Anyone who knows me knows that I love 1970’s horror movies. I did my whole senior thesis on that topic. What I love about 70’s is that it really was an age of uncertainty. Early in the decade, there was a gas shortage and the Vietnam War was still happening. Then later in the decade, there was the Watergate scandal and the decision of Roe v Wade. Things were changing and that scared people. This culture of uncertainty allowed directors, specifically horror film directors, license to experiment. Dario Argento’s Suspiria captures that uncertain feeling of the decade.
This film received critical acclaim for his vibrant colors, its stylistic and visual flair, it’s soundtrack, done by Italian progressive rock band, Goblin. The design and cinematography really emphasized the primary colors, same techniques used in The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind, to create a nightmarish environment, unlike the two previously mentioned films. This is actually the first of a trilogy; the second film is Inferno (1980) and the last is The Mother of Tears (2007).
This film is what I call an art film. It is something I can see being a featured film in a Film in Literature class, which was a class I took in college. It is visually stunning and beautifully graphic. The stark contrast between the vivid reds with the blackest black is extremely haunting. The death scenes were pretty graphic, which is the sign of the times. I would say that this is a haunting tale and a must see.
Stay tuned for tomorrow when I review the 2015 Guillermo Del Toro film, Crimson Peak. Until then, stay spooky, my friends.
31 Horror Movies in 31 Days 