Post by HeddaGabler on Oct 30, 2023 16:53:49 GMT
Today I watched for the first time the original Suspiria : Restored Uncut Version— 1977 — Criterion
“The film stars Jessica Harper as an American ballet student who transfers to a prestigious dance academy but realizes, after a series of brutal murders, that the academy is a front for a supernatural conspiracy.”
Sigh. I have no doubt that when this came out in ‘77 it was ever so frightful. Unsettling freakish environment. New! Exciting! Different!
And maybe, just maybe if I had seen it when it first hit the screens, high on teenage hormones, peyote, cocaine, a Marlboro and too much Maybelline mascara — well just maybe I would have tripped amazeballs and thought it was great.
This thing sucked. The acting was atrocious except for the German Shepherd. That guy was at the top of his game. Too bad he had to ruin his reputation with the other stiffs. If only they had used peyote, they might have appeared alive and animated at the very least.
The story was boring and disjointed.
The surreal art feel of the thing helped. I can appreciate that part of it. For its time….if I really really try. A lot of visual work went into this.
But the look really stands shoulder to shoulder with Disney’s ride, It’s A Small World. It’s a magical, beautiful, gorgeous environment when you are a kid (or high as fuck), but when you really look at it with clear eyes, the cardboard and duct tape, the red and green gel lights scream cheap, sad and shabby. They tried. I give credit for the attempt.
“I think I picked the wrong day to stop sniffing glue.”
Yeah, but it's a great-LOOKING film, at least, lol.
I used to get verbally assaulted over at Horror Drive-In for not worshiping the "Great Dario Argento".....The man never made a coherent film, IMO. If you thought this was bad, everything else he made is waaaaaaay below this one. Try INFERNO for some real head-scratching. It did, at least, give the world my favorite Horror score track. I could listen to this craziness all day:
The music was a bit of everything! 😄I’ll check the movie out.