The remake of the 1977 classic starring Tilda Swinton with three roles and Dakota Johnson who disappears into the lead character is easily my favorite horror movie now. The VVitch, released a couple of years earlier, had held that title. Both movies share their subgenre, revealed in their stories (sorry, no spoilers, yet!) and they share a number of strong thematic elements.

• Year Released: 2018
• Director: Luca Guadagnino
• Actors: Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton
• Length: 2h 32m

Spoilers start here. You have been warned.

A Rewatch

Suspiria finds a way to be both realistic and absurd. The sound design immerses you into the scene while the cinematography tells a story. On this second watch, I kept an eye out for the little details. I caught the possession of Sarah by Madame Blanc, evidenced by their swapped eye colors and Blancs’ movements during the dance.

I also picked up on some political elements. French language was subtitled with blue text and German language was colored red, which creates a contrast between our perception of the Allies and Axis in World War II and the local experience during the war, both by the Jews and the German country being invaded by Russia. The hostage takers were demanding the freedom of far-left militants in Germany in the 70’s. At the same time, the coven is led by an imposter who then is purged by the real Mater. The real kicker is the epilogue ending with a description of how the Doctor’s wife died in a concentration camp. (Yet we see him with her passport. The witch illusioning his grown wife Anka states that she could not find her papers.) There is more to see through these lenses, something I intend to explore on my next rewatch.

Tilda Swinton and Dakota Johnson both nail their roles. The dynamic between them throughout the movie is constantly changing, building a closer and closer relationship between Madame Blanc and Suzie. By the end of the film, Madame Blanc offers Suzie a way out, even pleading with her to save herself. But once Suzie sheds her birth mother, that same actress then comes out as Death, as Mother Suspiriorum.

I have yet to see Inferno, the sequel to the original, but it is my understanding that we learn more information about one of the other Mothers. But compared to the 1977 film, the remake had a much deeper story. Yet in an almost bizarre way, the story is simultaneously vulnerable and campy. We see the witches humanized, spending time together, contemplating things, voting. Act 6, however, is chock full of terrible CGI. I see it as an homage to the fake blood of the original, along with many other nods. Another example would be the heavy breathing from Mother Markos. Something I like is that the remake did not try to recreate the first kill from the original, but it still stands strong among the genre for how memorable and effective it is. Then you find out that she was not even killed, and then they hook her and carry her. It’s gruesome and maintains a strong relevance to the story.

Another technical contrast is in the sound design. As I said before, it draws you into the scene. But the music by Thom Yorke is stark compared to the plot and visual elements that occur several times as the song is playing, especially in the final scene of the Epilogue.

I have missed a number of things but I think that speaks to the strength of the story. As I read reviews and thoughts and theories, I see a variety of lenses through which it is beneficial to see this story. The next section is sourced from my own thoughts; there are many more things to look for in coming rewatches than my short list below.

Things to Watch for in the Future

• Political elements
  • In relation to Berlin in 1977
  • In relation to modern politics
  • In relation to the coven
• How each of the three Mothers may be impacting the story
• Moments of witch power
• The dynamics between Tilda Swinton’s characters, and each of their relationships with Suzie

Comparisons to Other Movies

When looking at the similarities and differences between the original and the remake, released 41 years apart, the two movies really stand separate. They share common plot elements but the styles and technicals are vastly different. Even the powers of the witches vary greatly. However, the original is a classic for a reason, and offers its own brand of bloody and violent deaths. It is worth a watch, particularly on the Synapse Films Blu-ray version, offering 4K quality and better audio. The original offers us the atmosphere of the film as a main character with the characters and the spoken plot acting as the most prominent side story. In the remake, there are a number of plot lines and side stories, many of them competing for the top titles so easily given for the original film.

Related to both Suspirias, we have Mandy. Released the same year as the remake, the visual experience of Mandy matches the original. At the same time, the characters growing insanity, for lack of a better term, is seen in the remake. Mandy is absolutely worth a watch.

Another movie released in 2018 that reached instant classic status is Hereditary, which shares a similar slow, cult-y burn that ignites very quickly and brightly in the last act. These movies share some plot parallels along with The Witch.

In relation to The Witch, the stories share a number of layers, from the obvious witch power struggle to female empowerment to generational conflict. They both feel authentic in their own ways, earning our trust with their details. I have been meaning to watch The Witch again soon and when I do, I will write a post for that.

I have seen a couple of comments on Reddit that I think offer a succinct yet vague synopsis; that is, that Suspiria 2018 is a combination of The Witch and Black Swan.

Review

I find Suspiria (2018) compelling if a little long. The details are tuned very finely, offered through strong cinematography. The technical side of the film is both skillful and symbolic. Its rewatch value for horror fans is very high, offering us a different experience every time we view it.

9/10