OT - Good News for "Suspiria" Fans

I had never heard of "Suspiria" or Italian director Dario Argento until about a year ago when someone (I think it was Luciaphil) brought up this movie, which included Joan Bennett's last screen appearance.

I had mixed feelings about the movie after seeing it on the SciFi channel at that time.  I've come to conclude, though, that that airing didn't provide a good basis for evaluating the film.  The color was washed out, both the print and sound were terrible, and the film seemed to have been chopped to bits for television.  I was intrigued enough from from this suspect airing, though, in addition to reading a lot of commentary, to purchase the VHS tape, which was a revelation in comparison.  (Incidentally, it is also available on DVD in restored format, as is the VHS version.)  I also learned that "Suspiria" was the first in a proposed trilogy conceived by Argento, and that the second part had been filmed, "Inferno."  In fact, I rather prefer "Inferno" to Suspiria ... it has the same stylized, unrealistic quality both visually and in terms of the storyline.   "Inferno" is one of the movies where I think virtually every frame exactly fulfills the director's vision for the movie.  And with Inferno, the implication is made more clearly that we are entering the realm of the subconscious, and that events unfold with no more logic than a dream or nightmare.

Argento's inspiration for the trilogy came from English writer Thomas de Quincy's dreamlike meditations in his autobiograpical "Confessions of an Opium Eater", in which he imagines three "mothers" -- spirits or shades, if I remember correctly -- who inspire and inflect mankind in equal measures.  The link is rather tenuous, IMO, based on my reading of the relevant sections in de Quincy, but interesting.

For years (decades, now) there's been speculation as to when, if ever, the final installment of the trilogy would ever be undertaken.

The good news is that Argento has told a number of European publications that the third movie is in the works and he expects filming to commence in August.  The working title is "La Terza Madre" (The Third Mother), and he says it will deal with gnosticism (a Christian offshoot -- heresy, really -- that I've always been deeply drawn to) and persecution.  The movie centers on Mater Lachrymorum (Latin for "mother of tears"), whom he imagines as the most cruel of the three "mothers"; we will first see her in medieval Rome.  Witchcraft will also play a role.  Now, I'm not expecting anything like a realistic depiction of gnosticism, but as a backdrop to the third movie it sounds interesting.

A final note:  Argento has said on the record that he originally conceived of the school in "Suspiria" as a school for little girls -- not the young women it turned out to be.  The movie would probably have been even more horrible that way, and I wonder if it might have been better, too.

Also -- from what I remember, I don't think Joan Bennett considered this movie to have been high art ... I think she brought the right qualities to her role as the school mistress, however.

An afterthought.

To tell  the truth, had one scene in particular NOT been cut when SciFi aired "Suspiria," I probably wouldn't have gotten into these Argento movies at all ... that is the scene of a knife stabbing an exposed, still-beating heart.  That scene (in the first murder) is restored to all its technicolor glory in the newly restored offering.  Thinking about that scene still gives me pause ... and makes me question the director's psychology.  I'm making parallels as I write this to some of the intensive criticism currently being directed at "Passion of the Christ" ... I want to give Argento/Suspiria the benefit of the doubt given other aspects of the movie that do appeal to me.  And to review the movie, not the director.

Also -- from what I remember, I don't think Joan Bennett considered this movie to have been high art ... I think she brought the right qualities to her role as the school mistress, however.

IIRC, this is supposedly a movie that she made so that she'd get a trip to Rome out of it. 

I have the limited edition of the Suspiria DVD and I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in the movie. They did a phenomenal job with the print, and it's worth seeing uncut.

Some articles about it here

I'm psyched about the news of a third film.

Luciaphil,

The link you provided doesn't seem to work.  I tried it with Internet Explorer yesterday and got one of those "This page does not exist" results (or whatever it says), and I tried today with my Mozilla browser and got a slightly different message but anyway it didn't work.
 


Later:

The message I got today was one of those "404 Not Found" pages.  "The requested URL was not found on this server.

The link should work now.

The link should work now.

Thank you!

Looks like I'll have to add Luciaphil's webpage to my ever-lengthening bookmarks ...

 

Suspiria is one of the scariest movies I've ever seen! The music score by Goblin is what really gets me. I'm still not sure what I think of Argento's movies. There's something fascinating about the stylized brutality but, at the same time, it's also what's repellent to me about his movies. I've seen Deep Red, Suspiria, Inferno, Bird With The Crystal Plummage, Tenebre, and The Stendahl Syndrome. I'm afraid to watch Opera because it sounds way too gory! I think he's an amazing stylist but the sheer brutality is a little much for me, and I think his scripts sometimes leave a lot to be desired. A lot of his fans seem to say "it's not supposed to make sense, it's an argento movie", but I'm not so sure that a lot of his movies don't just have weak scripts. Still, he is interesting and his movies make incredible use of visuals and sound.

... I think he's an amazing stylist but the sheer brutality is a little much for me, and I think his scripts sometimes leave a lot to be desired. A lot of his fans seem to say "it's not supposed to make sense, it's an argento movie"....

See, now you are getting it.  That's the difference between a "film" and a "movie." I myself have had to learn that hard lesson from the various film majors in the family.  See, notice the use of "film" and not "movie."


Surrounded by genius' in everyday life and who loves a good movie.

See, now you are getting it.  That's the difference between a "film" and a "movie." I myself have had to learn that hard lesson from the various film majors in the family.  See, notice the use of "film" and not "movie."

