Directed By Luca Guadagnino

Written By David Kajganich

The original version was released in 1977, directed by Dario Argento, which I have not seen; however, I am taking a huge biased guess that this 2018 version did it justice, if not up’ed the intensity of it all.

The story starts with a young dancer Susie (Dakota Johnson) who auditions and is accepted into the highly prestigious Helena Markos Dance Co. lead by Helena Markos “Madame Blanc” (Tilda Swinton – enough said already). Based in 1970s Berlin, Susie lands a lead role in the company’s roster and quickly becomes Madame Blancs favorite. At a high point in Susie’s life, her peers are troubled by a sudden disappearance of their friend and company dancer Patricia (Chloë Grace Moretz). Rumors of foul play tied with conspiracies of witchcraft lead other dancers to believe something sinister is happening right in front of them, involving the directors of the company. Wanting to focus on becoming the best, Susie seems to ignore the troubling matters happening, even going as far as indulging with the darkness. She risks it all, including her mortality, to be where she belongs, causing the unveiling of deep secrets, and lots of blood…I’m talking a butt load of blood.

STORY

There’s a few films I’ve watched with similar premises and themes of stardom and what one is willing to risk in order to achieve fame or success and it usually ends with them becoming a complete monster and sometimes not even human, just to be a celebrity of some sort. I do enjoy the dramatic idea of the lengths at which a person goes to for their “ego-centered” goals, and that’s why they lose their integrity, and trust me living in LA for 6 years working in the entertainment industry, it’s honestly not far off from those depictions, but we already know how the arc of our character ends. Suspiria is the twist, surprise, and un-foreseen story that I needed to watch unfold. We are taken down so many different paths and sudden shifts, just when you think you know what’s going to happen, you’re completely mistaken.

What attracts me most to this particular film, is the relatability that I have to it, especially being in the professional dance world. Cult like companies lead by toxic directors, manipulation and abuse, brainwashing, love bombing and gas lighting as apart of their repertoire, and even a dabble in dark spiritualism, is an experience that myself, along with so many other dancers I know, have endured. The split in the company between the dancers who are so deeply involved there’s no wrong being done in their eyes and the dancers who know there’s disfunction but are hesitant to speak up. What happens when a member leaves the group and the ostracizing that takes place afterwords, it’s all so accurate and even more disturbing than the horror films, because it’s real life people who are taking advantage of eager minds and desperate hearts who are wanting to achieve great things, and they disguise themselves as people you can trust all while having a hidden agenda that is entirely self absorbed. This film was so satisfying because in its own way, justice was rightly served to those who have abused their power, and it was done in the most gruesome and horrifying, yet simultaneously fascination and beautiful way.

IMAGERY & PRODUCTION

This sh*t is crazy, to be completely candid.

The art direction, choreography, costuming to the cinematography, lighting, sound design, all were so bazar, edge pushing, disturbing and breathtaking, my jaw dropped throughout the entirety of the film. There’s a few moments that stood out in particular for me – the mirror audition torture room and the climactic sacrifice dance at the end. These were almost hard to watch because of how gruesome and grotesque they were, again, applauding the level of commitment this team had to create such a masterpiece.

It seemed the creators wanted to purposely make viewers uncomfortable but in a “oh God, I can’t look away!” way. How certain scenes were blocked and filmed did an excellent job at up keeping the tone to each act; when they wanted you to feel anxious and afraid, you were, and when they wanted you to feel sultry and powerful, you did. I also find it particularly hard to incorporate dancing in films without making it “musical” which can easily lead to campy and corny, taking away the intensity. The way they were able to not only fit in numerous dance pieces, all done beautifully, but also use the movement to push the narrative forward. It was all done brilliantly, from the beginning to the end.

Performance

Quite literally anything with Tilda Swinton, I’m already a huge fan. This woman’s versatile wheelhouse of performances is nonetheless iconic, and whether she plays the “good or bad guy” I am absolutely in love with all of it. Swinton’s role in Suspiria as Madame Blanc allowed her to play in the area of dark mystery and saving grace. Dakota Johnson did a phonemail job as well. She made the character so believable, I found myself being completely fooled the whole time until the ending finale. It was also interesting to see Chloë Grace Moretz play a supporting role, although a very important one to the story, but her delivery was so strong in every part, you almost wish to see her more throughout. The other supporting actors all meshed together very cohesively, and I had a lot of moments where I rooted for the malicious ones because they did it so marvelously.

What Does it Mean?

In the world of Suspiria, where old magic is intertwined with music and the arts, the divine feminine reigns. I love these pieces that showcase the spectrum of womanhood and how we can teeter between strength and fragility, insecurities and intuition, modest prudence and threatening confidence. Every persona in this story changed from who they were in the beginning to who they ultimately were in the end which made the entire cast significant as individuals and a collective. For me, this film was demonstrating how foolish it is to undermine a woman, especially one with a mission. The end goal here was not fame or recognition at all but of respect and justice, an order of statutes to keep that disrupt the plans of the deceitful. We can be very trusting of those we put in positions of power and authority. We tend to believe the prestigious individuals we have idolized to be guiding us with pure intentions. Suspiria shows how subtle yet fully karma comes to those who orchestrate devious plans for their own egocentric agenda, and how death can be both a dreadful ending and a serene rest.

100% watch this one. It’s twisted, sinister, enchanted, powerful, Tilda Swinton, beautiful and captivating.