Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA is a landmark of not only the horror genre, but of cinema itself. Prior to SUSPIRIA, Argento's directorial efforts had been nothing more than a series of well crafted thrillers; gialli. Dario Argento made his directorial debut in 1969 with The THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, an accomplished whodunnit starring Tony Musante and Suzy Kendall. THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE was not only responsible for kick-starting Argento's career, it also spawned a raft of imitations from the likes of Sergio Martino, Umberto Lenzi and Aldo Lado. After the functional CAT O’NINE TAILS (1970) and FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET (1971), Argento became more experimental. Following on from his misguided historical epic, THE FIVE DAYS OF MILAN (1973), Argento made the seminal PROFONDO ROSSO (1975), which would be the start of many collaborations with actress Daria Nicolodi (who would later co-write SUSPIRIA, and mother his daughter, Asia) and the rock group Goblin.
SUSPIRIA, which was released in 1977, was a real departure for Argento. Firstly, the film was Argento's first to be set outside of his native Italy. Secondly, the labyrinthine plots that had anchored his previous films had given way to an entirely stylistic mise-en-scene. SUSPIRIA, although fundamentally a murder mystery, has the most basic of folk stories at its core. Suzy Banyon (Jessica Harper) is an American dance student who has won a scholarship at a coveted academy in Frieberg, Germany. Upon her arrival, Suzy discovers that the students are being picked off, one by one at the hands of a shrouded maniac. As Suzy investigates the murders, she discovers that the academy's faculty have more than a passing interest in the occult...
SUSPIRIA can be described as an attack on the senses. Argento's use of colour is striking and unlike anything else seen prior or since its release. Goblin's maniacal score is the equivalent of having your head bludgeoned with an iron bar for 100 minutes and is integral to the experience of watching SUSPIRIA - adding a great deal to the overall effect of the film. It's Argento's use of colour and score that create a real menacing ambience that runs through the film like lettering in a stick of rock. In conclusion, although lacking a cohesive narrative, SUSPIRIA is a rollercoaster ride of a film and a masterpiece of modern cinema. Argento followed SUSPIRIA with INFERNO (1980) and the soon-to-be-seen THE THIRD MOTHER (2007).
SUSPIRIA was one of the first EuroCult films that I experienced and one of the main factors of me becoming such a rabid fan of exploitation cinema.