Oh dear.  I went back to my original post to see what I called it.  In every reference, I referred to "Suspiria" as a ... movie    ... except when I referred to the actual physical "film" and the act of "filming."

I agree, I think the distinction that is often made is that a movie is something like a mindless blockbuster produced solely for entertainment purposes (and financial gain), while a film is a work of serious artistic intent.

On the other hand, I think some people find the use of the term "film" slightly pretentious, so I tend to sometimes avoid it for that reason.  (I work part-time in a film archive.    I'll have to check with my supervisor and see what she says.)

I do think that the term "film" is appropriate in speaking of Argento's work.  I mean, these aren't teenage slasher movies.

Though like Scottd, I remain ambivalent on the point of the graphic -- very graphic -- gore and violence, which Argento films to appear "beautiful."

I note from imdb.com that "Inferno" is banned in Finland.*  I can see why the movie could be considered unwholesome and unedifying because of the apparently pointless, brutal closeup murders, but it's clear that there's much more to the movie than that.

___________

*which surprises me given that every European country I know anything about, including the Nordic countries, is more liberal, tolerant, and progressive than the U.S.  Yet the relative Socialism in those countries means the state -- the government -- controls a lot more things, ostensibly for the welfare of the people.

I wrote:

I can see why the movie could be considered unwholesome and unedifying because of the apparently pointless, brutal closeup murders, but it's clear that there's much more to the movie than that.

I mean, the film

I mean, the film

ROFLOL

I still need to see "Inferno". I loved "Suspiria" and hope to buy the special edition dvd version soon. My vhs copy of "Suspiria" was used whenI bought it and has some playback problems in the beginning of the movie. I love the Goblin score for that film and look forward to the soundtrack cd that comes with the special edition dvd.

The other Argento movies I've seen are "Deep Red" and "Phenomena". Any recommendation on what to see after "Inferno"?

I wonder if Argento will cast his daughter, Asa, for the third installment? His girlfriend and Asa's mom, Daria Nicolodi, did act in many of his films (I loved her part in "Deep Red").

I agree with Vlad that Argento's "movies" can be called "films!" They certainly aren't typical teen slashers! It's actually really strange to me because, as I've said, I'm fascinated by his movies but almost don't want to be because they truly disturb me! Anyway--Darkshadowyfigure, as to what to see after Inferno...If you liked Deep Red, Tenebre is in that mold. It's been called Argento's return to his "giallo" roots. It's, as always, really gruesome--a very high body count in this one, and full of really imaginative camerawork. I've read that it's one of his most personal films and one that addresses the label of "misogynist" that's thrown at him a lot. Although I'm not exactly sure how as again there's an abundance of young women being butchered! I rented his first film, The Bird With The Crystal Plumage, and liked it. You can really see how it must have influenced a lot of slasher movies to come, although it's very tame compared to his later work. It relies much more on what isn't seen and on sound as opposed to graphic displays of violence. It has a great soundtrack by Ennio Morricone, one of my favorite film composers. I haven't seen anything else by Argento thats in the mode of Suspiria and Inferno. Those seem more like disturbing fairy tales than anything else.

Strange coincidence ...

I happened to turn on the TV about an hour ago (late Saturday night) and "Suspiria" was airing, of all places, on a local cable public access station.  This station tends to run bizarre low-budget movies that I've never heard of, as well as Japanese (?) Kung-Fu types of movies.  I wouldn't be surprised if they showed something like Robert Rodan's "The Minx" -- to give you an idea of the quality.  Or maybe "Satan in High Heels" (now how did anything that obscure make it to DVD, impeccably restored, when so many noted films from major studios languish forgotten ...?).

Anyway, they were showing a restored print, with restored soundtrack, in widescreen, UNEDITED, and commercial-free.  Wow!  You could hear all the "witch" whisperings; the colors were intense and the picture clear.  Joan Bennett's lines about the "bitch" American girl were intact; this was a visual feast -- the shimmering gold, the Hebrew letters, in the hallway leading up to the worship room were glowing; the surreal qualities came through, unlike with SciFi's airing.

If a cable access station could obtain that print, you'd think SciFi would have had the wherewithal to do so.  The print they aired last year was next to worthless.

Daria Nicolodi, did act in many of his films (I loved her part in "Deep Red").

Daria Nicolodi was very good in "Inferno."

The only ones I've seen are "Suspiria" and "Inferno".  I've wondered about getting Deep Red and Tenebrae, which appealed to me the most from what I've read, but I am somewhat hesitant by the gore, such as you mention, Scott -- it is offputting to me.

Anyway, they were showing a restored print, with restored soundtrack, in widescreen, UNEDITED, and commercial-free.  Wow!  You could hear all the "witch" whisperings; the colors were intense and the picture clear.  Joan Bennett's lines about the "bitch" American girl were intact; this was a visual feast -- the shimmering gold, the Hebrew letters, in the hallway leading up to the worship room were glowing; the surreal qualities came through, unlike with SciFi's airing.

It's a whole other film, isn't it? I have the limited edition DVD and it was worth the money. The colors are so fantastic.

Daria Nicolodi, did act in many of his films (I loved her part in "Deep Red").

There's an interview with her on the DVD, and according to her, she pretty much came up with most of the plot and the script for Suspiria--her grandmother claimed that she had attended a school where witchcraft was going on behind the scenes. Also originally Nicolodi was supposed to be playing the Jessica Harper part.