While Italy is a country that is bursting with talented filmmakers who have left their mark on the history of cinema, few have had quite the impact as the one and only Dario Argento. From his landmark directorial debut The Bird With The Crystal Plumage in 1970, the auteur has carved out quite a legacy in the horror genre, especially putting his distinctive stamp on the giallo subgenre. When you have multiple films that rank among the greatest of a particular style of filmmaking, you must be doing something right. Despite his success in this arena, his most iconic and heralded piece of filmmaking is arguably his 1977 supernatural thriller Suspiria. It is the first of what would eventually be known as the “Three Mothers Trilogy,” a series of films which drew from Argento’s fascination with Thomas De Quincey’s essay Suspiria de Profundis. The connection between ancient witchcraft and modernity is a subject ripe for great narrative possibilities. The result reaffirms such an idea with a narratively thrilling and visually dazzling feature that has never stopped transfixing audiences since its release over forty years ago.
For an Argento film especially, Suspiria is relatively straightforward in how its story unfolds. The story begins with our gateway into this dreamy tale; Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper, Phantom Of The Paradise) is an American ballet student who has just arrived in Germany to study at the prestigious co-ed Tanz Dance Akademie. Unfortunately she arrives in the midst of a torrential downpour at night. In terms of sheer seat-gripping thrills, the opening gambit served up by this film ranks among the most effective in the genre. From the immediate unease of the Goblin score to the frenzied series that follow, you are controlled by Argento like a grand maestro of tension. You are as discombobulated as Suzy, a stranger in a strange land who is trying to get to safety. Her arrival at the school comes with a swift denial of entry from the front intercom, forcing her to stay the night in the city. This is not before she sees a student fleeing from the premises in terror. What follows for this unlucky soul is extremely visceral and something you are not likely to forget. Something is off at the school, and Suzy is oblivious to the danger she is about to walk into.
As thrilling as the first twenty or so minutes are, the remainder of the film can almost feel lacking in propulsive momentum. Argento slows things down to a slow boiling dread as Suzy finally gains entry to the school and all of the unique characters who inhabit it. Her fellow classmates are a mixture of sweet and sour when it comes to potential friendship. These are some of the most promising dancers in the world, and this world can be as cutthroat as any. It is the staff who you have to look out for, though; Miss Tanner (Alida Valli), the head instructor, and Madame Blanc (Joan Bennett), the deputy headmistress, present with a kind exterior, but their demeanor changes as Suzy gets deeper into the inner workings of the school. Argento unsettles you in ways both minor – those who shudder at the sight of maggots better watch out – and major while building up dread. Suzy feels something is off, and through her amateur investigation she learns that the schools may have ties to witchcraft. As mentioned, the story is not necessarily striving for twists and turns, but rather to escalate to a perfectly executed cacophony of terror.
For all of the intrigue that the narrative provides, Suspiria really survives due to all of the style and atmosphere brought to the feature. The aforementioned score from Goblin, as well as Argento himself, is the lifeblood of this film. The opening theme alone is one of the greatest pieces of music featured on film from this era, and it so perfectly captures the whimsy and dissonant tension of the story. This music is just as tied to its movie as the Carpenter score for Halloween. The way Argento shoots this movie with cinematographer Luciano Tovoli is so striking with its use of bold colors and peculiar camera angles. With so many horror films shot in a more straightforward manner, it is a breath of fresh air to see such artistry brought to the screen. There are certain performances within the film that are overacted and it never quite reaches the delirious highs of the opening onslaught, but Argento has captured what it feels like to be caught in a nightmare. Not only does it serve as a high point of Italian horror, but the influence it has had over subsequent generations has brought us a host of additional great works of art. Who knew ballet could be so scary?
Video Quality
Synapse Films presents Suspiria with a stunning 2160p transfer in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration of the original uncut, uncensored Italian 35mm original camera negative with color correction supervised and approved by Director of Photography Luciano Tovoli. One of the most impressive aspects of the disc is the application of the HDR10 for increased color output that deserves to be admired far and wide for its lustrous beauty. This presentation shoots near to the top of the best that I have seen on the format. The new restoration features some colors in the atmospheric setting and effects such as a crimson blood that pop off the screen with a vibrant intensity. This disc handles every environmental change from the open air landscape of Germany to the interiors of the Academy with ease. The black levels are outstanding with nothing in the way of crush present, and white levels are solid as a rock with no evidence of blooming. Nearly every single moment is a visual treat.
