Figure 1: Film poster.
Suspiria (1977) is an Italian horror film directed by Dario Argento. The film has great operatic music which merges you deep into the experience it offers you. The film is about a young ballet student who goes to Germany into a ballet institution to study ballet. As soon as she arrives to the academy many strange and gore things happen. The atmosphere in the academy is really uncanny with unfriendly employees and strange things happening. Maggots fall through the ceiling due to some left food in the attic, accidents and death of other inmates and employees from the academy lead her to the fact that something is going on. Suzy the lead actor meets a psychologist where he says to her that the academy is run by witches according to some old facts. The perfect colors of the scenes in combination with the operatic music gives you a genuine horror experience.
Figure 2: Maggots falling from the ceiling
In the end she realizes that the ballet academy is controlled by witches. Although the story isn’t too complex and in general the dialogues in the film and the plot does not move your interest a lot the effects and the techniques of making this film is what makes you stick to it. “Technicolor splendor, is a movie that makes sense only to the eye.” (Hoberman, 2009). The key color of the film is the artificial red and in general there is a big use of vivid colors. The artificial red color gives emphasis to the horrorness of the scenes.
Figure 3: Scene which indicates the use of the artificial red color.
The music of the film in combination with the colors and the effects gives you a remarkably operatic hallucinogenic experience. “And then there's Argento's masterful use of deep primary colours — the sets are bathed in garish red and green light giving the whole film a hallucinatory intensity.” (Smith, 2007).
Figure 4: Scene where we can obviously the fake red blood.
In the end the young student realizes that the school is being run by witches and the only way to stop them is to kill the queen. Some incidents happen and in the end she manages to kill the coven of the witches and escape from the place. The film contains many uncanny and gore scenes. The director has achieved the best with the simplest concept of story. The movie gives to the audience a remarkable experience which makes the movie one of the best in its kind. The movie ends with the witch being burned and screaming while Suzy is escaping the academy.
Figure 5: The horror face of the witch in the end.
Illustration List:
Figure 1: Suspiria (1977) Film Poster.
(Accessed: 12/1/2012)
Figure 2: Suspiria (1977) Maggot scene falling from the ceiling.
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Figure 3: Suspiria (1977) Scene which indicates the use of the artificial red color.
(Accessed: 12/1/2012)
Figure 4: Suspiria (1977) Scene where we can obviously the fake red blood.
(Accessed: 12/1/2012)
Figure 5: Suspiria (1977) The horror face of the witch in the end.
(Accessed: 12/1/2012)
Bibliography:
Hoberman J. (2009), Suspiria (1977) Film Review.
(Accessed: 12/1/2012)
Humanick, Rob (2006). Suspiria (1977) Film Review.
(Accessed: 12/1/2012)
Smith, Adam (2007). Suspiria (1977) Film Review.
(Accessed: 12/1/2012)
nice choice of images, Anastos - your reviews are improving both in terms of their presentation, written English, and your ability to express your views engagingly. Well done and keep investing in this aspect of your degree education. Good stuff :)
ReplyDeletethank you very much Phil , i really appreciate it. i'm trying!
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