"It's pure mindfuck".
Actually, I may think like this because I am still shocked. Before going to the cinema, I had no idea what "Suspiria" is about. Okay, I knew it's about dancing, there are witches and Tilda Swinton. And that it's a remake of an old movie. But I still had no idea what to expect.
And, actually, it was quite beneficial.
But let's start from the beginning: "Suspiria" is a movie directed by Luca Guadagnino, a remake of Dario Argento's "Suspiria" from 1977. Okay, maybe "remake" is a bad word – this "Suspiria" is rather an interpretation of the first one. I'm not going to compare both films, because I haven't seen the first one (yet), but, according to the internet, they differ quite much on both audiovisual and plot's side.
Actually, the plot seems to be quite simple: there's a dance school, there's a mysterious dance teacher, Madame Blanc (Swinton), there's an amateur dancer, Susie (Dakota Johnson), who becomes Blanc's student and there's a psychiatrist, Dr. Klemperer (Lutz Ebersdorf... I mean, Tilda Swinton), who wants to solve the mystery of a disappearance of a dancer and his patient, Patricia (Chloe Grace Moretz). Whole story starts when Susie comes to West Berlin (action is set in 1977) for an audition to the school. And then things happen. Many things. Like, you know, gore. And exploding heads. And people being horribly mutilated. And witchcraft. And...
Have I mentioned it's a surreal horror? No? Well, now you know.
Actually, "Suspiria" isn't a typical horror. If you expect many jump scares (there is ONE jump scare for the whole film, which is more hilarious than scary), ghosts, blood and similar, you will be disappointed... Except for the "blood" part. I'll be honest: it's probably the bloodiest, goriest and most macabre thing I've ever seen (and, believe me, I've seen much). And you know what? It's absolutely fascinating.
No, I'm not joking. It REALLY is. Watching "Suspiria" is like being in a trance. The plot gets more and more sick, the movie itself quickly shows its mindfucking side and you still can't stop watching. And, during the second half, you notice the whole massacre became beautiful. Yes, it's this type of art, which makes disembowelling people beautiful. The way everything is filmed: intensive colours, unconventional camera angles, mixing surreal imagery with grateful dancers, this all makes "Suspiria" an artistic show you just want to watch. Ecstasy – this is probably the best word to describe this feeling. Ecstasy.
Provided you are not sensitive to body horror. If you are, then don't watch it.
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| I noticed some people leaving the cinema during this scene. And it was just first third of movie... |
While watching, you can see the passion in the dance. Susie's moves are sensual, emotional, almost animalistic and the scene is so intense that comparing it to lovemaking seems really natural. Similar sexual tension is displayed during other dance scenes, not to mention the way characters behave during rest of the movie. Dakota Johnson did her best while playing Susie – she created a character, who first seems to be just an innocent young girl and then quickly becomes mesmerizing femme fatale. But she doesn't seduce other characters. She seduces viewers.
Another interesting character is Madame Blanc. However, while Susie is wild and desirable, Blanc is a dignified woman, both respectable and fascinating. Tilda Swinton shines like diamond while acting. Her stoic attitude mixed with mysterious aura just makes your heart pound every time she appears on the screen. What's interesting, she's also very caring, almost motherlike. The way Blanc treats her students makes her very trustworthy figure. Yes, she's actually a majestic, alluring matriarch. Impossible? Well, not for Tilda.
| If Tilda doesn't get an Oscar, I will be disappointed. VERY disappointed. |
And have I mentioned everyone behaves like in a big lesbian commune?
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| I can hear fan fictions being written. Many of them. |
And I can listen to this song all the time.
Now I want to write something about the plot, so
The most confusing thing about "Suspiria" is its plot. As I mentioned, even after watching the movie I still have no idea what actually happened. Funniest thing? Except from the reveal about Susie's true nature, the movie doesn't even try to hide, what's going on. From the very beginning you know something very sinister is happening. Damn, even watching the trailer spoils you, there are witches in the academy and fragments during first half, when teachers talk in their minds and discuss ritual, only confirm this. However, even then you don't know anything about them. Movie gives you scenes and no context, how to understand them. Crazy montage and surreal audiovisual effects certainly don't help. That's also why "Suspiria" is really scary. You are watching something, but have no idea, what exactly. And, because of that, you don't know what to expect. Scene, when Sara finds mutilated Patricia is the best example. Something's happening. But what exactly? No one knows, at least till the end of the movie, then most of things is explained. Most, but not all. For example, I still haven't figured meaning of Susie's nightmares. Okay, they show that something's wrong, but still, what are they about? Why are witches causing them? Have I missed something?
Another interesting thing is Susie's true nature. Okay, she's Mother Suspiriorum. But was she aware of it? Her self-confidence, flirtatious attitude (that gaze...), determination to be in academy, even the fact she wanted to go to Berlin as a child proves it. However, in the beginning she looks like an innocent girl, who is lost in the big city. She also seems to be unaware of teachers true nature. So maybe she didn't know anything and Madame Blanc's love awakened Mother Suspiriorum? Or maybe something in between – she knew, who she was, but acted innocently to attract people? I have no idea.
My friend noticed another interesting thing: during the movie, number three repeats itself many times. There are three mothers: Lachrymarum, Tenebrarum and Suspiriorum, three mutilated girls: Patricia, Olga and Sara, three Tilda's roles (aside from Madame Blanc and Klemperer, Tilda also played Markos) and, during epilogue, Susie mentions Klemperer's wife was accompanied by two other women while dying. As everybody knows, three has always been a magical number, it even has some kind of special status in Christianity. My friend has a theory, three in the film is somehow related to witchcraft and women, who were with Anke, were witches. I think it has sense. Actually, how did Susie get to know what happened to Anke? Okay, she is Mother Suspiriorum, but it is not enough. Idea of witches witnessing Anke's death and telling it Susie explains everything.
Klemperer himself is quite interesting. Many people complain his arc adds nothing to the story. I think he's quite important – he's one of very few "normal" people in the movie. Also, witches bring him to the ritual as a witness. For me, that's his biggest role. He witnesses all sinister things that happen during "Suspiria", similar to audience, which makes him perfect character to identify with. Also, the very fact he's only man among main characters and he is still played by woman is relevant. "Suspiria" is very feminist movie, women are in the centre of attention and rule there. Keeping almost all-female cast by having male character played by female emphasises it.
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| Old German man as a person to identify with? Why not? |
To be honest, there are many things I can say about this movie and even more to discover. I'm sure I will watch it again in the future. However, I'm not sure if I can recommend it to anyone – "Suspiria" isn't for everyone. It's one, 152 minutes' mindfuck. Awesome mindfuck.
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| So awesome. |
Image sources:
All movie stills were screenshot from the official trailer and belong to Amazon Studios.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY6QKRl56Ok
Poster: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1034415/mediaviewer/rm3812457984
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