The level of detail and clarity is stunning with the perfect amount of natural film grain intact. The grain resolves well with no fluctuations detected at any point. The texture on display in the costumes and within the setting are a revelation. Even the makeup effects blend naturally which conjures something beautifully grotesque. This transfer does not register anything in the way of print damage. This presentation is true to the original look of the film with the added resolution making elements seem more natural. There does not appear to be any jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. This presentation is a five-star effort from the crew at Synapse Films.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with three outstanding tracks including an English Dolby Atmos track, the original English DTS-HD 4.0 Master Audio track, and an Italian DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track. These tracks provide an expansive soundscape that perfectly captures the artistic intent while harnessing the technology of the present. This track is an absolute powerhouse that ranks among the best of the format in terms of effectiveness. This is sonically an extremely intricate film and the expanded Atmos track goes a long way towards making the world sound fuller. The score from Goblin and Argento has never sounded better and is used impeccably to elevate the mood of the story. There is never a moment where it threatens to overwhelm competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. The environmental sounds such as the chatter of the students in the locker rooms and the sequences of violent attacks are rendered well alongside everything else. There does not seem to be any noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. Synapse Films has given this film a perfectly preserved audio presentation that brings the movie to life in a thrilling manner.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary #1: Dario Argento scholar Troy Howart delivers an information-packed commentary track in which he discusses some of the production woes, the brief cameos from Argento in the film, the marketing and release history, the careers of some of the performers on screen, important details in certain shots that might be overlooked and more. This is very entertaining and well worth a listen for fans of the film.
- Audio Commentary #2: Dario Argento scholar Derek Botelho and film scholar David Del Valle likewise deliver a thoughtful commentary track which tackles some of the same material as the first one but with loads of new information, as well. This benefits from having a back and forth between the participants.
- A Sigh From The Depths – 40 Years Of Suspiria: A 27-minute featurette in which various genre fans, film critics and scholars discuss this landmark film including the early career of Argento, the inspiration for the story, its root as a fairytale, how Argento connected with the material, the impressive feats of cinematography, casting issues, filming the iconic murder scenes and much more. You really get a sense of what an achievement this film was and how its legacy has continued over the past several decades.
- Do You Know Anything About Witches?: A 30-minute visual essay created by Michael MacKenzie which explores the career of Dario Argento and examines the plot and themes in great detail. This is an excellent watch for those who have just experienced the film for the first time and want to get more out of it.
- Suzy In Nazi Germany: An eight-minute featurette which explores the Munich setting of the story by visiting locations such as the Airport Munchen, the Black Forest, the Hofbrauhaus (a restaurant where Hitler gave his first speech), and BMW Headquarters. Through these locations we are given the troubled history associated with it and how it ties thematically into the film. This simple choice of location makes an already frightening movie more unsettling.
- Olga’s Story – Interview with Barbara Magnolfi: A 17-minute interview with the actress who plays Olga as she explores how she shaped the character from the script, her entry into the movie business, her collaboration with Argento, the intense training she had to do for the film, her memories of her co-stars, her career post Suspiria and much more.
- International Classics “Breathing Letters” – Original U.S. Release Opening Credits: A two-minute look at the alternate opening credits which features a unique manifestation of the title card.
- Original Theatrical Trailers: There is a U.S. Trailer #1 (1:02), U.S. Trailer #2 (1:25) and International Trailer (2:03) provided on this disc.
- Original U.S. Television Spots: There are three U.S. TV Spots (0:36 x 3) included here.
- Original U.S. Radio Spots: There are three U.S. Radio Spots (0:29, 0:28, 0:29) and two U.S. Double Feature Radio Spots (0:31, 0:29) included here.
Final Thoughts
Suspiria is one of the best efforts from one of the greatest horror directors of our time. The narrative is straightforward but deeply intriguing and unsettling in a way that will stick in your mind long after the credits have finished rolling. The real feat of this effort is the direction from Dario Argento, who makes the deeply disturbing a work of art through striking sound and visuals. Synapse Films has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and an assortment of special features that is not to be missed. This is one disc that no horror fan should be without. Highly Recommended
Suspiria is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Synapse Films has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.