| Suspiria
Limited Edition DVD year of release: 2001 Approximate running time: 97 minutes Aspect ratio: Widescreen Anamorphic 2.35:1 ratio System: NTSC (colour) Rating: Unrated Sound: DTS ES 6.1 (English), Dolby EX Surround Sound (English), Dolby 2.0 Surround (English), Dolby 2.0 Surround (French) and Dolby 2.0 Surround (Italian) DVD Release: Anchor Bay Region Coding: Region 0 Reviewed by: Robert Marcucci and Edwin Samuelson on August 16, 2001 |
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| The Film |
| Suspiria, the Dario Argento horror classic is here,
finally, on DVD. I saw Suspiria in 1977, and aside from the fact that it
was my first real dubbed movie experience (a bit distracting), the film
certainly made a fantastic impression upon me, and has remained one of
those films that I will always sit down and view repeatedly. The film is
one of the largest canvasses full of nightmarish imagery, expressing
phobia, magic, aggression, and many other themes of the human condition
and imagination. The film consists of "moving paintings" that spin around
a rather basic plotline that deals with a group of students in a dance
academy, where strange and horrible atrocities take place. The characters
are multidimensional, as well as the sets, the locations, the atmosphere
and so on and so forth, whether intentional or not, creating a swirling
concoction of eclecticism and eccentricity to its story and ambiance –
pure, unadulterated Argento. I’ve heard many reactions to Suspiria, a lot of them negative in the sense that the viewers were disappointed by the lack of story content and structure, dragging pace, campy dialog, poor direction, etc., etc… They are certainly entitled to feel the way they do, and experience the film in that light. Suspiria, in my opinion, and many others, however, is a fantastic experience of the senses, where the horror is translated, primarily, through sight and sound: exaggerated sets, jagged, dark, confusing architecture that perplexes you and leaves you unnerved. A lighting and color scheme enhanced and blown out of proportion thanks to the use of the old Technicolor film stock and processing, giving the scenes that feverish tone and sickness necessary for Suspiria. Excellent locations were chosen that have a natural disturbance, at times diametrically opposing each other, like the opening airport interior/exterior shots with that of the dark outer city region of the school. The locations bring to mind the camerawork: well-constructed framing and composition showing the harshness and jagged qualities of buildings, landscapes, and people. The camera movement only adds more to the magic in this film, flying overhead, swooping down and flowing about. This is not to say, however, that the script is weak; it is actually well suited for the film Argento envisaged. I find the structure simplistic, but fine, for it does present the fear and alienation of people, especially that of Suzy Banyon, played by Jessica Harper, who is thrown into this strange land, without any real support from anyone there. And the sadistic nature of competition among young performers, their trainers, and the atmosphere of such institutions are well suited for this study of alchemy and the supernatural. A strange feminine power is prevalent throughout the film, which is wonderful and satisfying to see, in light of other horror films of the time and to some extent today, where the male is the dominating evil. Daria Nicolodi’s contribution does not go unnoticed here, and the partnership between she and Dario Argento will be remembered for their brilliant conception of Suspiria. It was this partnership that brought rock to horror so effectively, thanks to their collaboration with the band, Goblin. The guitar, bass, keyboards and percussion of rock is utilized so well here, and Argento made brilliant inclusion of the addition of other instruments that gave the score an edge that punctuates and blends with all existing elements in the film. Argento and his editor continue his style in Suspiria, which always seems to be on the money when it comes to expressing the shock, tension and prevailing evil surrounding the characters of the story. There are many examples of the above reflections. The opening encompasses most of them. The opening rolling sound of tribal sounding drums during the credits immediately stirs you. The crane shots, haunting main theme, cold, sleek sets, thundering rains, flooding sewers and the drive through tunnels and dark country nights, all the way to one very surreal looking dance academy make you queasy and off balance. There is an unnatural tone to the opening – very hypnotic and different, intoxicating you, slowly and uncomfortably immersing you in this world. Editor Franco Fraticelli has worked with Argento throughout most of his career. Their collaboration is another testament to the momentum and shock of Suspiria. Swift, quick cuts of the tools and hands of death jar the viewer. There are subtle and effective examples of flashback sequences, particularly the moment when Suzy first recalls her first night at the academy. Very quiet, with no dramatic use of sound or vision, Suzy’s flashbacks are perfectly realized. The lighting design and sets of the academy are like a maze, covered with copious examples of art and décor, and flooded with thick reds, blues and greens, almost gaseous in texture. And the camera, from whatever point of view, hovers, floats and slithers through the hallways, down stairs, and through intricate passageways and rooms. This film, along with Opera, Deep Red, Tenebrae and Inferno, have the most consistent examples of Argento’s best cinematography and production design. |
