Independent Films, Film Profiles

Suspiria
by Dario Argento

Suspiria is a 1977 Italian horror film directed by Dario Argento, and co-written by Argento and actress Daria Nicolodi, with whom Argento was romantically involved at the time. Nicolodi claims the plot was inspired by an experience of her grandmother's. The setting was originally to be a children's school but was later changed to a dance school for older teens. It stars Jessica Harper, Alida Valli, Udo Kier and Joan Bennett in her final film role.Suspiria is often considered Argento's finest film and a classic of the horror genre. Entertainment Weekly rated it #18 in its top 25 scariest movies of all time, saying it had "the most vicious murder scene ever filmed", a poll among critics at Total Film also named it as the 3rd greatest horror film of all-time, and it was rated #24 on the cable channel Bravo's list of the "100 Scariest Movie Moments".Suspiria is the first film in a trilogy Argento refers to as "The Three Mothers", about evil forces attempting to break through to the earth and wreak merciless havoc. Argento's next film, Inferno (1980), was the second in the trilogy, and the third is The Mother of Tears.In a poll of film critics conducted by the Village Voice, Suspiria was named the 100th greatest film made during the 20th centuryThe film is also famous among filmmakers as the final feature film to be processed in Technicolor before the processing plant was shut down.During a night of heavy rain and thunder, a young American ballet student, Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper), lands in Germany to attend a prestigious dance academy. When she reaches the school, she witnesses another student, Pat Hingle (Eva Axén), fleeing the building in a panic. Unable to gain access herself, Suzy stays in town for the night.Pat arrives at a friend's apartment where she is attacked and murdered. She is beaten and stabbed several times. The killer then winds a cord around her neck that finally hangs her when she crashes through a stained-glass ceiling. On the floor directly below, Pat's friend is also killed when she is hit by falling glass and metal.On her arrival at the academy the next morning, Suzy is introduced to Madame Blanc (Joan Bennett) and Miss Tanner (Alida Valli). In a recurring Argento plot device also used prominently in Profundo Rosso and Tenebrae, Suzy realises she recalls overhearing something Pat said the night before, but is unable to remember it. Suzy meets Olga (Barbara Magnolfi) and Sara (Stefania Casini) and learns that she is to board off-campus with Olga. The following morning, Blanc informs her that a dorm room is now free but Suzy says she would prefer to stay where she is. After a strange encounter with the cook (Franca Scagnetti), Suzy passes out during a lesson and wakes up to discover the staff have moved her into a dorm room against her wishes. Sara's room is next door, and the two become friends.As the school prepares for dinner, maggots begin to fall from the ceiling. Tanner discovers crates of spoiled food on the floor above, and the students and staff are forced to sleep in the practice hall overnight. During the evening, Sara identifies a distinctive whistling snore as that of the school's director, who is not due to return for several weeks. The next morning class is interrupted when Tanner accosts the blind pianist Daniel (Flavio Bucci), telling him that his guide dog has bitten Blanc's young nephew Albert (Jacopo Mariani). Outraged, Daniel resigns immediately. That night, Suzy hears the staff as they leave for the night, but realises they seem to be heading somewhere inside the building. While discussing this with Sara, she becomes suddenly drowsy and goes to sleep, leaving Sara to count the footsteps she hears as they pass. Meanwhile, Daniel the pianist is killed on his way home when his dog becomes spooked and tears his throat out.Next day, Suzy upsets Sara by telling Blanc that she heard Pat saying the words "iris" and "secret" the night she died. As the two girls swim, Sara reveals that she was close to Pat and that Pat had been taking notes and talking strangely for some time. Later, she discovers the notes are gone. Once again, Suzy comes over drowsy and Sara flees her friend's room just before an unseen person enters. Escaping to the attic, Sara is attacked and finally murdered after becoming trapped in a room full of razor wire.Finding Sara's room empty the following day, Suzy goes to meet her friend's psychologist Dr. Mandel (Udo Kier). Mandel explains that the school was founded by Helena Markos, a Greek émigré, who was believed to be a witch. Mandel's colleague Professor Millus tells Suzy that a coven can only survive with their queen.Back at school, Suzy discovers all the students have gone to the theater. Finally suspicious of her prescribed glass of wine, she dumps it and listens for the footsteps of the staff. Following her count, Suzy finds herself in Blanc's office. Noticing irises painted on the wall she finally recalls what Pat was saying the night she was killed, and finds a door hidden in the wall. Beyond, she discovers a ritual chamber where the coven is gathered, apparently led by Blanc and comprising most of the rest of the staff. Unseen, Suzy learns she is to be killed, and stumbles upon Sara's corpse. In another room she finds the directress and accidentally wakes her. The directress reveals herself as Helena Markos and taunts Suzy, calling Sara's reanimated corpse into the room to attack her. Suzy lunges at the outline of Markos, fatally stabbing her through the neck with the tailfeather from a glass peacock. Suzy flees into the night as the school bursts into flame, destroying the entire coven.