suspiria…

I went along to the Watershed this morning (another 11am screening!) to see Luca Guadagnino’s “Suspiria” (there’s no truth in the rumour that I’d misread the Watershed advertising and thought it was something to do with a “sarsaparilla” drink). To be honest, I was in town first thing this morning and the thought of watching the ‘morning movie’ rather appealed – even though I knew very little about the film in question.
It turns out that it was a pretty scary film about witchcraft – featuring lots of blood and lots of skin (in the broadest sense). Apparently, the film is a ‘cover version’ (using the director’s description) of Dario Argento’s 1977 horror classic – which I’d never seen and knew nothing about. Guadagnino’s ‘take’ is set in Berlin in the 1970s (at a time when Germany was on ‘almost on the verge of a civil war’ – according to the Watershed’s blurb) and follows Susie Bannion (played by Dakota Johnson) as an ambitious young dancer auditioning for a place in a prestigious school - run, it turns out, by a coven of witchy women – including the wonderful Tilda Swinton (who also plays the parts of the company’s lead choreographer and, bizarrely, an 82 year-old male psychotherapist!). Students are disappearing (apparently due to some kind of ancient violence that dwells within the school’s walls)…
I certainly am no fan of ‘horror films’ as a genre, but was quite impressed by its rather spellbinding, dark ‘look’ and its eerily brilliant score (by Thom Yorke). Guadagnino describes the film as being about “being immersed in a world of turmoil and uncompromising darkness”... and it's difficult to disagree. Less impressive, for me, was the film’s length (2hours 32minutes)!
If you’re looking for a warm, cosy, feel-good film, this is probably not for you!