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Editor's Note: I reviewed the A/V portion of this disc, because Robert's still and poster collection is on this disc; I wanted to give a fair and non-biased review and felt this was the best way to go about it. This review for the film was written before this DVD was announced. |
| Video | 5/5 | |
| The film is presented in original 2.35.1 aspect ratio and is THX certified as well as anamorphic. Last years Deep Red was quite a remarkable feat and Anchor Bay had their work cut out for them when they started on Suspiria. A great effort was made to make this the definitive version of Suspiria. AB went to Rome and tracked down the original negative and got cinematographer Luciano Tovoli to supervise the transfer. Have they succeeded? Yes without a doubt they have! The film looks amazingly pristine with absolutely no print damage. Not a spec or nick to be seen. The three strip Technicolor cinematography is wonderfully captured by this transfer. The black level is dead on resulting in colors that are so vibrant, they just leap off the screen. Detail is very sharp resulting in near three-dimensionality. I noticed no artifacting. I doubt this film looked at good during its original theatrical release. My hat is off to Anchor Bay for taking the time to do this right. |
| Audio | 5/5 | |
| This DVD has five different audio tracks, an English: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround EX, an English: 6.1 DTS-ES, an English: Dolby Surround 2.0, an Italian: Dolby Surround 2.0, and a French: Dolby Surround 2.0. For this review I will focus on the 6.1 DTS-ES track. I can use one word to describe this soundtrack, amazing. Not many DVDs have these 6.1 tracks, but after hearing this one and the one for Maniac, I wish more did. Sound is one of the most important elements to Suspiria -- thankfully this track lives up to the task with a near tidal wave of directional sound effects and extremely clear dialogue. The score and sound effects really enhances the film, I was more scared than I was ever, as was watching the film. The bass is rock solid and really enhances Goblin's classic score. The rear speakers are constantly active with sounds coming from every speaker. It's really hard to believe how good AB was able to make this 24 year old film sound. |
| Extras | 5/5 | |
| Anchor Bay has pulled out all of the stops and
has given Suspiria a much deserved special edition treatment. Among the
extras are: SUSPIRIA 25TH ANNIVERSARY: Last year when Deep Red came out, I loved the featuette that was included on the disc, but was disappointed as were many others, as 15 minutes was way too short to give a detailed history on such a important work. Well, the folks have at Anchor Bay have listened and have given us a is a brand new documentary that runs a full 52 minutes and is shown in anamorphic widescreen (1.78.1)! It features interviews with Dario Argento, Daria Nicolodi, Cinematographer Luciano Tovoli, Goblin, Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini and Udo Kier. There is wealth of information here and its very well assembled. It's quite an informative look back on making on a classic. You find out how Jessica Harper got the main role; the creative consumption of the story, and most fascinating, how was the film was shot and processed in the old Technicolor progress. I also really enjoyed hearing Harper's comments on the film. I must say, the one thing that really stands out is that all the rumors that many have heard about Harper trying to distance herself from the role are untrue. She seems very proud of the film and it is wonderful to hear her say so. Daemonia Music Video Claudio Simonetti's new band that plays his old Goblin tunes makes a nice contribution to this disc with a music video of the main theme to Suspiria. It's a bit cheesy, but enjoyable. Theatrical Trailers, TV Spot, Radio Spots Two theatrical theaters are included. One from U.S. release and the other for the International release. Both have an extremely different feel, but yet capture the horrific sprit of the film. Talent Bios Very lengthy detailed bios on Argento, Harper, and co-writer Daria Nicolodi. All are pretty good, especially the one on Harper that gives some information on her that I never knew before. Poster And Still Gallery A very large gallery of stills, posters, programs, and other advertising materials from all over the world, some are provided by this site's own Robert Marcucci. It's quite interesting to see how the film was marketed in different countries with some amusing taglines. Full Color Booklet and Lobby Cards A new 32 Page full color booklet with photos and an interview with star Jessica Harper is included as well and nine full color 5x7 lobby card reproductions from original theatrical release. The liner notes are extremely well written by Travis Crawford and offer great insight into the career of Argento. Original Soundtrack on CD One of the greatest horror soundtracks is included, and it stands on it's own as a great work. |
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| Overall | 5/5 | |
| Anchor Bay's version of Deep Red was the most beautiful DVD I have ever seen, and for this DVD to equal it in terms of picture quality is quite a feat. Add that with the wonderful documentary and a wealth of terrific extras, you have a disc that is bound to watched and enjoyed many times. Truly, without a doubt one of the finest DVDs ever produced. |
| Film Rating | DVD Rating | |||
| Director: | Dario Argento |
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| Writers: | Dario Argento and Daria Nicoldi |
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| Released: | 1977 |
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| Cast: | Jessica Harper, Udo Kier, Stefania Cassini, Joan Bennett, Alida Valli |
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