By RACHEL BERNARDINELLI

Suspiria, the cult classic and one of the classiest horror films in the genre's history, was directed and written by Dario Argento, no stranger to the horror genre himself.

The movie is arguably one of the best horror films to ever be filmed. Filled with rich colors, Gothic style homes, and an eerie soundtrack that somehow manages to pulse in time with the viewer's pounding hearts, Argento manages to attain a plot that becomes one with the scenery, making even the most flamboyant murders in the film to be fascinating to watch. From the very beginning to the end, when the audience finally manages to take a breather, the film lives up to its motto that "The only thing more terrifying than the last 12 minutes of this film are the first 92!"

Suspiria is at the top of its class in the horror genre. There aren't many movies out there; either filmed before or now that is like Suspiria. Dario Argento has proved himself to be one of the most innovating and intelligent directors out there. Along with Suspiria, he has a mile long list of films that includes Demons, Phenomena, and Tenebrae. (Unsane in the US.) What make Suspiria stand out from the rest is the carefully crafted plot that unfolds as time ticks and your heart races. Rich colors contrast with dark, moody music. Even the camera angles are brilliant. The hallways seem infinite; the lights at time blinding, and the blood so rich that you can practically taste it. The acting in the movie is brilliant; each person manages to pull off an amazing job that leaves you screaming at the TV as if you'd get some sort of response. The innocence of the main character is portrayed great; Jessica Harper just got the role by a hair. The original role of Suzy was supposed to be played by someone else, until Argento decided that an American should play the American. Good choice!

Suspiria's movie plot may not be all that complicated, but it certainly is the kind that pulls you in. Jessica Harper plays the star of the film, and the only one to escape the murders; her character is named Suzy Banyon. The movie starts with her getting off a train and thrust into the German stormy night. After finally managing to hail a cab, Suzy watches from the taxi's back seat the scenery around her as darkness closes in and the trees take over. Once reaching the German dance school she has been enrolled in, it quickly becomes apparent that she is not wanted at the school. A girl rushes outside the main doors and yells something almost incoherent. The only words Suzy picks up on is "flowers" and "secret". When Suzy tries to ring in, she is denied of her spot in the school and is told to leave. As she drives away in the taxi, she sees the girl, who rushed from the dance school just a few minutes earlier, dashing through the woods and screaming.

The movie then picks up its pace as the girl, who had fled the dance school in obvious fear, is murdered. Suzy realizes that something is going on in this school, something evil, and the girl living next door to her in the school, confirms her fear. It has come to the two girls' attention that every night, footsteps tap along the school's vacant hallways into some place. The teachers are going somewhere every night, but where? Sarah, who is the roommate of Suzy, counts the steps of the teachers and makes a note of this. Suzy picks up on the fact that the footsteps are heading in the opposite direction of the exit of school… which leads the girls to believe that the teachers aren't leaving the school, they're going somewhere inside it! Some more time goes by before the real truth is discovered: the school is being run by a coven of witches, and their next murder victim is the "American girl". Or is it?

The deaths in the film are some of the most bloodiest and realistic murders in the horror genre to date. Now a days in films, the murder is not shown. A close up on the knife in the air, maybe a shot of the girls open mouth as the knife meets her flesh, a few squirts of blood paint the walls, that’s it. But in Suspiria, that isn't the case. No, Argento doesn’t hold back in the gore department here. Just the thought of a knife jabbing me in the stomach is enough to make me want to turn away, but you cant, because its so damn fascinating to watch! Watching this film actually made me cringe. Though from the death scenes you can tell that obviously, this movie is not made in the Nineties, its refreshing to watch, because its just that… NOT a Nineties movie. So what, the dog's jaw may not be really grasping and biting the man's throat, it’s a hell of a lot better to watch some computer generated graphic super imposed onto the film, right?

He's no dummy, everything in the film has been chosen for a reason. Interpreting the film is half the fun, the other half, of course, is watching the film… again… and again… Argento chose the color scheme of red, blue, and green (with several occurrences of yellow) in scenes. If light and sound set the mood, then the colors set an emotion.

Two of the most haunting aspects of the movie are the throaty whispers of the cast in their dialog and the movie's soundtrack by Goblin. Hushed whispers enhance the night scenes and give the viewers a chance to strain their ears, giving them the feeling they aren't supposed to be there, this shouldn't be happening. It sets an emotion. The music supplies the feeling. The beats pulse, tempos race, and the watcher is pulled in, hesitantly waiting the next frame to roll in the film. Another great thing about Suspiria is the sets. The set of the dance school is great; the architecture is Gothic style with high walls and arches. The building that the first murder victim runs into and meets her demise in is also of great design. The walls, floor, ceiling, all are colored the same and patterned identically. This gives the claustrophobic feeling and also an unwanted feeling. The only other movie to do this, for me, is Stanley Kubrick's The Shining.

Red, used as to paint the walls, the wine Suzy drinks, and also red replaces black in the night scenes. Red is often associated with blood, and can be meant as angry, or used with suspense. When the lights go off, the red goes on. Blue, often a comfort color was with Suzy before she stepped in the tunnel toward the witches. Green replaced that blue, which could be interpreted as confusion. That makes total sense; Suzy knew where she was (blue) yet uncertain as to where she was heading (green). Yellow is also used, as the piercingly bright lights from the car, the fire, and the light that strikes Suzy as she is heading toward her ballet class. "Caution" is one of the many meanings that can be used for yellow.

Not only does Argento manage to throw together color and sound, he also manages to use his camera angles to the best of their effect. Long hallways stretch down the frame, seemingly getting narrower, giving the viewer a sense of eternity within the premise. The slow cameras creeping up on Suzy and Sarah as they are swimming can be taken as someone is watching them, listening to their conversation about the school.

A viewer can tell that he is watching a great film when after the film is done, he looks toward the rest of the audience and everyone starts talking. When a film can be interpreted on many different levels, where that is in the color, sound, camera angels, dialogue, you know that you are watching a great movie.

Thanks, Rachel, for guiding us through the shocks and scares of Suspiria.  You're right, it's a great fright film on many levels...especially the level at the edge of your seat where you'll perch while watching it!

Article copyright Rachel Bernardinelli

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