Benner (Bannion in the English version of the film) moves to Freiburg to attend a prestigious dance academy.

Quote.

You see, you can easily laugh at all these things, even magic. However, know that magic is «quoddam ubique, quoddam semper, quoddam ab omnibus creditum est». This means: «magic is that thing which is everywhere, always, and by all, believed».
(Professor Milius)

Evil is Watching You.

Is there anything more terrifying than the thought of something or someone watching you without revealing itself?
Something that causes a deep terror without having a body or face? Argento plays with disorienting us from the first to the last frame, making us experience the same emotions as the film’s protagonist. Everything unsettling seems to happen without any precise logic, in a completely irrational way, out of time and space. It’s as if we are suspended, along with Susy, in a parallel dimension, full of contrasting colors, dizzying architecture, and amplified emotions. A place where we know there is danger, yet we cannot give it a form. Even the smallest noise, the faintest whisper, becomes a terrible threat. Especially that breath heard at night, a breath you will never forget. And something watches us and manipulates us from the darkness of its hiding place.

Considerations.

Dario Argento delivers what is considered one of his masterpieces and a horror classic, known for its distinctive aesthetics, unsettling soundtrack, and surreal atmosphere.
*Suspiria* is famous for its bold use of color, particularly red, blue, and green, which help create a dreamlike and eerie atmosphere. Innovative techniques for the time, such as colored lights and unusual camera angles, are employed.
The film’s music, composed by the Italian progressive rock group Goblin, is one of its most iconic elements. The soundtrack features dissonant sounds, whispering voices, and pounding rhythms, heightening the horror and tension.
Argento creates a world that feels suspended between dream and reality, with a narrative that sometimes defies logic but maintains a constant sense of terror.
The themes explored include magic and the occult, through the presence of witches and their dark rituals at the heart of the story. But the protagonist’s fragility is also examined. Susy (played by Jessica Harper) finds herself in a foreign country, isolated and vulnerable, surrounded by a powerful threat. A threat that gradually takes shape as the story progresses, reflecting the fear of the unknown and the inexplicable.
*Suspiria* has been praised by critics and audiences alike for its stylistic innovation and ability to evoke fear and unease. It is considered one of the best horror films of all time and has influenced many subsequent directors in the genre.
It is inspired by the novel *Suspiria De Profundis* by Thomas de Quincey and represents the first part of the trilogy of the three mothers.
(Suspiria in 1977, *Inferno* in 1980, *The Mother of Tears* in 2007.)
Suspiria, thanks to its attention to detail, remains a reference point in cinematic horror. It is celebrated for its visual audacity and its ability to create a deeply immersive and disturbing cinematic experience.