Suspiria [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray] [2018]

Remake of the 1977 version, this is not it or for you. The contrast of colors is obvious the Gloom versus the vibrancy of the old one. The soundtrack is really somber. The performances are great though Dakota Johnson didn't make me like her for this role but it made me respect her. Tilda is amazing as always and plays like two or three rolls. This movie will stay with you definitely an experience that is going to stay with you and make you think and keep you affected. You will be affected by this movie if you go in with no expectations.

So it seems that the trick to the 2018 Suspiria is to try to go in with an open mind and not draw comparisons to Argento's 1977 masterpiece. This was the route I took when watching this and I was surprised. I really liked the correlation between the dancing and the supernatural and the ending was a complete surprise. Sadly, the ending was also where the film lost me a bit. My father and I were both in the same boat, trying to figure out just what had happened and what it meant. But it keeps you guessing and thinking, which are some of the best kinds of movies. I'm still trying to process the ending and the movie (and the amazing soundtrack by Thom York) is strongly stuck in my head. I'm going to be due for a second and third viewing here really soon. Super happy I blindly purchased the blu ray. There's a few short but sweet features included. The HD transfer for this blu-ray is super crisp and vivid. Nothing could ever touch Dario Argento's original for me. But since this remake had to happen, I think the director did a good job of not trying to just redo what had already been done. There are some similarities to the original but this movie is durastically different. It's definitely a separate entity.

As hard as it may be, this film really should be seen outside of the original. Hands down, nothing, and NO ONE, will ever truly ever be able to recreate, or recapture, the phantasmagoric experience of Dario Argento’s masterpiece. And that’s the last thing the 2018 version attempts to do - in fact, one might think the director’s prowess was to stylistically steer in the opposite direction. Given Argento’s original is a product of the 70’s, it’s not hard to understand that it most likely has a rough time resonating any further than those die-hard horror fans from the echoes of that era. Or those like me, product of the 80s/90s, who continue the cult pull as much as possible. So to take the strides necessary to remake a film like Suspira are more a product of passion, rather than pure monetization - though that factor will always be involved somewhere. Directed by Luca Guadagnino, who is definitely a wonderful and calculating filmmaker, but FAR from a noted horror visionary, Suspiria 2019 is a very bleak and dry film. Only offering flashes of color/flare to embolden areas/moments in which the viewer is meant to engage with. Most notably when the film’s narrative is at its most active - a troupe/school of female dancers that operates at the most highest degree, attracting the world’s most sophisticated and devoted players. Which opens the characters and narrative open for massive manipulation, something Guadagnino takes advantage of like a master mathematician etching out lines of mystical geography that takes shape in the form of bodies - like a moving art exhibit. Never letting the camera break immersion and reveal itself. The film focuses primarily on one dancer, whom is new to the house, and must deal with the struggles that come with the territory, from both dancers and instructors alike. Breaking away from the main plot, the background is set against its own story that plays into the dangers of residing on 1960’s Berlin, most namely the Baader-Meinhof riots. This provides a sort of claustrophobic atmosphere as we watch the main protagonist make her way through the dangerous streets in the opening scenes, something that is constantly lurking like it’s own chaos magik in the streets. We’re not trapped inside the dance house, but we may as well be, like a Stockholm syndrome that feeds the obsession of those insude. And even more so pressurizing to the main protagonist, who is alien to almost everything, save for moving her body properly. Instead of dancing, the body is treated more like that of a contortionist, creating a sort of subliminal horror to the already tonally heavy atmosphere. Making each movement a captivating spell of its own. On the whole, there is always something strange or sexual lingering in the subtext of the entire film. All lending to the dread and horror - especially when on display. Suspiria 2018 pulls absolutely no punches in delivering its suffering pain and gore. All of it amped up to 11 by the subtle moment in-between. Nothing goes to waste here, and I mean NOTHING. Every single moment is filled with talent, pure and raw. The story is strong and twisted. Performances hypnotic as ever. Directed by a real auteur and master of the film craft, everything feels taute and properly paced. And without spoiling anything, the ending is definitely worthy of being called horror. This is one of the finest horror films in a long time, and even more surprising is the fact it’s a remake - a remake that steers wide away from its original, but still retains the proper symbiosis to make a new Suspiria that can stand on its own 2 feet.

This was a great movie to check out. We all know it's almost difficult to top the original, so I will not mention the classic Susperia. This modern take on it was a beautifully shot and very artistic movie. The dancing, the surround sound to it and the acting was really great. Worth adding to your collection.

Young American dancer Susie Bannion arrives in 1970s Berlin to audition for the world-renowned Helena Markos Dance Company, stunning the troupe's famed choreographer, Madame Blanc, with her raw talent. When she vaults to the role of lead dancer, Olga, the previous lead, breaks down and accuses the company's female directors of being witches. As rehearsals intensify for the final performance of the company's signature piece, Susie and Madame Blanc grow strangely close, suggesting that Susie's purpose in the company goes beyond merely dancing. Meanwhile, an inquisitive psychotherapist trying to uncover the company's dark secrets enlists the help of another dancer, who probes the depths of the studio's hidden underground chambers, where horrific discoveries await. Special Features and Technical Specs: "The Making of Suspiria" Featurette "The Secret Language of Dance" Featurette "The Transformations of Suspiria" Featurette Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles for the main feature English Dolby Atmos Audio track

Some who are fans of the original (myself included) will either love this remake or hate it. It's certainly a different take on the subject in many ways. Firstly, there's nothing subtle about the witches and their power - it's well established early on whereas the Argento version was more mysterious about what was going on and waited until the end to verify any suspicions. I think it's great to have such different takes of a classic genre film like this! There's no reason to choose one over the other.

I don't think this is a place to do a film review. There are plenty of places for that. So I'm reviewing the actual blu-ray. It's good, nothing special. The extras are where blu-rays can shine, and this one is just okay. Perfectly acceptable or the price, this isn't being sold as some Special Edition. A Making Of and a couple others, but no commentaries. I'm disappointed that studios are doing away with the commentaries. Movie nerds actually love them. So one star removed for not having commentaries.

Not a fan of the original this one expands the original in terms of story, character and length. Dario Argento purists will likely disapprove but others may like more. Extras are light but not bad.