Fantastic Fest review: Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria is a stunning expansion of the original

Remaking Suspiria is a bold move. Dario Argento’s 1977 film is revered by fans for its striking visual style and bold camera work, along with its eerie, synth-heavy Goblin score, a potent combination that would go on to influence countless horror films over the ensuing decades.

Director Luca Guadagnino’s take on Suspiria succeeds in part because of how much it deviates from Argento’s film. The Call Me By Your Name director has taken the bare bones of Suspiria’s plot and themes and widened the scope considerably, resulting in a film that pays homage to the original while staking ground as its own unique, disturbing beast.

The opening of the film clearly lays claim to the lofty aspirations Guadagnino is going for here. A title card lets us know that the film is made up of “Six acts and an epilogue, set in divided Berlin.” Set in 1977 (the year the original film was released) the world of the film exists in a discordant and violent time for Berlin, with the Red Army Faction revolutionary group openly battling against the government.

As the film opens we encounter Patricia Hingle (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young woman in a state of high panic. Bursting in to see her psychiatrist Dr. Josef Klemperer (an uncredited Tilda Swanson in heavy prosthetics), she confides that she is under watch by witches from the local Helena Markos dance conservatory.

From that ominous opening, and amidst the backdrop of local kidnappings and bombings, we cut to Susie Bannion (Dakota Johnson), a young woman from a religious Mennonite family in rural Ohio who arrives in Berlin for an audition at the conservatory. She quickly wins the attention of Madame Blanc (Tilda Swanson), one of the mysterious women battling for control of the conservatory, and is cast in a leading role in the company’s upcoming production.

The first time Susie performs her part of the dance is a standout of the film. As she writhes and flings herself along the studio floor, another dancer is being invisibly attacked, her bones twisting and contorting in horrific ways as Susie breathlessly performs her piece. It’s a mesmerizing and terrifying sequence, highlighting the mysterious forces at work in the conservatory while focusing on Susie’s utmost determination to excel in her performance.

Dario Argento’s visual style is impossible to replicate, from his heightened use of splashy red colour schemes to his roving camera work, and Guadagnino thankfully never tries to outdo the master. His framing here often borders on claustrophobic, focusing in on Johnson’s face as she steadfastly pushes herself to the breaking point in pursuit of her craft. Walter Fasano’s editing work is a marvel, becoming increasingly hectic and disorienting as the film progresses, echoing Susie’s mind as she is plagued by feverish nightmares and visions. The soundtrack also perfectly matches the film’s sense of dread, with Thom Yorke’s haunting and slinky score adding a new dimension to the film, eschewing the grandiose horror of Goblin’s original score for something more pensive and intricate.

A side plot focusing on the Jewish professor’s missing wife who disappeared in WWII adds a sense of real-life horror to the proceedings, along with the news reports throughout the film detailing the hijacking of Lufthansa Flight 181, an attack by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine carried out in order to free jailed members of Germany’s RAF members. The choice to expand the scope of the film to include the horrors outside of the conservatory is an interesting one – it frames the brutal events of what transpires within the conservatory as part of a lineage of horrific acts, as opposed to a rare outbreak of violence.

Argento’s Suspiria is framed by a number of stunning set pieces that feature characters being killed off in increasingly elaborate ways, a template that Guadagnino does away with here. While there is always an undercurrent of terror and unease throughout the film, this is not a slasher film by any means. Running over two and a half hours, Guadagnino takes his time letting us simmer in the claustrophobic world of the conservatory and the power dynamics between its leaders, until everything culminates in the film’s bonkers ending, an audacious and beautifully shot blood-soaked climax that is sure to divide audiences.

In many ways, Guadagnino’s Suspiria subverts the character at the heart of the original, elevating Susie from a frightened young woman into a true force of nature. In spite of her modest background, this new version of Susie is extremely confident, ready to take on any challenges in her way, regardless of the physical or mental strain it puts on her. This version of Suspiria is essentially a film about female empowerment, albeit a power that is wielded in extremely destructive ways.

What’s so thrilling about this remake is that it is open to many, many interpretations. It’s a spellbinding and harrowing journey that definitely won’t be for everyone, but those willing to submit to its spell will be rewarded with one of the most beguiling and intoxicating film experiences in recent memory.

Suspiria is in theatres on October 26th.